Reliable access to technology and the internet is a necessity in our modern society—from participating in education, workforce, and civic opportunities to connecting with essential services like healthcare, housing, and transportation. However, not everyone has the same level of access to fast, reliable internet service or the devices and skills needed to fully participate in today’s technology-driven world.
In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to abruptly halt in-person instruction and many businesses moved employees to remote work, the digital divide in communities throughout the United States came into focus. Recognizing the urgency of central Ohio’s broadband and digital equity challenges, several Franklin County organizations quickly mobilized to examine and respond to local disparities exacerbated by the pandemic. Soon after, The Columbus Foundation, in partnership with Columbus Metropolitan Library and the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, helped launch the Franklin County Digital Equity Coalition.
Comprised of more than 30 Franklin County and regional organizations representing social services, government, education, business, healthcare, and other sectors, the Digital Equity Coalition is dedicated to increasing access to affordable high-speed internet, quality digital devices, and digital skills training. Through collaboration between public and private partners, the Digital Equity Coalition also prioritizes community outreach to provide residents with information that promotes engagement and adoption of services to bridge the digital divide.
“By convening cross-industry partners with a shared vision, the Digital Equity Coalition has provided a space for leaders in the Columbus region to collaborate on big ideas and use the collective expertise to move this work forward,” said Benjamin Reid, Public Services Director for Columbus Metropolitan Library and member of the Digital Equity Coalition Steering Committee.
In 2020, to better understand central Ohio’s digital landscape, including the many factors that contribute to digital disparities, The Columbus Foundation commissioned an analysis of the region’s broadband infrastructure. The study, conducted by AECOM, an international civil infrastructure research and planning company, found that gaps in access were largely due to a variety of barriers across different demographics, including economic challenges, technological literacy, and computers and other technological hardware.
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These findings were reinforced and expanded upon during a series of human-centered design sprints in which local residents were invited to share their experiences, concerns, and ideas related to the digital divide. Community design work has been a pivotal practice at The Columbus Foundation since 2019, enabling a better understanding of community challenges in deep partnership with community members. The digital equity design sprints were primarily facilitated by The Columbus Foundation and Smart Columbus, a collaborative innovation lab dedicated to advancing technology-enabled solutions, and provided important insights on issues ranging from the cost and reliability of internet services to challenges accessing and using technological devices.
Building upon insights from previous design sprints, The Columbus Foundation and community co-designers wanted to continue to learn how people experiencing poverty can use technology in all the ways they want to and need to. Learn more about Designing for Community Well-Being here.
According to Jordan Davis, Executive Director of Smart Columbus and a member of the Digital Equity Coalition Steering Committee, the design sprints played a pivotal role in shaping the vision and key objectives of the Coalition. “The design sprints helped us to really understand the lived experience of those who are digitally excluded and the true barriers to why people aren’t able to connect or get online,” explained Davis. In 2022, using learnings from the design sprints, the Coalition published the Digital Equity Action Agenda, which outlines four priorities: connectivity, device access, digital life skills, and outreach and adoption.
Today, Smart Columbus serves as the lead facilitator of the Digital Equity Coalition, helping to recruit and convene community partners, promote continued collaboration, and encourage further investment in the Coalition. One such investment was announced in November 2023, when the City of Columbus and Franklin County committed more than $20 million to the Digital Equity Coalition. In the announcement, officials outlined plans to use the investment to increase access to affordable high-speed internet to underserved households; distribute internet-enabled devices to households in need; and launch a digital skills training program, among other initiatives.
Speaking about the future of the Digital Equity Coalition, Reid said he believes the Coalition is well positioned to make a lasting impact on the region.
FRANKLIN COUNTY DIGITAL EQUITY COALITION PRIORITIES
Expand reliable, high-speed residential internet options in low-income neighborhoods in Franklin County at an affordable cost for under-resourced households.
Create a sustainable stream of different types of high-quality digital devices that are available at low to no cost to benefit Franklin County residents who need them.
Expand and increase access to digital skills training with the addition of learning opportunities across provider organizations that support residents’ individualized needs on a continuum.
Establish and support a coordinated, multi-channel outreach approach that is activated by a distributed network of partners, effectively providing residents with information to do what they want and need to do online.
Source: Franklin County Digital Equity Action Agenda
“Columbus Metropolitan Library, along with its partners on the Franklin County Digital Equity Coalition, has increased focus on digital inclusion services with the goal of reaching digital equity in the region,” said Reid. “Following years of detailed planning and building, the Coalition is primed to achieve its targeted implementation goals.”
Although the Digital Equity Coalition was born out of the COVID-19 emergency, digital equity remains a priority at The Columbus Foundation. The Foundation continues to be an active partner in the Digital Equity Coalition, serving as a member of the Steering Committee. Additionally, in July 2020, The Columbus Foundation established the Digital Equity Fund to help address the region’s digital divide. Several central Ohio organizations have been awarded grants totaling more than $1.3 million through the Digital Equity Fund to support programs that promote digital literacy, expand access to affordable internet and technological devices, and offer digital skills training and education.
“The digital divide inhibits students from learning, workers from accessing gainful employment, small businesses from engaging in e-commerce, and individuals from connecting to critical services,” said Matt Martin, Director of Community Research at The Columbus Foundation. “Through community engagement, collaboration, and grantmaking, The Columbus Foundation is committed to supporting efforts that promote digital equity and inclusion of all residents.”