Page 37 - BusinessWest May 15, 2023

ing people to vital resources, such as jobs, education, healthcare, food, and information.”
The Digital Equity Partnerships Program was launched in September 2022 with the goal of designating quali- fied organizations to implement proj- ects that meet the goals outlined in the Commonwealth’s ARPA COVID recov- ery legislation, which created a $50 million fund to bridge the digital divide in the state.
“I am thrilled to see that Baystate Health, in partnership with the West- ern Massachusetts Alliance for Digital Equity, have been recognized by the Commonwealth’s Digital Equity Part- nership Program and received a grant of $5.1 million to continue addressing the digital divide,” state Sen. Jo Com- erford said.
“Access to affordable and reliable internet is essential for our residents, and achieving this goal will not only enhance the quality of life for many, but will also help advance vital economic- development projects and educational initiatives.”
State Sen. Adam Gomez added that “the funds created by the ARPA COVID recovery legislation of 2021 represented a momentous step toward bridging the digital-equity divide for Western Massachusetts. There are far too many unserved communities in this region of the Commonwealth who do not have sim- ple access to WiFi. Communities in this region will now have substantially increased access to not only WiFi,
but also support for key programming areas such as digital literacy, public- space internet modernization, and connectivity initiatives for economic hardship. Eliminating the digital-equi- ty divide in Western Mass. is abso- lutely crucial to supporting a thriving economy.”
While the state has made trides to improve broadband and WiFi access, state Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa noted, many communities have been left behind, much public housing remains unwired, and towns that don’t know how to fund projects that would level the playing field for all residents. “The Digital Equity Partnership Program will assist these communities, provid- ing important funding and assistance in learning how to incorporate this technology into their daily lives.”
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said the Digital Equity Partnership Program will help eliminate or miti- gate the barriers faced in accessing digital equity and help close the digi-
tal divide. “Access to affordable and reliable internet is essential for our residents, and achieving this goal will not only enhance the quality of life for many, but will also help advance vital economic-development projects and educational initiatives, not only here in Springfield, but across the Commonwealth.”
The state’s digital-equity pro- grams build on initiatives launched
in response to the COVID-19 public- health crisis, which included public WiFi hotspots in unserved towns in Western and Central Mass., as well
as the Mass Internet Connect pro- gram, which worked with MassHire to
provide financial support and digital- literacy tools to help get unemployed residents back to work.
The MBI has also launched a Munic- ipal Digital Equity Planning Program to support Massachusetts communities with planning activities that will help build a broad understanding of how a lack of internet access is impacting res- idents in their community, as well as a Broadband and Digital Equity Working Group comprised of stakeholders from across the state that will inform the makeup and focus of state programs, providing key technical expertise and representation of target populations.
“Our partner organizations are
leaders in the digital-equity field and have cultivated an incredible network
of local stakeholders who will ensure these funds have maximum benefit to the communities they are designed to serve,” said Michael Baldino, MBI direc- tor. “Today’s grants, coupled with our municipal planning program and the engagement of our dedicated working- group members, will ensure that the dollars invested lead to the desired impact — more residents will not only gain access to devices, digital skills, and more affordable internet, they will have access to a wider range of social, educa- tional, and healthcare resources.” BW
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