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  • Called ConnectUS: Digital Skills Hub, the program offers free courses on various tech topics and a free device for eligible participants completing the program.
  • The program has already trained 1,000 people during its pilot phase and is expanding to more partner organizations.
  • Eligibility for a free device requires meeting income requirements, Franklin County residency and completion of the coursework.

A program sponsored by the city of Columbus and Franklin County that offers free digital skills courses for residents has officially launched, hoping to reach 10,000 people by 2027.

The ConnectUS: Digital Skills Hub offers free classes for Franklin County residents who want to learn about a variety of technology-related topics, including email security, social media, basic computer skills and more.

For participants with an income 200% below the federal poverty level ($15,650 annually for an individual in 2025), Digital Skills Hub will provide them with a free large-screen device upon completion of the 10-hour program.

The broader ConnectUS program is a collaboration between tech-based innovation lab Smart Columbus and the Franklin County Digital Equity Coalition. Since October 2024, its Digital Skills Hub has been offered through seven partner organizations in a pilot phase, where 1,000 people have been trained and equipped with their own iPads or Chromebooks. Beginning in July, the initiative will expand to 16 partner organizations.

The announcement of the program’s official launch took place at a June 5 Columbus Partnership event, where Mayor Andrew Ginther said the city and county’s joint $20.2 million investment into the initiative marks “one of the biggest coordinated digital equity investments of any metropolitan area in the country.”

“The pandemic showed us that digital access isn’t a luxury, it is essential infrastructure,” Ginther said. “When residents lack digital tools and skills, they face barriers to education, health care, employment and civic participation. Every day a family remains disconnected is a day of missed opportunities, and that person and that family falls further behind — that’s not acceptable.”

Franklin County Board of Commissioners President Erica Crawley cited multibillion-dollar federal cuts to the Affordable Connectivity Program and Digital Equity Act programs by President Trump’s administration. “While Washington retreats from digital equity, Franklin County is stepping up,” she said.

“Digital equity isn’t charity; it’s economic development,” Crawley said. “Let me be clear, equity is at the core of everything that we’re doing. We are prioritizing those who have historically been left behind: older adults, veterans like myself, people with disabilities and new Americans. The digital divide has hit these communities the hardest, that’s why they are at the center of our strategy.”

Columbus City Councilmember Nicholas Bankston said he’s witnessed firsthand how the city’s services have shifted online, from paying property taxes to registering to vote. This, in combination with digital access to public safety and severe weather alerts, is exactly why initiatives like the Digital Skills Hub are so important.

“There are too many residents, particularly those in certain neighborhoods that are being left behind without strong digital skills, that are effectively locked out of the government systems that are meant to serve them,” Bankston said.

Offering courses in multiple languages and with disability accommodations, the pilot program has seen a 92% completion rate, said Chase Barney, one of the initiative’s digital coaches at Jewish Family Services.

For Nyshia Gentry, a Columbus State Community College student who graduated from the Digital Skills Hub program, what started as a way to get a free computer quickly turned into an unexpected learning opportunity.

“When I started, honestly, I didn’t think I needed anything,” Gentry said at the event. “Being in the younger generation, I always pride myself on learning new things and keeping up on everything new. I want to say thank you to this program; it opened up opportunities that I never expected.”

Digital Skills Hub details

Courses are offered at a variety of locations across the city, including certain branches of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, Columbus State Community College, Goodwill training centers, schools and community centers. To find a location near you, visit the program’s website.

In order to be eligible for a free device through the Digital Skills Hub program, participants must:

  • Have an income 200% below the poverty line
  • Live in Franklin County
  • Provide proof of income and residency
  • Be the only participant in your household
  • Complete all required hours of coursework
  • Fill out the device form

Reporter Emma Wozniak can be reached at ewozniak@dispatch.com, or @emma_wozniak_ on X, formerly known as Twitter.

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