Westborough, Mass. – Today, the Healey-Driscoll administration and the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech) announced $19 million in grants to support participants of the Digital Equity Partnerships Program. The funds will support active digital equity projects focused on delivering training, resources and broadband infrastructure to Massachusetts residents. These projects will distribute upwards of 500 devices, expand the Apartment Wi-Fi program by 4,000 units, and increase digital access for nearly 20,000 residents across the state.
"Massachusetts is committed to closing the digital divide through strategic partnerships that focus on the needs of residents," said Massachusetts Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao. "These grants give us the opportunity to ensure that residents across the state have direct access to their professional, health, and social needs, while at the same time driving long-term economic growth through expanded training and education."
"The Digital Equity Partnerships program leverages the expertise of high-capacity organizations delivering skills training, devices, and Wi-Fi to the people who need it most," said MBI Program Executive Jody Jones. "Our targeted efforts are making a real impact with the goal of delivering ‘Internet for All’ in Massachusetts. With these grants, Massachusetts is creating economic opportunity and ensuring all residents can fully participate in society."
The Digital Equity Partnerships Program, created in September 2022, helps qualified organizations execute projects aligned with the objectives set forth in the Commonwealth’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) COVID recovery legislation (Chapter 102 of the Acts of 2021). The program is made up of six initiative areas: connectivity for economic hardship (providing ‘hot spots’ to low-income/housing insecure individuals), device distribution and refurbishment, digital literacy, education, outreach, and adoption support, public space internet modernization, and Wi-Fi access.
The additional funding will enable partners to expand their services to reach more underserved communities, such as recent immigrants and individuals living in rural areas.
A full project summary for each of the recipients is listed below.
| Organization | Grant Amount | Project Summary |
| AgeSpan / Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative (MHAC) | $333,664 | This award will support AgeSpan and the Massachusetts Healthy Aging Collaborative (MHAC) in deepening their work in 74 cities and towns, targeting older adults for digital literacy and navigation services. Both organizations anticipate serving an additional 600 older adults and distributing 150 additional devices to complement digital literacy programming. |
| Baystate Health | $1,000,000 | This award will support Baystate Health in meeting the demand for additional digital equity services in the 101 communities served by the Alliance for Digital Equity in Western Massachusetts. It will allow more residents to benefit from digital inclusion services, specifically: 300 residents per year to receive digital navigation services, 1,200 additional residents to receive digital skill programming, and 333 additional residents to receive laptops to assist with digital skill programming. |
| City of Boston | $1,000,000 | This award will support the City of Boston in meeting the demand for additional digital equity services by providing 2,900 new arrivals and low-income individuals with Wi-Fi hot spots and other devices. It will also support public spaces modernization improvements to community facilities operating within the city’s Department of Innovation and Technology. |
| Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers | $333,664 | This award will support MassLeague in expanding capacity in their Telehealth Navigation program to serve unmet needs in communities across the state, including assisting individuals requiring more specialized digital skills training and devices. MassLeague anticipates being able to serve an additional 5,000 individuals with telehealth navigation services. |
| MassHire Metro North Workforce Board (MNWB) | $333,663 | This award will support MNWB in expanding capacity in its JEDI Consortium, which is supporting a cohort of 32 Digital Navigators across the state. It will enhance intermediate digital skills training, provide low-cost internet access, and accommodate new clients through its 22 sub-contracted organizations. With the award increase, MNWB anticipates being able to serve an additional 2,000 individuals. |
| Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) | $8,999,872 | This award will support MAPC in expanding its Apartment Wi-Fi Program from 2,400 units to a total of 6,400 units (a 4,000-unit increase) across an estimated 8 to 12 housing partners with large portfolios to access no barrier, no subscription internet. |
| Tech Goes Home | $5,998,161 | This award will support Tech Goes Home in expanding its digital literacy programming from 4,000 to 9,545 learners representing existing and new host sites, including correctional facilities, juvenile detention centers, and immigrant-serving organizations. |
| Vinfen | $999,999 | This award will support Vinfen in expanding its digital navigation services, encompassing activities in connectivity for economic hardship, device distribution and refurbishment, digital literacy, education, outreach, and adoption areas. This will reach an additional 1,500 people with disabilities, including individuals who require specialized digital skills training and support. |
About the Massachusetts Broadband Institute
A division of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) is working to extend high-speed internet access and availability across the Commonwealth. To achieve this, the MBI utilizes state and federal funding to launch infrastructure expansion programs that target areas of the state which lack high-speed internet access, as well as digital equity programs which tackle barriers to internet adoption and increase availability, addressing critical issues around affordability, enhanced public Wi-Fi, the need for internet-enabled devices, and digital literacy training. Learn more at https://broadband.masstech.org.
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