DEFIANCE — Northwestern Ohio Community Action Commission (NOCAC) recently issued a press release following the recent call from President Donald Trump to immediately end the Digital Equity Act, which has placed $1.3 million in funding for NOCAC’s Digital Navigation Program at risk.
As a subgrantee of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA), NOCAC was set to receive this funding over four years through the National Digital Equity Competitive Grant, which supports critical digital navigation services for underserved communities.
According to Jamie Huber, director of community services for NOCAC, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) received notice May 9 that its grant under the National Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program had been terminated, placing all subgrantees, including NOCAC, at immediate risk of losing essential funding for digital equity initiatives.
The Digital Equity Act, part of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, was created to ensure that all Americans have access to the digital tools and skills necessary for success in the modern world. This act also includes the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, which further supports digital inclusion initiatives across the nation.
According to Huber, NOCAC’s Digital Navigation Program has been a lifeline for thousands of residents in Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Paulding, Van Wert and Williams counties. Since its launch in 2021, the program has provided personalized digital skills training, device distribution and access to affordable internet. NOCAC has worked through partnerships with senior centers, shelters and community organizations, to help individuals bridge the digital divide, access telehealth services and apply for jobs.
“This decision is devastating. Digital inclusion is not a luxury — it is a necessity for participation in today’s world,” Huber said. “Ending this funding will leave our most vulnerable residents without the support they need to thrive in a digital age.”
Through the NOCAC’s Digital Navigation Program: 151 participants received personalized digital skills training in 2024; 345 digital skills sessions tailored to community needs were conducted; 70 devices were distributed to individuals lacking access to technology; and regular digital navigation services were offered at senior centers, shelters, and community hubs across multiple counties.
Huber shared one of the program’s most impactful stories is that of Krystal Albright, a disability advocate who used the program to enhance her advocacy skills and drive change in her community. With the support of NOCAC, Albright gained digital literacy skills, received a laptop and began using technology to amplify her voice in local and state-level advocacy.
In addition, Huber shared a woman seeking refuge from domestic violence was pursuing an education to become a social worker. Initially completing coursework on her phone, she gained access to a laptop through NOCAC’s Digital Navigation Program for her educational journey.
NOCAC called on the public to support digital equity and ensure that critical programs like the Digital Navigation Program remain in place.
