2023 Digital Equity Fund

Boston is fortunate to have robust competition among broadband and wireless service providers, with wide access throughout the City. However, broadband that is not affordable is not accessible, and so one focus area of this year's Fund is to provide community-based organizations with the tools they need to perform Digital Navigation work. These services include (but are not limited to) ongoing assistance with affordable internet access, device acquisition, technical skills, and application support. 

The City invites community-based organizations, non-profit institutions, social service agencies, local religious groups, and advocacy agencies to apply for this grant to assist eligible clients, constituents, customers and congregations. Awards for this portion of the DEF will range from $20,000 to $30,000 and recipients will have one year to expend funds from when they are received. 

In order to help residents, funds may be used for the following:

• Purchasing devices for staff and/or residents (laptops, tablets)
• New or existing digital skills programs
• Staff support (current and new employees, such as hiring "Digital Navigators")
• Outreach efforts (ads, translation services, events, supplies, tools)

The COVID-19 pandemic showed us that we as a society must adapt to how we provide healthcare services. Since in-person visits were not possible, countless people lost out on the opportunity to have their annual physicals and health screenings, necessary care for illnesses ranging from cancer to the flu to mental health, important surgeries, and general consultations. 

With Boston being home to the best healthcare services in the country and the world, we are committed to ensure broad access to quality medical care to our residents. 

We plan on competitively distributing two awards of $250,000 each to be spent over a two year period to existing providers and partners who can propose plans to enhance telehealth access; enhancements might include: investing in additional capabilities for the health care providers, and increasing support for patients who experience gaps in digital tools by providing education and training. As part of an initial screening, participants who are identified as candidates for additional digital health literacy education can participate in courses. Each of the two recipients will receive funds to cover participants’ costs for participating in the literacy courses, including transportation ($25,000), childcare ($20,000), and space/logistics ($5,000).

Device refurbishment programs offer a unique opportunity to provide low-or no-cost devices to families that need them, while reducing the environmental impact on the lifecycle of these devices. These programs also provide pathways to employment, which benefits vulnerable groups. This component of the Digital Equity fund will seek partners that execute programs providing workforce development, training, and other activities while refurbishing devices that are provided to income-eligible residents. 

The device refurbishment portion will provide two awards of $50,000 each to be spent over a two year period. Organizations interested in applying for the Device Refurbishment portion of the Digital Equity Fund must be committed to providing devices to a substantial and meaningful number of Boston residents, even if the organizations are not entirely Boston-based. 

The 2021 round of the Digital Equity Fund supported 19 organizations with nearly $500,000. 

We are excited to announce that 19 Boston nonprofit organizations received $478,900 in grants. Learn more about the programs that were funded:

2021 Digital Equity Fund Awards