Category Archives: Digital Divide

EVENT Oct 1: Building for Digital Equity Event: Moving at the Speed of Trust

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From the Institue for Local Self Reliance…

From the demise of the Affordable Connectivity Program and the sudden termination of the Digital Equity Act to the drastic revamping of the BEAD Internet infrastructure program and the myriad ways trust in governmental institutions has been eroded, digital inclusion advocates will not want to miss the next Building for Digital Equity (B4DE) livestream.

Slated for October 1 at 3 pm EST, the next B4DE virtual gathering will speak to the moment by focusing on a fundamental formula Internet access warriors cannot afford to overlook as they face down the forces actively working to undermine efforts to bridge the digital divide.

Co-hosted by ILSR’s Community Broadband Networks Initiative and the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA), the next B4DE will spotlight local strategies for digital equity and explore why it’s necessary for frontline digital inclusion practitioners to be “Moving at the Speed of Trust.”

Register for the free event here.

Connected Nation finds 30 percent of rural households are internet insecure

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Connected Nation has a new report on Internet Insecurity in Rural America. I like the distinction between access and secure access. The best analogy I can think it the difference between having a reliable car or a junker. Most of us know the difference, many of us from experience. A reliable car gets you to work on time. Gets your kids to school. Is what you are happy to take a 3am when contractions start coming. A junker is a car that may cost you a lot of money in repairs or gas mileage. It is always a car you aren’t sure is going to get you where you are going and honestly you don’t want your kids to drive it at night.

Connected Nation recognizes…

Connected Nation (CN) believes in the importance of sustained, reliable internet connectivity for every household. In this report, CN looks at “internet insecure” households whose internet adoption has been in flux. What we found underscores a need to address the issue of internet insecurity: not only do Americans need to get connected, but to benefit from broadband, they must STAY connected.

They surveyed 2,600 rural households in Michigan and Colorado to learn about the impact of Internet insecurity. If they had been in Minnesota, I’d dig deeper into the specifics, although I imagine they are similar, but here I’ll keep it high level…

KEY FINDINGS:

  • Roughly one-third (30.6%) of the surveyed population is internet insecure.

  • Households with children are more likely to experience intermittent internet connectivity, with one-third (34.2%) of households with children under 18 living at home being internet insecure.

  • People with disabilities are more likely to experience internet insecurity than people without disabilities.

  • Nearly 9 out of 10 (87.1%) internet insecure respondents say they rely on locations outside of their home to access the internet.

  • Despite irregular access to the internet, most of the internet insecure population (93.3%) still uses telehealth services.

OPPORTUNITY: Apply for the Seven Star Communities 2025 recognition

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From the NDIA (National Digital Inclusion Alliance…

Our application is now open for the next month to apply for the Seven Star Communities 2025 recognition! This is a digital inclusion recognition, hosted by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, in partnership with AMERIND.

Last year, we launched the Seven Star Communities recognition, which identified eight outstanding communities working towards bridging the digital divide for their people, nation, and future. We want to build that momentum this year by personally inviting your Tribal community to apply for this recognition.

If you’re unsure how well you think you’ll score, we have provided a Scoring Worksheet to help understand the seven indicators and what is needed to achieve Seven Star Community Status. Here are the indicators:

1. Community Champion

2. Planning Process

3. Tribal Government Support

4. Tribal Resources Available to Support Work

5. Place-based Digital Equity Programs

6. Being a Steward for a Digital Equity Ecosystem

7. Our Stories

Here is the link to this year’s 2025 application form. Applications are due October 20, 2025! This year’s Seven Star Communities recipients will be celebrated at Net Inclusion 2026 in Chicago, IL!

EVENTS: Paul Bunyan Communications Launches PBC Academy: Free Technology Training for Members

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From Paul Bunyan Communications…

Paul Bunyan Communications is excited to announce the launch of the PBC Academy, a new outreach program offering FREE training sessions designed to help cooperative members gain confidence and skills with today’s technology. These hands-on sessions, taught by local cooperative staff, make learning simple, approachable, and fun.
PBC Academy classes will be offered free of charge at Paul Bunyan Communications offices in Bemidji and Grand Rapids. The first topic will be on streaming technology helping members understand the basics and will feature streaming DIRECTV. Future topics will be added based on member interest and feedback.
Streaming Technology featuring DIRECTV
• Grand Rapids
o Sept. 30 – 10:30 a.m.
o Oct. 7 – 1:30 p.m.
• Bemidji Classes
o Oct. 2 – 10:30 a.m.
o Oct. 9 – 1:30 p.m.
Class sizes are limited to 10 participants and advanced online registration is required. Each session will last about an hour with additional time afterward for one-on-one learning.
In addition to the scheduled classes, PBC Academy is available for groups, organizations, or clubs interested in hosting a training session.
“For many of our cooperative members technology can feel overwhelming at times,” said Leo Anderson, Chief Technology Officer at Paul Bunyan Communications. “PBC Academy will help make it less intimidating and easier to understand.”
For more information or to reserve a spot in an upcoming class, visit https://paulbunyan.net/academy/ or contact academy@paulbunyan.net

Benton looks at Achieving Affordability: State Strategies for Getting Everyone Online

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The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society has a new publication that looks at Achieving Affordability: State Strategies for Getting Everyone Online…

In the absence of federal leadership, state governments are working to ensure that every household can afford to get and stay connected

They looked at…

Some state governments have long prioritized broadband affordability, while others are only now stepping in to fill the vacuum left by Washington. Across their strategic plans, all states cite affordability as one of the chief barriers to achieving universal connectivity. This report examines how states are working to make high-speed internet more affordable for their residents, offering a menu of policy
options explored by states around the country. These approaches fall into six broad categories:
1. LOW-COST PLANS: New York’s Affordable Broadband Act caps the cost of internet plans for low-income households at $20 per month or less. Connecticut will soon require low-cost plans for qualifying low-income residents.
2. STATE LIFELINE REFORM: State Lifeline programs collect mandatory fees from telecommunications companies, which are generally passed on to consumer bills, to fund discounts on eligible low-income residents’ phone and internet bills. State programs supplement a similar Lifeline program at the federal level, which provides a $9.25-per-month discount. Oregon recently passed legislation to expand its Lifeline subsidy and offer discounts on devices to low-income residents.
3. ONE-TIME SUBSIDIES: States, including Maryland and South Carolina, have used or plan to use federal funding for short-term affordability programs. These efforts are inherently time-limited and rely on one-off funding streams.

4. LOW-INCOME HOUSING INCENTIVES: States like Pennsylvania and Indiana are using the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) to encourage developers to offer free or subsidized internet in affordable housing units.
5. CONSUMER PROTECTIONS and TRANSPARENCY MEASURES: States such as Arkansas, Virginia, and Tennessee have passed laws to improve pricing transparency and billing practices. These policies aim to empower consumers
to better understand the costs of internet service and avoid excess charges.
This approach may lower costs indirectly.
6. ENHANCED COMPETITION and CONSUMER CHOICE: Some states are fostering competition and affordability by permitting the market participation of municipal broadband providers and cooperatives, as well as investing in open-access, middle-mile infrastructure. Others offer deployment subsidies or regulatory relief to lower provider costs and encourage new entrants

They found…

States pursuing broadband affordability must consider key factors:
• Available state resources, such as fiscal and institutional capacity
• Local market landscape, including providers and their offerings
• The time horizon of affordability needs
• Positions of key political, industry, and consumer groups
• Implementation strategies for enrolling households and managing program
outreach

MN Tools to promote Application for Educational Benefits – including Internet and utility discounts

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Below is information from the Department of Education to promote Application for Educational Benefits. I thought some readers might be in a position to share these with patrons and some reader might appreciate a reminder to apply…

The Application for Educational Benefits does more than connect eligible families to important supports — it also helps schools access critical funding for programs and student services. Even now that school meals are provided at no cost, a drop in applications can reduce resources for your school community.

This toolkit includes flyers, posters, social media graphics, sample messages, and outreach templates to help schools and districts explain why the form still matters and encourage more families to complete it.

The Application for Educational Benefits may help eligible families access:
• Summer grocery support (Sun Bucks)
• Internet and utility discounts
• Test fee waivers
• Tutoring and after-school programs
• Local discounts at museums and events

Flyers and Posters

Download a printable flyer (8.5″ x 11″) or poster (11″ x 17″) that explains why the Application for Educational Benefits matters — and how it can support eligible families and schools. Use the flyer for handouts, newsletters, or email attachments. Display the poster in hallways, entryways, and community spaces.

Flyers (8.5″ x 11″)

Download in English
Download in Spanish
Download in Somali
Download in Hmong

Posters (11″ x 17″)

Download in English
Download in Spanish
Download in Somali
Download in Hmong

Social Media Graphics and Captions

Download the ready-to-use graphics and matching captions for Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms. Each file name clearly identifies its format (horizontal, square, or vertical) so you can choose the right size for your post. Just download the file to your computer, copy the graphics, copy the captions, and add your school’s link or QR code.

Design Option 1 (Text with White Background)

Download Horizontal Graphic
Download Vertical Graphic
Download Square Graphic

Design Option 2 (Text with Dark Blue Background)

Download Horizontal Graphic
Download Vertical Graphic
Download Square Graphic

Design Option 3 (Image on White Background)

Download Horizontal Graphic
Download Vertical Graphic
Download Square Graphic

Social Media Captions

Download Social Media Captions

Sample Press Release

Download Sample Press Release

Prewritten Message Toolkit

Download Prewritten Message Toolkit

Can better broadband help girls in rural MN become better math students?

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MinnPost reports…

Minnesota girls’ math skills fell nearly half a grade level behind boys in the years after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new analysis of standardized test scores.

The Associated Press looked at average test scores for third through eighth graders across 15 years in over 5,000 school districts in 33 states, compiled by the Educational Opportunity Project at Stanford University.

Across the country, the analysis shows that schools have lost ground since the pandemic following a decade in which educators had nearly closed the gender gap between girls and boys on math scores. While boys’ scores also suffered during COVID, they have recovered faster than girls’ scores. The widening gender gap in Minnesota was among the largest nationwide, equivalent to 43% of a grade level.

It turns out the situation may be worse for girls in rural Minnesota. There is the issue of broadband access…

When schools closed for the pandemic, districts had to focus on making remote learning work.

“Schools were more concerned with the logistics of getting kids on the right application and in the right Zoom room,or getting them to stay at their computers for the whole day, or even helping students and teachers find stable internet, especially in rural areas,” said Kondo, the education professor at St. Catherine University.

Also, there is the issue of girls not seeing themselves in STEM jobs…

Osakis superintendent Dahlheimer also notes that there are cultural aspects of rural Minnesota that make it more difficult to achieve his goal of creating long-term partnerships with businesses that can offer female STEM workers as role models for his district’s students.

“There are less STEM jobs out here. That may change with remote working, but for now, most homes are single-earner homes, and the person working is the husband, the father,” leading to a dearth of women whom girls can see thriving in STEM fields.

The numbers support the lack of role models in the workforce…

In Minnesota, only 26% of STEM workers are female, and only 11% are people of color, Brown said.

Obviously, better broadband would help the access issue. But it also seems that better broadband would support remote work, which would support mothers working (even part time) remotely in all fields, including STEM. Also with better broadband, girls in rural areas can more easily be introduced or even develop mentorships with women working in STEM in rural, suburban and urban areas.

There are some exceptions and I want to give a nod to Iron Rang Engineering’s #Night Program, which turned 10 last February. Here’s more info from their website…

Engineering outreach is a large aspect of Iron Range Engineering because we believe in giving back to our community. #Night is all about empowering young women to know that they can choose a career in engineering if they want to. Having more women in engineering will lead to better and more innovative ideas for solving the world’s problems.

Connected Nation unveils their interactive BEAD Tracker

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From Connected Nation:

Connected Nation unveiled its new interactive dashboard, the BEAD Tracker. The dashboard provides easy access to states’ plans for spending federal funds that were allocated through the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program’s Benefit of the Bargain round. The BEAD Tracker compiles and aggregates state BEAD final proposals, highlighting how each state and U.S. territory intends to use its allocated federal BEAD dollars. That includes the total number of locations that will be served in each state, the distribution of the kind of broadband technology being funded, and how many locations will be served by each internet service provider. In addition to seeing national statistics, the BEAD Tracker allows users to view information for individual states, as well as by broadband platform and even by individual ISPs.

And a few screenshots that might of interest to BoB readers…

Minnesota number:

Help grow the Telehealth Access Point map

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Do you have public space where visitors can securely contact telehealth providers? The NRTRC ( National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers ) is trying to grow their publicly available map of places where folks can go to use Telehealth Access Points. The map could be valuable for folks who lack technology to do a telehealth call from home whether they are on vacation, experiencing homelessness or disaster or simply don’t have the technology or tech skills. Here’s more info from a recent post on the NDIA listserv…

In celebration of Telehealth Awareness Week and in anticipation of Digital Inclusion Week, the NRTRC needs your help reaching 250 Telehealth Access Points (TAPs) on the NRTRC Find Telehealth Map.

A TAP is a public-facing space that furnishes a device with working camera, speaker and microphone, an internet connection and privacy considerations in the form of a dedicated room or kiosk for the general public to access a telehealth appointment.  These have been found throughout the nation at community anchor institutions like libraries, social service agencies, community health centers and more.  The NRTRC began mapping public-facing TAPs in 2023 in hopes of creating awareness of the spaces that are available for telehealth appointments and also to help navigators, providers and telehealth participants to find the resources they are looking for to participate in access to telehealth services.

We are thrilled to announce that as of today, we have mapped over 200 TAPs in all around the country, from New York State, to the Marshall Islands!  But we know there are more out there!  We are striving to map 250 or more of these by the time Digital Inclusion Week rolls out on October 6th and we need your help to accomplish this.  If your organization or any organization you know of is providing a TAP in your community, please fill out this form to get it on the map.  TAPs continue to be self-enrolling so you can do this at any time.

We appreciate your participation in this journey and look forward to celebrating this milestone with you all in October. If you have questions about the NRTRC find telehealth map, feel free to reference this user guide, or reach out to us directly.

Arvig promotes Lifeline Awareness Week

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The Pilot Independent reports...

Digital Connectivity and Lifeline Awareness Week is right around the corner, and Arvig is joining the effort to spread the word about this federal program.

Lifeline provides discounts to help low-income residents connect to the nation’s broadband and phone networks to find jobs, access health care services, connect with family and call for help in an emergency. For some people, being connected can be the difference between social interaction and complete isolation.

Arvig is promoting national Digital Connectivity and Lifeline Awareness Week from Sept. 7 to 13 as part of its commitment to providing resources that make high-speed internet and phone service available to everyone.

Staying connected to local resources and emergency services can improve and possibly save lives; and access to local emergency services and community resources is vital to all residents.

Under the program, low-income residents who participate in certain public assistance programs, or qualify based on income, can receive a discount of up to $9.25 per month off their monthly broadband-qualifying service bill; up to $5.25 off their voice-qualifying service bill; and residents on Tribal lands can qualify for up to an additional $34.25 per month.

More information on program eligibility and rules are available at http://www.lifelinesup port.org

A video in American Sign Language about Lifeline is available at: https://youtu.be/wwkjVrd5xHc

Arvig encourages all eligible customers to sign up at any time by going to https://arvig.com/savings or by calling (888) 992-7844.

Lifeline is a government assistance program that is non-transferable and is limited to one discount per eligible household.

The Broadband Equity Project: Minneapolis gap between broadband availability and adoption

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The Broadband Equity Project highlights the rate of internet/broadband adoption across different zip codes in many major cities and metropolitan areas, and uses census data to find key factors. Unfortunately, they tool only looks at the 7-county metro area, but it is searchable by city and county.

Here’s what they found about Minneapolis:

It’s interesting to scroll over the map, especially if you are focus on the 7-county metro area or part of that area

EVENT Sep 10: New Research Getting to Broadband Adoption for All

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From the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society…

Join us on September 10 at 2:00 p.m. ET for a webinar on broadband affordability and policy. Available via the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society’s YouTube page, the webinar will feature new research about broadband affordability and state legislative approaches to ensure the availability of affordable high-speed internet access. The discussion will highlight how broadband affordability, availability, and adoption relate to each other and present current and future opportunities to improve universal access.

Current federal investment in broadband infrastructure will go a long way to improve broadband availability, but it must be accompanied by affordability support if all Americans are to adopt broadband service. The expiration of the Affordable Connectivity Program in 2024, recent changes to the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program’s requirements for a low-cost service option, and possible reforms to the Universal Service Fund have all influenced the current landscape.

Dr. Caroline Stratton, Research Director of the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, will moderate a discussion with:

  • Dr. John Horrigan, Benton Senior Fellow and national expert on technology adoption, digital inclusion, and evaluating the outcomes and impacts of programs designed to promote communications technology adoption and use. Horrigan will share insights from his recent research reports, Budgeting for Broadband and Marking Progress, Targeting Gaps: Lessons from Broadband Adoption Trends, and his past research on the Lifeline Program.
  • Jordan Arnold, Master of Public Affairs candidate at Princeton University. She previously served as a Senior Policy Advisor in the Biden-Harris White House, where she led work on broadband and economic development in the Office of the Chief of Staff. Arnold will present lessons from her new Benton research report about how states are approaching affordability in the absence of federal policy action.
  • Ambika Nair, Community Development Research Analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, conducts research and data analysis on the financial well-being of low- and moderate-income communities. Nair will share findings from a forthcoming publication about the relative affordability of broadband in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods in U.S. cities.

Tune in to learn more about what the practitioner and policymaking communities can do to ensure that low-income households can afford reliable, sustainable access to broadband internet service.

OPPORTUNITY: Funding from NCOA for older adult digital literacy

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Sorry – I misread the deadline. It was Aug 22, NOT open Aug 22 to Oct 1.

The National Council on Aging reports on the opportunity…

The National Council on Aging and AT&T invite senior centers and community-based organizations serving older adults to apply for a new funding opportunity aimed at improving older adults’ skills and confidence in using technology. This initiative helps older adults feel more comfortable with everyday technology, staying connected with friends and family, finding information online, using mobile devices, and protecting themselves from online scams.

More details…

Key highlights of the collaboration with AT&T to help older adults use the internet safely and confidently:

  • Each participating senior center and community-based organization will receive training, materials, and  curriculum to provide in-person workshops and one-to-one support to improve digital literacy.

  • Participating organizations may apply for one of three tiers of funding, each tied to a specific impact goal based on the number of older adult participants they will engage in digital literacy programming. Organizations can select the tier that best matches their capacity and community reach. Funding amounts range from $4,500 to $9,000

  • Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 22, 2025 and the project will begin on Oct.1, 2025

  • Senior centers and community-based organizations in all states are eligible to apply. Those in AT&T’s key U.S. service areas are especially encouraged to apply. (See the map below for AT&T’s key coverage areas.)

Minnesota is not shown as an AT&T service region on their map…

AARP collect stories on how seniors are using broadband and the impact of losing ACP funds

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AARP reports on how low-income former Affordable Connectivity Program recipients use the Internet…

When the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) ended in April 2024, a well-known financial juggling act ensued.

Low-income recipients, now left to pay for their internet services without assistance from the federal program, shuffled payments, negotiated discounts, haggled, and stretched their limited financial resources to remain connected, a recent AARP study showed.

Using interviews, in-home observations, and video diaries to understand how people adapted once the $30 monthly benefit disappeared, the study highlighted how former ACP recipients reacted to the loss of help with a utility that has become commonplace in nearly every societal activity.  Researchers conducted interviews with a dozen former ACP recipients age 50-plus, including six who were interviewed in 2023.

Here’s a collection of one of their videos. There are several in the article.

Impact of BEAD changes on the states depends on the state – in MN 22,000 locations didn’t get bids

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The Institute for Local Self Reliance has a program I try to watch regularly. This week they talked a bit about the potential impact of BEAD changes on the states and specifically talked about Minnesota. They pointed out that 22,000 of the 76,000 BEAD eligible locations got no bid at all and 10 fiber companies dropped out of bidding. (Map of the 76,000 locations at right.) The podcaster noted that part of the problem may have the lack of early response to the RDOF results and not being more aggressive in trying to make more addresses BEAD eligible on the front end. That being said, I think Minnesota is one of the states that is pushing back on changes now by encouraging letters of support from community leaders to include with the final proposal when submitted.