HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, MD DEPT OF

Award purpose

THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL SUPPORT CLOSING THE DIGITAL EQUITY GAP AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF A STATEWIDE DIGITAL EQUITY PLAN.THE PROPOSED PROJECT INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES TO SUPPORT PLAN DEVELOPMENT: HIRE AND EMPLOY STAFF TO FOCUS ON DIGITAL EQUITY INITIATIVES; CREATE A PLANNING TEAM FOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT; CONTRACT WITH A CONSULTANT TO PROVIDE DATA COLLECTION, DATA ANALYZATION, AND ASSESSMENT AND ASSIST WITH THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STATE'S BROADBAND PLAN; IMPLEMENT OUTREACH INITIATIVES TO OBTAIN INPUT; HOST THREE DIGITAL EQUITY CONFERENCES THROUGHOUT THE STATE TO SEEK INPUT FROM THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS AND STAKEHOLDERS WHILE ALSO COLLECTING INFORMATION AND DATA; PARTNER WITH LOCAL JURISDICTIONS, ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS, NONPROFITS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS; IDENTIFY, REVIEW, AND COMPILE LOCAL DIGITAL EQUITY PLANS, RESULTS, AND DATA INTO THE STATE'S PLAN. THE EXPECTED OUTCOME IS TO DEVELOP A ROBUST STATE DIGITAL EQUITY PLAN FOR THE STATE OF MARYLAND. THE INTENDED BENEFICIARIES OF THE PLAN ARE PRINCIPALLY UNSERVED AND UNDERSERVED COVERED POPULATIONS STATEWIDE. THE RECIPIENT DOES NOT PLAN TO SUBAWARD FUNDS.