Alliance for Digital Equity

04/23/2026

Please share with your networks! Across Massachusetts, Digital Navigators are doing more than helping people get online—they’re transforming how communities access healthcare, education, and opportunity.

Join us at the first-ever statewide Digital Navigators' Conference, Wednesday, May 13th, in Southbridge, MA, for professional development opportunities, hands-on toolkits for anyone teaching digital skills, and to learn how you can help bridge the digital divide in Massachusetts!

This event was entirely co-designed by Digital Navigators!

SLIDING SCALE!!
REGISTER today at: https://site.pheedloop.com/event/MaDNConference/home/

WHY ATTEND?
• Professional Advancement: Individual Career Upskilling
• Workforce Development: Industry Credentialing & Standards
• Resource Innovation: AI & Technical Training
• Cross-Sector Networking: Multi-Industry Peer Collaboration
• Workforce Resilience: Addressing Burnout & Sustainability​

Watch this great video made by our partners and digital navigators at Northampton Open Media! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY7sZ975O88

Access in Action | Conference Promo | 2026

03/17/2026

Save the DATE!! Visit the Alliance's website to sign up to stay updated as the final sessions, speakers, and registration page is announced! (soon!) https://alliancefordigitalequity.org/massdna/

10/01/2025

Launching Today: Phase II
We are excited to offer an opportunity to apply for funds to assist in the goal of helping entities increase access to the internet by providing new or expanded Wi-Fi in spaces used by community members.

This project is part of a greater effort toward digital equity and closing the digital divide for residents of our region and is an initiative of the Alliance for Digital Equity at Baystate Health, as the recipient of a Massachusetts Broadband Institute (“MBI”) Regional Partnerships Program grant.

The Community Space Public Wi-Fi Program will provide funds to purchase wireless network hardware and install it to expand internet access in public spaces. Funding as part of these grants will also include resources to hire a vendor independently or through the Alliance. Our goal is to help organizations increase access to the internet by providing new or expanded Wi-Fi in spaces used by community members.

To that end, we are also connecting grantees with regional Digital Navigators who will meet with organizations, learn about their needs, and provide linkages to digital skills, devices, hotspots, and affordable internet solutions to benefit community members. Through connections with Digital Navigators, we hope to advance digital equity and provide an ongoing way for grantee organizations to share individual and collective impact stories that emerge from the Community Space Public Wi-Fi Program, thus helping to support and promote sustainable digital access and equity programming going forward.

The Alliance for Digital Equity provides grants through initiatives aimed at promoting digital access and equity in partnership with community-based organizations, libraries, COAs, community centers, regional planning agencies, municipalities, and other organizations serving the communities of weste...

07/24/2025

TONIGHT at our amazing digital equity partner Bombyx Center for Arts & Equity Register here: https://bombyx.live/events/the-fundamentals-of-arts-culture-advocacy/

The Fundamentals of Arts & Culture Advocacy
Join MASSCreative for an arts and culture advocacy workshop on Thursday, July 24, 2025 from 6:30 - 8:00 pm at Bombyx Center for Arts & Equity. Doors will open at 6 pm. During this workshop, we will review the skills and practices that will help you confidently and effectively advocate for your creative community. Emily Ruddock, Executive Director of MASSCreative, will share her expertise about best advocacy strategies and participants will have opportunities to develop these skills through small group breakout sessions.

Please register for the workshop in advance. For questions about MASSCreative, you can contact [email protected].

Thanks to the folks from Alliance for Digital Equity, we will have a Digital Navigator with us to help answer your tech questions. After the workshop you can book one on one follow up sessions at Northampton Open Media or drop in during their open hours.

We are grateful to the Community Foundation of Western MA for their support of this program.

Join MASSCreative for an arts and culture advocacy workshop on Thursday, July 24, 2025 from 6:30 - 8:00 pm at Bombyx Center for Arts & Equity. Doors will open at 6 pm.During this workshop, we will review the skills and practices that will help you confidently and effectively advocate for your creati...

06/30/2025

Thank you to everyone who came out for in MA at the statehouse last week or called or emailed their state legislators!

Your impact was seen and felt by the 80 legislators and their aides who received our informational folders, heard inspiring speakers, and the co-authors of the bills, including our western Mass delegation members, Senator Gomez of Springfield, and Representative Sabadosa of Northampton, who are co-authors of two of the bills.

The next advocacy opportunity is to give oral, virtual or written testimony at a public hearing for Rep. Sabadosa's bill, in partnership with the Alliance- H.100 is next Thursday, July 10th - a bill creating a commission that will develop a statewide credentialing program for Digital Navigators in MA.e hearing this bill as well as one supporting community media (Public, Education, and Government access stations) in MA between 1-5 pm that day.

SIGN UP TO GIVE ORAL OR VIRTUAL TESTIMONY HERE:
https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=a36UCyb_E0uuHFc8Z1DIiIAqf7SzJWlDvw0rob8l35BUQk9KNFdOVE1USVBHUFA1V0RZMUxVSEdTSS4u&route=shorturl

In advance of the public hearing, the Alliance for Digital Equity of Western Mass will be hosting an advocacy training for our coalition members, and all MA folks are invited to join us on Tuesday, July 8th at 2 pm, please email [email protected] to receive the zoom coordinates!

06/27/2025

Go team Alliance! Go Hampden County Connect!

A bill pending in the state legislature would require Massachusetts internet providers to offer a $15-a-month flat rate high speed plan to qualifying low-income consumers.

06/18/2025

Join the Alliance for Digital Equity (Western Mass) members and our statewide partners on 6/25 for Digital Equity Advocacy Day in Boston and locally across the Commonwealth to advocate and highlight key digital equity legislation focused on affordability of internet access, credentialing of digital navigators, parity for telehealth services, and more.

At the MA STATEHOUSE: Legislative Briefing, Wednesday, June 25th at 11 am in Room 437. Following the legislative briefing, we will meet in teams with legislators to discuss the bills and their impact. (in Boston and in local district offices!) There will also be a public action in Springfield by Alliance Members in Connect Hampden County- more info to follow!

Join us at advocacy trainings TODAY and on Monday on Zoom, and/or join us at the Statehouse or in district offices across the state on Wednesday!

SIGN UP HERE: https://lnkd.in/eJaDRNK7

06/17/2025

Woot! Thanks for your partnership and hard work to make this program available to our communities across western Mass! Huge judos to our partners: United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region, Massachusetts Shannon Mumblo

It's been an incredible journey over the past 14 months, and we are thrilled to share an update on a project that truly embodies the spirit of community and collaboration: the Hotspot Pilot Program in Western Massachusetts!

Our focus has been on developing and implementing this vital program to help bridge the digital divide right here in our communities. Working hand-in-hand with the dedicated team at United Way of Franklin & Hampshire Region (UW-FH) and the Alliance for Digital Equity, and many incredible organizations across our region, we've been able to bring tangible change to people's lives.

To date, we are proud to report that over 400 hotspots have been distributed to organizations. This means more access to education, healthcare, employment, and essential services for countless individuals and families.

This work was made possible through the generous support of the Digital Equity Connectivity Fund, provided by the Massachusetts Broadband Institute. It's a testament to what we can achieve when we come together with a shared vision.

And the best part? This critical work will continue to flourish! Pictured here with me are Geoff Naunheim, Executive Director of UW-FH, and Rich Vaden, Digital Navigator. Rich has officially taken the baton to continue spearheading this vital project, ensuring its ongoing success and impact.

We are so grateful for the partnerships and the collective effort that made this program a reality. Let's continue to work towards a more digitally equitable future for everyone!

05/20/2025

Our collaborative notes for today's Digital Navigator session at Net Inclusion/NDIA national conference:

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

05/20/2025

Watch the main sessions at NDIA LIVE here! I'm grateful to be here in community with our digital equity colleagues from Massachusetts and from around the country! Hope to learn lots to bring home to western Mass! Thank you to the Pima & Maricopa, and all the Gila River Indian Reservation people for their incredible hospitality and the welcoming blessings and basket dance! If you see something interesting, let me know, and I can find the collaborative notes from the session!
👉🏾 Watch the livestream here: https://bit.ly/NI25day1
🗓️ View the livestream schedule: https://lnkd.in/eyWZr6UQ