Greenfield Begins Establishing Digital Equity Plan

GREENFIELD – The city of Greenfield is excited to begin work on a Municipal Digital Equity Plan. The plan is funded by a Massachusetts Broadband Institute grant and is part of the MBI’s ongoing commitment to providing affordable and reliable high-speed internet to every home in the state. Greenfield has selected the Franklin Regional Council of Governments, a pre-qualified consultant, to collaborate on developing the city’s plan.

As the National Digital Inclusion Alliance describes, digital equity is a condition in which all individuals and communities have the information technology capacity needed for full participation in our society, democracy and economy. Digital equity is necessary for civic and cultural participation, employment, lifelong learning and access to essential services.

The Municipal Digital Equity Plan will help guide municipal decision-making and investments related to increasing access, adoption and usage of the internet for several groups within in the city, including seniors, low-income populations and households where English is not the primary language.

The plan will also help prepare the city to submit grant proposals to existing or forthcoming state or federal programs to support digital equity activities. The ultimate goal is to lay the groundwork for long-term investments to achieve digital equity for all in Greenfield.

The city has established the Greenfield Digital Equity Steering Committee to help initiate the equity plan’s initial steps. The committee features members with knowledge of Greenfield and represents varying perspectives on digital equity issues.

Committee members include representatives from the Greenfield Community and Economic Development Department, Greenfield Public School, Greenfield Community College, Greenfield Savings Bank and the Greenfield Human Rights Commission, a local business owner and member of the Crossroads Cultural District Committee, Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Franklin County Community Meals Program, Greenfield Public Library, Center for New Americans and GCET.

The committee will assist FRCOG staff with implementing the planning process, including providing input on the project schedule, identifying the most effective outreach methods and helping to plan and prepare for community engagement activities.
Community outreach and engagement are vital components of developing this plan. There will be multiple avenues of community engagement, including a digital equity survey, a community-wide meeting, and multiple focus groups. Dates and times for these public meetings are to be held in the next few months.

The original Municipal Digital Equity Planning announcement from MBI can be found here: https://broadband.masstech.org/news/massachusetts-broadband-institute-announces-several-more-participants-municipal-digital-equity
All MBI press releases can be found at https://broadband.masstech.org/news.

For further information, please contact Ted Harvey, Senior Economic Development Planner at (413) 774-3167 or tharvey@frcog.org.