Our Priorities
These priorities guide our strategies, investments and are a framework to coordinate the efforts of the Franklin County Digital Equity Coalition.
Connectivity
Expand reliable, high-speed residential internet options in low-income neighborhoods in Franklin County at an affordable cost for under resourced households.
Digital Life Skills
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 from survival to career.
Device Access
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.
Outreach and Adoption
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.
This priority will establish and support a coordinated, multi-channel outreach approach activated by a distributed network of partners who transparently provide residents with culturally relevant information that promotes engagement and adoption of solutions in all three major areas of the plan – connectivity, devices and digital life skills.
ACTIONS TODAY
- Get the word out – A coordinated multi-channel marketing and PR campaign activated across a broad spectrum of grass-roots and social service organizations.
- Create an online resource for 24/7 Support – A one-stop-shop online resource that connects residents and full-time professionals to information they need.
- Ensure there are people available to help – An ecosystem of people prepared to provide in person or on the phone support to residents across the County.
- Residential Connectivity – 60% of eligible residents are enrolled in ACP.
- Device Access – Over 20,000 new devices have been distributed
- Skills Training – Over 5,000 residents annually receive digital skills training.
This priority encourages leveraging the 1,000 miles of dark fiber owned and operated by the City of Columbus to form a public-private partnership that results in the delivery of affordable, reliable, high-speed Internet connectivity to low-income neighborhoods. The priority also encourages efforts to increase competition and transparency in the existing environment to lower price points for
residents and encourage continued investments by existing ISPs to upgrade their infrastructure in Franklin County.
- Affordability of residential Internet,
- inadequate Internet speeds, and
- the number of under-resourced Columbus and Franklin County families living without residential Internet (estimated 80,000).
| KEY MILESTONES | 2023 – 2026 | 2027+ |
| IMPROVE THE EXISTING MARKET | Promote ACP and encourage infrastructure upgrades | Central Support system |
| BRING FIBER TO THE HOME TO LOW-INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS | Build out Middle Mile and form public private partnerships. | First customers receive Fiber to the Home Service in Low-Income Neighborhoods |
The lack of adequate devices impedes one’s ability to advance educationally, obtain public services, engage in online commerce, compete on a level playing field for employment, or take advantage of digital healthcare services.
Objectives and strategies of this priority were developed with these considerations in mind:
- New devices are more equitable than used.
- There are few digital device vendors and/or refurbishers located in Franklin County that cater to low-income residents.
- While Franklin County residents can purchase devices through several online sites that offer discounts to qualifying individuals, the scarcity of such entities with a physical presence is a barrier for many potential users, especially those lacking the skills or comfort with online commerce.
- Devices should be given to households with the requisite skills training and therefore integrated with priority four’s strategy of establishing the ‘Tech Goes Home’ training program in Franklin County.
- Purchasing and distributing new devices in bulk also would help streamline technology skills training and support for fewer types of devices rather than supporting a patchwork of different donated equipment.
- There is a large need for a wide range of device types and features that can enable residents to take advantage of opportunities in today’s digital economy.
This priority is crucial because access to devices and the Internet is not enough to close the digital divide; residents also need to know how to access what they want and need online. Digital life skills and abilities are essential to promoting online safety and security, gaining objective information, making social connections, advancing education, engaging in the modern economy, increasing workforce competitiveness, and accessing healthcare services.
Across the three levels of skills training, the Digital Equity Coalition recommends three new priority investments, as well as the creation of a competitive grant fund to spur innovation in tailoring digital skills training to seniors, disabled, justice involved, and new American populations.
Upcoming Meetings
Join us virtually on April 12 at 8.00am as we discuss our approach to laying the ground work in building our device ecosystem alongside lead consultant, Digitunity.
Kindly send an email to dec@smartcolumbus.com to be added to this meeting.
Join us in a discussion with Smart Columbus’s Lead Research Designer – Andreya Veintimilla as we learn about the Community Information Exchange Program which aims to provide true, lasting impact by collaborating across agency borders for each person’s unique benefit.
Read more here
Kindly email dec@smartcolumbus.com to be added to this meeting.
Join us for a half day retreat on the 21st of June as we take a deeper look at how we can best serve Veterans, New Americans/Immigrants and the Justice Involved as we aim for digital equity.
More information to follow.
Interested in being a member? Join us at the next coalition meeting!
The Franklin County Digital Equity Action Agenda
The Franklin County Digital Equity Action Agenda focuses on promoting digital equity and inclusion by addressing barriers to access and ensuring that all residents of Franklin County have the necessary resources and skills to fully participate in the digital economy.
Our 2020 Crisis Response
The Franklin County Digital Equity Coalition’s crisis response efforts have resulted in providing digital resources and support to underserved communities, including access to devices and broadband during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While this launched our current focus on the work, we look forward to ensuring that we are continually growing our impact, serving key demographics in our community.