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Proud to be:

2023 Maryland Digital Equity Champion

2024 Best US Municipal Connectivity Program

www.montgomerycountymd.gov/obp

Mitsuko.Herrera@montgomerycountymd.gov 240-777-2928

Montgomery County Maryland’s�Digital Equity Program

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Montgomery Connects works through a Racial Equity and Social Justice lens to achieve digital equity

Our strategy is to build partnerships with �trusted community organizations and �host geographically targeted events �to serve covered populations in 4 core areas:

BROADBAND at all County facilities, MoCoNet, & subsidy enrollment support

DEVICES for residents using grants, and shared devices at facilities

TRAINING through Senior Planet and additional grant-funded training

HOTLINE for older adults and others

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Commitment to �Being Data Driven

Data Challenges:

  • Registration is more challenging
  • MCD (no email, phone)
  • Time-Consuming Data Clean Up
  • Question Evolution
  • Respondent Comprehension
  • Need: 300,000 people in 125,000 households without computers (see United Way Maryland ALICE data) $41.9M in ECF/MEER/MCD Grants
  • 118,000 Computers Distributed (110K in Mont Co)
  • 87% to 15 zip codes with 80% of ACP enrollees
  • 73% to Blacks and Latines (81% in HH earning <$50K/Yr; 59% overall to B/L in HH <$50K/Yr)
  • 53% to adults age 26-59, 14% to adults age 60+

Assuming 50% valid emails, target training to:

  • 8,000 need basic training; 14,300 want advance
  • 7,000 60+ and 29,000 work-age adults 26-59
  • 25,000 in HH <$25K, 32,000 B/L in HH <$50K
  • 17,000 Spanish is primary language; 4,400 Fr./Amharic; 5,000 not Eng/Sp/Fr/Am/Man/K/V

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Montgomery Connects �Forward-Looking Strategies

BROADBAND (1) extend 300/300 MB MoCoNet residential service to affordable housing; (2) provide Lifeline enrollment assistance/public awareness; (3) lobby OSB to require $9.95/mo 100/20 MB for BEAD recipients

DEVICES find grant funding for smaller programs to provide devices to people completing training programs

TRAINING (1) Leverage device distribution data to target training programs; (2) identify partners for multicounty workforce, older people & disability DE grants; (3) discover local partners offering DE not known to us

HOTLINE (1) Market Senior Planet hotline to older adults; �(2) coordinate more closely with Marylanders Online

GRANTS (1) Co-host MDEC Digital Equity Grant Convenings Nov 14-21; �(2) Be proactive to create awesome MD DEA applications!