Municipal Digital Equity Implementation Program is a grant from the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) providing municipalities with one-time grants of up to $100,000 to implement local digital equity activities.

Funding is designed to help communities transition from digital equity planning to execution, enabling investments that increase internet access, adoption, and usage among populations most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the digital divide. Municipalities must have a Digital Equity Plan or equivalent planning document approved by MBI.

Projects focus on device access, digital literacy, affordable connectivity, and related local priorities.

Municipal Digital Equity Implementation Program | MBI Past Programs & Legislation Broadband Infrastructure Progress Dashboard Broadband & Digital Equity Working Group Digital Equity Partnerships Municipal Digital Equity Planning Municipal Digital Equity Implementation MassBroadband 123 Network Municipal Digital Equity Implementation Program Municipal Digital Equity Implementation Program The intent of the Municipal Digital Equity Implementation Program is to enable municipalities who need funding to mobilize, start-up, and implement digital equity activities locally to access a one-time grant up to $100,000 per municipality to execute a project (or projects) defined in their Digital Equity Plan, Digital Equity Planning Charette, or pre-existing local digital equity plan or related document that MBI deems of sufficient standard.

Project implementation will increase access and usage of the internet for the populations most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the digital divide. Municipalities are strongly encouraged to utilize their planning consultants from the Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program to define a project (or set of projects) scope and budget for implementation.

Upon approval from MBI, municipalities may start project implementation and will be accountable to MBI’s reporting requirements, which vary by proposed focus area(s). Note that the process of applying to the Municipal Digital Equity Implementation Program will differ for municipalities that have not engaged in the Planning Program. More information is provided in the Program Details and FAQs below.

Specifically, the Municipal Digital Equity Implementation Program will accomplish three goals: Enable municipalities to make local digital equity investments that will increase access, adoption, and usage of the internet for the populations most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the digital divide.

Transition municipalities from the planning to implementation phase by providing funds to execute a project (or projects) indicated in their Digital Equity Plan, Digital Equity Planning Charette, or pre-existing plan deemed sufficient by MBI. Encourage collaboration and synergy with the Digital Equity Partnerships Program, which includes statewide and regional grantees with high capacity for digital equity work.

This program is operated on a bi-annual reimbursement schedule. Municipal grantees will submit an invoice along with each of the two required reports – one at the six-month mark and one at the one-year mark/end of the grant period of performance. December 12, 2025 - Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $4.

5 Million to Strengthen Internet Service and Expand Digital Education August 13, 2025 - Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $555,747 to Advance Digital Equity in Cities and Towns October 29, 2024 - Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $1.

33 Million to Expand Internet Access and Digital Skills Training Public Wi-Fi Learning Session Digital Literacy & Navigation Municipalities participating in this program may select one or more of the following focus areas for implementation.

Similar to planning activities in the economic development field, it may be beneficial to adopt a regional approach to digital equity implementation to enable resource sharing, coordination and achieve economies of scale.

Review the example projects listed below each focus area: Staff Capacity for Digital Equity A full- or part-time staff person to oversee, project manage, and execute municipal digital equity activities in coordination with municipal leadership, various municipal departments, stakeholders, and residents.

Wi-Fi Access and Innovative Connectivity Technology Assessment, design, and establishment of an appropriate technology solution to provide in-unit access to the internet for residents living in affordable housing and/or low-income neighborhoods.

Public Space Modernization Improvements to inadequate broadband infrastructure and digital use in public spaces, such as libraries, community centers, senior centers, educational facilities, workforce training locations, and commercial corridors.

Connectivity for Economic Hardship Provision of Wi-Fi cellular hot spots to individuals lacking stable housing where they are unable to have a fixed broadband internet subscription, or individuals who were eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program prior to February 8, 2024. Provision of training programs to improve digital literacy and skills to use devices, online resources, and other digital tools.

Literacy program curricula and models may vary based on learner needs and familiarity with devices and the internet, such as in-person group instruction, a-synchronous online instruction, or one-on-one training. Device Distribution and Refurbishment Provision of new or used internet-connected devices, such as laptops, tablets, and smart phones, to distribute to target populations.

Education, Outreach, and Adoption Provision of outreach and engagement activities, as well as digital navigation services, designed to increase success of digital equity programming, including awareness and adoption of lower cost internet options, digital literacy programs, devices access and Wi-Fi or hotspot connectivity.

Under the ARPA-funded program, municipalities interested in applying for this digital equity implementation opportunity were expected to complete the two-step application process below by May 31, 2024 or enter a reservation of funds agreement with MassTech by June 30, 2024. Applications are reviewed by MBI on a rolling basis through July 31, 2025 or until the program budget has been awarded, whichever comes first.

Step 1 : MBI recognizes that municipalities will likely require additional planning resources to define an implementation project (or set of projects) and may wish to continue utilizing their Municipal Digital Equity Planning consultant to define project scope and budget. This additional planning scope is compensated by MBI and not deducted from the total budget for project implementation.

MBI requires the planning consultant to submit this application outlining their proposed approach, deliverables, and budget as part of this brief scoping phase. MBI will review planning consultants’ applications on a rolling basis and, if approved, MBI will amend the existing contract with the planning consultants to reflect this additional scope of work.

Note : Municipalities that are not currently enrolled in the Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program are not eligible to receive MBI-funded support from a pre-qualified planning consultant. This includes those that have completed their plans but did not enter a reservation of funds agreement with MassTech.

Municipalities not participating in MBI’s planning program will go directly to Step 2 and should be prepared to submit a digital equity plan or alternative document that meets the standards listed below under Eligibility Criteria, and to apply for funding without the assistance of a pre-qualified consultant funded by MBI.

Step 2 : After the consultant completes the additional project planning with the municipality, or a municipality identifies a pre-existing document that meets the eligibility criteria of a local digital equity plan or related document, MBI requires the municipality to submit an online application detailing their proposed implementation project goals, approach, deliverables, timeline, and budget.

MBI will review applications on a rolling basis to ensure that all required eligibility criteria are met. MBI may request municipalities supply additional information if needed. MBI will then execute an agreement with the municipality to implement the submitted project scope and fulfill MBI’s reporting requirements.

Between Steps 1 and 2, the planning consultant/ municipality may engage with MBI to broker a connection to one or more of the Digital Equity Partnerships Program grantees for further project scoping and coordination purposes.

Eligible municipalities must have completed a Digital Equity Plan or Charrette through the Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program utilizing one of MBI’s pre-qualified consultants or have a pre-existing local digital equity plan or related document that MBI has deemed of sufficient standard.

MBI will use the following criteria in evaluating other local digital equity plans or related documents: Underlying purpose to increase internet access and usage for disadvantaged populations; and Identification of the needs/barriers to digital inclusion among impacted populations; and Strategic recommendations for implementation.

Frequently Asked Questions A list of questions and answers have been collected and made public as a helpful resource.

Digital Equity Project Scope Municipalities shall either continue to work with their planning consultants from MBI’s Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program to further develop a specific project scope for their application into the Implementation Program or develop and submit a scope independently if not engaged in the Planning Program.

This scope shall include, but is not limited to: Defined project goals and relation to the Digital Equity Plan/ Charette; and Description of how this project may benefit residents who are experiencing economic hardship exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and who cannot afford broadband service and/or internet-connected devices and/or lack the digital literacy skills needed to use the internet; and Proposed project approach, including key activities, milestones, deliverables, and a general timeline; and Rationale behind said project approach, including a summary of stakeholder/resident feedback, key data points and quantitative analysis, research on promising practices and case studies, and/or collaboration with and expertise of Digital Equity Partnerships Program grantees; and List of stakeholders or organizations that will be engaged in executing proposed scope; and Collaboration with MBI’s Digital Equity Partnerships Program grantees (if applicable); and Monitoring/ tracking plan for grant reporting requirements; and Detailed budget and budget narrative.

Digital Equity Project Implementation Reporting Requirements Municipalities will be required to provide baseline metrics and submit two reports to MBI in the performance period (one year). The first report will be submitted at mid-point and the second report will be submitted at the close of the performance period. All grantees will be required to report on metrics that align to their proposed focused area(s) as described below.

Municipalities that select focus area(s) of “Staff Capacity for Digital Equity” or “Other” must define metrics as part of their application to MBI. See this document for more details on reporting requirements.

Wi-Fi Access and Innovative Connectivity Technology Number of unique network users – measured through backend management Length of session – measured through backend management Number of households adopting internet usage that were previously unable to – measured through survey Number of households able to save costs on internet because of Wi-Fi system – measured through survey Number of residents citing improvements to education, economic, social, health opportunities because of Wi-Fi systems – measured through survey Public Space Modernization Number of unique network users – measured through backend management Length of session – measured through backend management Number of users citing ability to access improved resources in education, economic, social, health opportunities because of Wi-Fi systems – measured through annual survey Connectivity for Economic Hardship Number of devices provided to individuals/families without stable housing Number of users citing ability to access improved resources in education, economic, social, health opportunities because of connectivity devices Number of residents able to use basic technology at the level of a Tech Goes Home program graduate or equivalent Number of residents able to use intermediate technology at the level of a National Digital Inclusion Alliance (“NDIA”) Digital Navigator program graduate or equivalent Number of residents able to use advanced technology at the level of a CompTIA Network + program graduate or equivalent Number of residents learning new digital skill(s) that meet a particular need (e.g. how to use a laptop to participate in a video telehealth visit) Device Distribution and Refurbishment Number of devices refurbished Number of devices distributed Education, Outreach, and Adoption Number of residents enrolled in the Lifeline Program Number of residents receiving digital navigation services Eligible Expenses per Focus Area Eligible expenses for ALL areas Program marketing and development of materials Research to assess appropriate program interventions Professional development and capacity building Site visits and evaluation Wi-Fi Access and Innovative Connectivity Technology Network architecture development Networking equipment, installation and configuration Coordination with local service providers Public Space Modernization Internal space design/architecture Network architecture as needed Networking equipment and configuration Furniture (chairs, desks, lighting, etc.) Connectivity for Economic Hardship Internet service costs associated with hotspot devices Professional development of digital literacy “trainers” for programs that model a “train the trainer” approach Physical space to conduct training activities Digital literacy training curriculum and/or service providers Device Distribution and Refurbishment Training curriculum and or resources Equipment, materials and supplies required for laptop/device refurbishment New internet-connected devices, including Chromebooks, laptops and tablets Logistical expenses related to laptop distribution Education, Outreach, and Adoption Integration of Municipal Digital Equity Implementation Program with Other State Plans and Programs Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program All municipalities are strongly encouraged to complete a Digital Equity Plan or Charette through the Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program before engaging in the Municipal Digital Equity Implementation Program.

Municipalities that have completed a Plan or Charette will be automatically eligible for the Implementation Program. The goal of the Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program is to enable municipalities, or other local bodies of government, to engage in planning activities related to digital equity and bridging the digital divide.

These planning activities will result in strategic documents designed to identify the community's needs, interest, and key assets and provide a framework that will guide future municipal decision-making and potential investments and activities that will increase access and usage of the internet for the populations most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the digital divide.

Massachusetts Internet for All MBI envisions a Commonwealth where every resident in Massachusetts has high-speed, high-quality internet availability and can confidently adopt and use the internet regardless of who they are or where they live. This universal connectivity will ensure that everyone has the support they need to enjoy full personal, civic, and economic digital participation throughout their lives with safety and security.

To achieve this vision, MBI has engaged in a planning process and submitted two separate yet coordinated strategic documents – Massachusetts Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Initial Proposal and the Statewide Digital Equity Plan (SDEP) – to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to access further federal funding.

These documents are harmonized into one implementation framework titled Massachusetts Internet for All Plan (“Plan”) (see executive summary). Municipal Digital Equity Plans/Charettes and corresponding Implementation work will continue to be appended to the Plan to inform local, regional and statewide digital equity actions.

Digital Equity Partnerships Program Following the passage of An Act Relative to Immediate COVID-19 Recovery Needs, also known as Massachusetts “ARPA 1. 0” legislation (codified as Chapter 102 of the Acts of 2021), a $50 million Broadband Innovation Fund was established to bridge the digital divide as a component of the Commonwealth’s COVID recovery and response efforts.

As of January 2024, MBI has designated nine Digital Equity Partners as qualified organizations that can implement a suite of digital equity projects that meet the goals outlined in the state’s legislation.

These Partners are expected to work with organizations such as community development corporations (CDCs), community-based organizations (CBOs), municipalities and municipal agencies, public housing authorities, community colleges, local and regional school districts, healthcare and telehealth organizations (including Federally Qualified Community Health Centers), and other entities as sub-awardees to implement digital equity projects.

Municipalities are strongly encouraged to align their project implementation scope with the Digital Equity Partnerships Program as a way to tap into high-capacity digital equity infrastructure that is statewide or regional. As a public entity, MassTech is subject to the Massachusetts Public Records Law (set forth at Mass. Gen. Laws ch.

66) and thus all information, documents and other materials made or received by MassTech and/or its employees are subject to public disclosure. Participants should not submit any information to MassTech that it does not want publicly disclosed and should assume that all submissions are subject to public disclosure without any prior notice.

For questions or additional information about the Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program, Municipal Digital Equity Implementation Program, and/or Digital Equity Partnerships Program, please contact us at broadband@masstech. org . Get Massachusetts Broadband & Digital Equity news from Massachusetts Technology Collaborative in your inbox.

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions. By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, 75 North Drive, Westborough, MA, 01581, US, https://www. masstech.

org. No thanks, please take me to the website. 2 Center Plaza, Suite 200 Visit our twitter page (opens in new tab) Visit our linkedin page (opens in new tab) Visit our instagram page (opens in new tab) Visit our threads page (opens in new tab)