The digital equity movement is at a turning point. After nearly two decades of tireless work by community leaders, advocates, and public agencies to close the digital divide, key federal programs intended to drive long-term progress are unraveling. The cancellation of the Digital Equity Act by this administration and the ending of the Affordable Connectivity Program has left communities with fewer tools and less funding just as momentum was building. And now the Commerce Department appears intent to return Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment non-deployment funds to the Treasury, rather than allowing states to invest them in programs that drive adoption of BEAD-funded networks. All while the rise of AI and other emerging technologies is creating more need than ever for digital fluency. These setbacks underscore the fact that we cannot rely solely on temporary programs or shifting political will to sustain affordable digital access and use. Recognizing that technology keeps changing, as does how we use technology, we must continually address the need for connectivity and digital skills, with models that are resilient, measurable, and financially sustainable. We are calling on researchers, economists, and data scientists to work with us in exploring questions such as:

  • What program models currently support long-term sustainability? We need real-world evaluations of which models work, and under what conditions.
  • How can we measure the economic value created through skill acquisition and adoption at the program or participant level? This might include income gains, employment outcomes, decreased benefit dependency, or cost savings to public and private systems.
  • What systems-level mechanisms can capture this value and reinvest it back into program funding? Are there ways to build repayment models, shared-benefit agreements, or other tools into the digital inclusion ecosystem?

[Samantha Schartman is Director of Programs at Connect Humanity, where she leads the Appalachia Digital Accelerator and advances sustainable financing models to scale digital adoption. Angela Siefer is Executive Director at the National Digital Inclusion Alliance.]

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