Smart Columbus will receive $15m of the city’s American Rescue Plan Act funding while Franklin County will contribute $5.2m to further support the initiative.
The City of Columbus, Ohio, has allocated $15m to expand access to digital resources and boost digital participation and skills among residents with limited resources.
The $15m of American Rescue Plan Act federal pandemic relief money will fund the Digital Equity Action Agenda, an initiative laid out by the Franklin County Digital Equity Coalition. A pledge of $5.2m from Franklin County brings a joint commitment of $20.2m to Smart Columbus to help tackle the growing digital divide across Central Ohio.
Internet access
According to city officials, more than 80,000 households in Franklin County, which accounts for some 10 per cent of the population, lack internet access. Furthermore, approximately 66,000 households do not have a computer.
In addition, one-third of working-age Americans possess limited, if any, digital skills, and one in six are unable to use email, web search or other basic online tools according to the US organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
By ensuring under-resourced residents have access to affordable, reliable residential Internet, connected devices and digital skills training, participation in the modern, digital economy can be inclusively expanded.
“Having reliable internet is as crucial as having access to clean water and electricity,” said Andrew Ginther, mayor of Columbus. “Every resident deserves to have full access to affordable, high-speed internet as well as the digital devices that bring these services directly into the home or the palm of your hand – regardless of one’s ability to pay.”
Legislation before Columbus City Council will authorise $15m of the City’s ARPA funding, and Franklin County will contribute $5.2m to support this initiative. Altogether, these funds will do the following:
- Increase access to affordable, reliable home internet among the 80,000 households that are currently underserved by at least 50 per cent
- Distribute 10,000 computers, tablets, smartphones or other internet-enabled devices to households in need.
- Deploy decentralised digital skills training programmes at community organisations, equipping 10,000 residents with new digital skills
- Establish a digital equity ecosystem in which 1,500 trained advocates (librarians, school counsellors, and social workers) across 100 partner organisations are aware of the issue, sharing resources, deploying support programs and raising awareness
- Invest $800,000 in competitive grants to partner organisations for digital inclusion programmes
- Establish an ecosystem of local companies and community organisations to provide a steady, sustainable stream of low-cost, high-quality devices to residents in need.
“Empowering underserved residents with affordable digital access to health care, financial management and job opportunities represents significant steps forward to generational and impactful progress in Franklin County,” said Board of Commissioners president John O’Grady.
“My colleagues and I remain unwavering in supporting our neighbours, and this initiative is a testament to our dedication in fostering positive change and bridging the digital divide.”
Select pilot programmes are currently underway and will be deployed at scale in 2024. Additional pilot programmes will be launched and scaled in the years to come, with full scale operations in place by 2027.
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Quelle/Source: Smart Cities World, 24.11.2023
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