Tag Archives: Digital Equity Plan

EVENT: June 17: Community broadband discussion in Wiscoy Township (Winona County)

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The Winona Post reports…

The Minnesota Department of Economic Expansion is helping host a Digital Inclusion Committee in Wiscoy Township in southern Winona County. The committee will receive community feedback from folks that are lacking good broadband access, then use this information to help write Minnesota’s Digital Equity Plan.

The committee is being hosted by resident Dan Wilson. “Minnesota is expected to invest more than $275 million in broadband internet expansion in the next couple years, and I wanted to make sure that rural voices are a part of the conversation on how to spend it,” Wilson said.

The community conversation is open to anyone in the area lacking access to high-speed broadband. The group will discuss the impact of not having good internet access and possible solutions. The meeting will take place on Saturday, June 17, from 2-3:30 p.m. at 30935 Zephyr Valley Lane, Rushford. Refreshments will be provided.

I assume this meeting is part of the outreach for the State’s Digital Equity Plan being written by the Office of Broadband Development.

Do we need another push to get more voices on the MN digital equity plan team?

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The MN Office of Broadband Development put out a call to get communities involved in preparing a digital equity plan that will lead the state into a place for more equitable technology practices and be submitted to federal funders to help maximize flow of federal funds into the state to support the plan…

If you are interested in helping to shape Minnesota’s digital equity plan, there are three ways you can assist. For now, you can establish a Digital Connection Committee and register it with OBD by March 15, 2023. Many of these committees will be eligible to apply for a mini-grant of up to $4000—those applications are due March 3. Then, beginning April 3, you can use data to tell OBD your community or organization’s digital equity story. You can also join a committee near you and ask how to become involved. Or, once drafted, you can provide feedback on the Digital Equity Plan (approximately late August through late September). Stay up to date on the planning process by visiting OBD’s website.

They recently gave an update on how that push went…

Throughout February and March, OBD received over 90 Digital Connection Committee (DCC) registrations and 70 Assessing Digital Inclusion mini-grant applications. We are thrilled!
DCCs are Minnesota’s strategy for ensuring our state’s digital equity plan truly belongs to Minnesota. Between now and June 30, DCCs can submit data, stories, and other information about local digital inclusion strengths, needs, and goals for inclusion in the plan.
To register a DCC or to see a map (updates coming soon) of committees statewide, visit OBD’s digital inclusion webpage. DCC registrations are accepted on a rolling basis; registrations received by April 7 will be able to participate fully in contributing information for the plan. Please contact Hannah Buckland at hannah.buckland@state.mn.us with any questions.

They got a great response but are they getting all the voices they need?

Thanks to Jason Brazier at Literacy Minnesota for sending me two maps looking at where the local Digital Connection Committees (DCCs) are located and a map that shows digital equity (or inequity) status in each county. (The darker the color the better off the county is with digital equity.)

Map of Digital Equity (left) | Locations of Digital Connection Committees (right)

As you can see, the areas with the greatest need are in counties that do not have local DCCs, which means those communities are likely to be underrepresented. There are 14 counties (listed below) and only three of them are home to a DCC. A glance at the map and scan through the directory list and it’s clear that areas near cities and larger towns (Twin Cities, Duluth, Rochester) or with local colleges (Crookston, Northfield, Mankato) have DCCs. There are DCCs that are defined by subject specialty and span a statewide geography, such as the MN Alliance Boys and Girls Club but that is different level of representation that having the local Boys and Girls Club in Cass County lead the effort.

We are missing voices!

It’s not too late to reach out to the areas and people who aren’t on the list, which is why I’ve listed the target counties below. If they can get registered in the next week, they can participate fully in contributing to the plan. So I’m reaching out to readers to reach out to colleagues, cousins and counterparts in these areas to see if there is a likely leader for this effort. Keep in mind, these are the least connected counties so picking up a phone might be more effective that Tweeting.

Finally, I’m just looking at geography and as a factor because my work focuses on geography. That’s my lens. If your daily lens is different, use it to look at existing DCCs, see who is missing and reach out to them. For example, I don’t see a group that is obviously focused on agriculture, folks with disabilities or people experiencing homelessness. You may see something else. If they aren’t in the room, the planners won’t know what they need.

  1. Aitkin County – 1 DCC
  2. Cass County
  3. Beltrami County
  4. Clearwater County
  5. Kanabec County
  6. Kittson County
  7. Lake of the Woods County
  8. Mahnomen County
  9. Mille Lacs County
  10. Morrison County
  11. Nobles County
  12. Otter Tail County – 1 DCC
  13. Pine County – 1 DCC
  14. Redwood County

 

Instructions and info on Creating MN Digital Equity Plan

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Earlier this week I attended a webinar from the Office of Broadband Development on Creating Minnesota’s Digital Equity Plan. They are looking for input from folks across the state and the more views they hear, the better the plan will be. And if you want the plan to reflect your needs, you should think about getting involved.

For communities who have worked with Blandin Foundation in the past, this is your time to shine. You’ve done the work and you can help your community and all of Minnesota be smart with the money that’s coming in. The onus does not sound too onerous – especially for the Blandin cohorts who know the language and understand the questions –  and there is an opportunity to get grants to help defray costs.

Here are the materials from the webinar…

You are receiving this message because you registered for the webinar “Your Role in Creating Minnesota’s Digital Equity Plan” hosted by the Office of Broadband Development on Tuesday, 2/21. Included in this email message are the following post-webinar souvenirs, all of which may be shared within your networks:

  1. The webinar recording
  2. Attached: the PowerPoint slides shared during the webinar. Notes have been added to each slide for context
  3. Attached: a handout answering common questions about the mini-grants
  4. Attached: a handout answering common questions about the Digital Connection Committees
  5. A reminder: I am available to answer any questions about this initiative, to provide guidance on completing grant applications, to clarify all the little details – please just ask!

To find all of the information about our Digital Equity Act planning initiative in one place — including the mini-grant application (due March 3!), the Digital Connection Committee registration form (due March 15!), and a handy timeline – please visit the Office of Broadband Development’s digital inclusion webpage. We are so appreciative of and excited by the widespread interest this planning effort is receiving, and I look forward to working with you in the months ahead as we shape Minnesota’s digital equity plan together.

EVENT Feb 21: OBD hosts Your Role in Creating Minnesota’s Digital Equity Plan

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From the Office of Broadband Development…

Throughout 2023, the Minnesota Office of Broadband Development (OBD) is developing a statewide digital equity plan to improve internet affordability, access to internet-enabled devices, and availability of digital skills training. This plan will help direct millions of federal dollars to Minnesota for future digital inclusion initiatives.

Everyone has an important role to play in the planning process.

On Tuesday, February 21, at 12:00 p.m., please join us to learn from OBD Executive Director Bree Maki and Digital Equity Program Lead Hannah Buckland about some special opportunities to contribute to the plan, including through Digital Connection Committees, a grant round, and regional gatherings.

This webinar will be recorded and distributed afterward.

To request accommodations, please contact hannah.buckland@state.mn.us by February 16.

Register