Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program accepting applications

The Massachusetts Broadband Institute has reopened the Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program, which provides municipalities with expert planning services to expand digital equity and identify investment opportunities in digital inclusion.

Planning activities will be led by a network of consultants overseen and funded by MBI. Program activities will include providing communities with strategic documents that identify local needs, community interests, and key assets to increase internet access for populations most impacted by the digital divide.

Participating cities and towns can choose from two program options: a short-term planning charrette or a longer-term Digital Equity Plan process. Municipalities may also collaborate with neighboring communities to take a regional approach.

The program will prepare participating municipalities to submit digital equity-related grant applications, including for the MBI’s Municipal Digital Equity Implementation Program, which enables municipalities to access a one-time grant of up to $100,000 to execute their digital equity projects.

Eligible municipalities must include populations that identify as any of the eight Covered Populations of the federal Digital Equity Act.

Applications will be accepted through April 25, and can be submitted using an online application form.

For more information, contact MBI Digital Equity Project Manager Ariana Fielding at fielding@masstech.org.