Twenty Projects Awarded Funding to Improve Digital Equity Capacity Statewide
Grants Across All Ten Regions Position Digital Equity Organizations for Future Funding Opportunities
Empire State Development (ESD) today announced $1.53 million in technical assistance grants to strengthen digital equity initiatives across all ten regions of New York State. Grants awarded under the ConnectALL Digital Equity Technical Assistance Fund would enable 20 organizations to advance their collaborative capacities and strengthen their ability to apply for, and receive, federal and state funding as individual groups, as leads for coalition participants, or as collaborators growing the New York State digital equity ecosystem. These State funds would enable awardees to gain external technical assistance support to achieve operational goals and better serve communities with limited digital access and adoption rates.
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "These strategic investments will amplify the impact of organizations working on the front lines of digital inclusion. By strengthening their operational capacity now, we're positioning New York's digital equity providers to compete effectively for federal funding and ultimately create lasting change in communities that need it most."
The grants of up to $100,000 per organization are part of Governor Hochul's ConnectALL initiative to transform the state's digital infrastructure and expand broadband access, affordability, and equity statewide. These grants are part of a $50 million commitment to implement the State Digital Equity Plan. The Recipients would use technical assistance funding to improve program design, increase regional collaborations, and pursue larger state and federal grants.
The awardees and their projects are:
-
Adirondack Health Institute (North Country - $90,000) – Establishing a formal coalition leadership structure, identifying a communications strategy, and improving data analysis to better serve the North Country and Adirondack regions.
-
Can Code Communities (Capital Region - $100,000) – Expanding capacity for Can Code Communities and the Capital Region Digital Equity Coalition with grant writing support and the development of shared goals and governance structures.
-
Computers for Children, Inc. (Western New York - $100,000) – Evaluating the digital inclusion landscape of Western New York, collecting data on the needs of Covered Populations, and conducting external trainings with the Western New York Digital Equity Coalition.
-
Finger Lakes Digital Inclusion Coalition (Finger Lakes - $70,800) – Enhancing the accessibility of digital equity resources for the Finger Lakes region and developing improved outreach tools to promote awareness and utilization of these resources.
-
BetaNYC, a partner project of theFund for the City of New York (New York City – $84,000) – Facilitating collaboration between New York City digital equity organizations, including evaluation support in preparation for state and federal grant opportunities, improving accessibility of events and convenings.
-
Mohawk Valley Economic Development District, Inc. (Mohawk Valley - $100,000) –Developing a comprehensive digital equity plan for the regional Coalition and facilitating partnerships with organizations serving Covered Populations to expand digital inclusion across the Mohawk Valley Region.
-
Southeastern NY Library Resources Council (Mid-Hudson - $45,540) –Evaluating and improving digital navigation resources and practices in the Mid-Hudson region.
-
Southern Tier Library System (Southern Tier - $78,750) –Establishing the Southern Tier Digital Equity Coalition as a regional hub and promoting the use of existing digital equity resources available across the Southern Tier.
-
The STEM Alliance (Statewide - $24,750) – With legal support, formalizing the statewide network of regional digital equity coalitions, the New York State Digital Equity Network, as a nonprofit.
-
El Puente De Williamsburg, Inc. (New York City - $100,000) – Developing staff capacity to implement and expand digital stewardship in North Brooklyn.
-
Fifth Avenue Committee (New York City - $94,500) –Developing a community-responsive digital literacy program model, pursuing sustainable funding sources, and informing practices for other digital equity programs.
-
Literacy New York, Inc. (Western New York - $100,000) – Assessing the needs of digital literacy program trainers and participants in Western New York and improving evaluation and tracking of digital literacy programs across the State.
-
NYC Mesh, Inc. (New York City - $54,180) – Expanding grant writing and project management capacity to offer high-speed, reliable, community-owned internet to internet to New York City residents.
-
Pro Bono Net (New York City - $100,000) - With Brooklyn Public Library, engaging a grant writer and research consultant to investigate structural digital barriers, develop solutions, and access sustainable funding so low-income immigrants in New York City benefit from online legal and civic engagement resources.
-
RiseBoro Community Partnership, Inc (New York City - $68,000) – Upskilling staff to strengthen digital literacy service delivery to low-income New Yorkers in their programs.
-
The STEM Alliance - (Mid-Hudson - $47,650) – Engaging with a non-profit finance consultant to grow fiscal resilience and better support for programming in the Mid-Hudson region.
-
Syracuse Northeast Community Center (Central New York - $70,000) – Increasing the accessibility of program materials with multilingual translation software, data infrastructure improvements, and increased operational capacity.
-
Tech Kids Unlimited (New York City - $67,000) – Evolving brand identity and communications infrastructure to better reach neurodiverse young adults across New York City.
-
The Knowledge House Fellowship, Inc. (New York City and Mid-Hudson - $50,000) – Expanding grant writing and project management capacities to better serve residents in the Bronx and Westchester.
-
Welcome to Chinatown, Inc. (New York City - $85,000) – Developing a comprehensive three-year plan to determine digital equity objectives and pursue digital equity funding opportunities in service to the Chinatown community.
The designations remain subject to required approvals including, but not limited to, ESD Director approval, and environmental review and findings in accordance with the State Environmental Quality Review Act. To learn more about ConnectALL and the Digital Equity Technical Assistance Fund, visit broadband.ny.gov.
Contact:
ESD Press Office | [email protected] | (800) 260-7313
Emily Mijatovic | [email protected] | (212) 803-3692