Digital Equity Program
Ensuring equitable internet access, literacy, affordability, and choice
Program Overview
State Digital Equity (DE) Program
As part of the ConnectALL Initiative, the ConnectALL Office has been designated as the administering entity for the State Digital Equity (DE) Program. ConnectALL was established to ensure digital access and adoption for all populations within New York State. New York State’s DE program will integrate and elevate the expertise and guidance of local, regional, and statewide stakeholders alongside rigorous data analysis.
Pursuant to the New York State WIRED Act and the federal Digital Equity Act of 2021, ConnectALL will establish and implement programs, including grant programs, in furtherance of improving digital equity, digital inclusion, and digital literacy. The State DE Program will include activities aimed at achieving digital equity, supporting digital inclusion, and building capacity of community anchor and other institutions to reduce barriers to internet access, promote digital literacy, and enhance broadband adoption by residents across the state. The ConnectALL Office will be the administrator of any program established in furtherance of these objectives. As such, it, or its duly authorized representative, will determine program structure and requirements, evaluate Applicant information, monitor Grantees for project completion and satisfactory performance, collect Grantee data to ensure compliance with all program requirements and verify allowable uses of funds, and approve disbursement of grant funds to selected Grantees. The State’s DE plan will contain the statutory requirements set forth under grant guidelines by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).
ConnectALL partnered with digital equity practitioners, advocates, coalitions, and NYS agencies serving marginalized populations to develop the State Digital Equity Plan. These partners hosted listening sessions in all 10 regions of the state, focus groups, and town hall meetings. Over 5,000 also New Yorkers contributed to the Plan by taking the New York Internet Access Survey. Learn more about CAO’s outreach and engagement efforts here.
Public comment for the Digital Equity Plan closed on December 6 at 5PM. ConnectALL will consider all comments to include in the final State Digital Equity Plan that is submitted to NTIA.
The final plan will be submitted to NTIA and distributed to the public through coalition networks and the ConnectALL website. The State DE Program Guidelines articulate the proposed governing standards that ConnectALL will implement to run the Digital Equity Program.