Project Grant 1330DP336

THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL SUPPORT CLOSING THE DIGITAL EQUITY GAP AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A STATEWIDE DIGITAL EQUITY PLAN. THE PROPOSED PROJECT INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT PLAN DEVELOPMENT. CONSTRUCT A BASELINE FOR THE STATE ON THE FIVE AREAS OF DIGITAL EQUITY (1) BROADBAND ACCESS; (2) ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE ONLINE CONTENT; (3) DIGITAL LITERACY; (4) PERSONAL DATA AND CYBER SECURITY; (5) DEVICES AND TECH SUPPORT. INVENTORY STATE STAKEHOLDER ORGANIZATIONS FOR ENGAGEMENT AND ESTABLISH AN OUTREACH STRATEGY AND ENGAGE THE GEORGIA DIGITAL EQUITY TASKFORCE THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS. CONDUCT AN ASSESSMENT OF STAKEHOLDER ORGANIZATIONS TO CREATE AN ASSET INVENTORY OF DIGITAL EQUITY PROGRAMS ACROSS THE STATE AND MEASURE CURRENT ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY FOR DIGITAL EQUITY PROGRAMS. REVIEW AND ANALYZE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE DATA ABOUT DIGITAL EQUITY AS WELL AS REVIEW CURRENT REGIONAL OR LOCAL DIGITAL EQUITY PLANS. CREATE A DIGITAL EQUITY DASHBOARD THAT PROVIDES DATA ON DIGITAL EQUITY PROGRAMS AS WELL AS RESIDENTS? NEEDS AND BARRIERS TO DIGITAL EQUITY ACROSS THE STATE AND BY COVERED POPULATION. DRAFT THE GEORGIA DIGITAL EQUITY PLAN, THAT WILL INCLUDE AN ASSET INVENTORY, NEEDS ASSESSMENTS, BARRIERS ANALYSIS, MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES FOR DIGITAL EQUITY ACROSS COVERED POPULATIONS, MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES TO STATE IMPACT, AND AN IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY THAT INCLUDES ACTIVITIES, METRICS, TIMELINES, AND PROGRAM GOVERNANCE. THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL RESULT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A ROBUST STATE DIGITAL EQUITY PLAN THAT WILL BENEFIT THE STATE OF GEORGIA AND PRINCIPALLY UNSERVED AND UNDERSERVED COVERED POPULATIONS STATEWIDE. THE RECIPIENT DOES PLAN TO SUBAWARD FUNDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF LOCAL SUPPORT SERVICES.