WESTBOROUGH, Mass. - The Healey-Driscoll Administration and Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s (MassTech) Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) have awarded $4,457,546 to 61 Massachusetts communities as part of the Municipal Digital Equity Implementation Program. The program helps cities and towns expand internet access, purchase devices, boost digital skills training, and increase community engagement to close the digital divide.
The funding will support projects that address high-priority community needs that were identified as part of the Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program, which helps cities and towns develop digital equity plans through strategic consultation and data collection.
“Massachusetts is building a future where all citizens have the access, resources and training to use the internet no matter where they live,” said Massachusetts Economic Development Secretary Eric Paley. “Local engagement is a key strategy to identify residents most impacted by the digital divide, including rural, low-income and older adult populations.”
“MBI is expanding internet access and affordability by putting more devices in the hands of residents, lowering the cost of public internet and strengthening digital skills training,” said MBI Program Executive Jody Jones. “Municipalities are using state resources and data collection to identify gaps and carry out plans to best support residents as Massachusetts strives for internet for all.”
The implementation grants support projects focusing on:
- Connectivity for economic hardship
- Device distribution and refurbishment
- Digital literacy
- Education, outreach, and adoption
- Public space modernization
- Staff capacity for digital equity
- Wi-Fi access and innovative connectivity technology
In addition to the implementation awards, MBI has added 10 municipalities to the Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program, bringing the total to 115 across the state. The planning participants and implementation grantees are listed below along with their projects and focus areas.
Municipal Digital Equity Implementation Grantees:
Municipality | Award | Description |
Ashburnham | $65,000 | Ashburnham will improve access to public computing resources, internet service and digital skills opportunities. The town will make available public computer workstations at the library and Council on Aging, offer hot spots and laptops for lending through the library, and engage contractors to provide digital skills training. |
Ashby | $69,977 | Ashby will improve access to public internet, devices and skills resources through town entities. The town will set up publicly accessible computer workstations, video conferencing equipment and a public information kiosk. The town will make laptops available for lending through the library and provide a digital literacy class. |
Barnstable | $100,000 | Barnstable will utilize funding to enhance public Wi-Fi at the Hyannis Youth and Community Center building to provide a free internet option for residents in the area who do not have access to the internet at home. |
Becket (regional lead) | $117,056 | Becket will serve as the lead on a regional project that will use funds to provide one month of internet service to low-income residents. The towns will also extend Wi-Fi service, purchase additional devices, subsidize a regional digital skills instructor and create a stipend program for youth digital navigators. |
Beverly | $85,000 | Beverly’s proposal includes public space improvements, device lending, and assistive technology. The library will install an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible privacy pod and a braille printer, while town offices will set up assisted listening systems and ADA-compliant digital kiosks to improve access to public resources. |
Billerica (regional lead) | $328,190 | Billerica will serve as the lead on a regional project alongside Chelmsford, Dunstable, Pepperell, Tyngsborough and Westford. The towns will partner with UMass Lowell to provide digital literacy training courses. The towns will also hire a regional coordinator to provide digital navigation services and support regional capacity and ecosystem building. Billerica will use funds to offer computers, privacy pods, hot spots and additional digital literacy support to its residents. |
Boston | $100,000 | Boston will use the grant to fund a multi-session digital skills workshop series throughout the city. There will be 10 workshops with each session offering population-specific topics focused on practical applications of AI and cybersecurity. Learners will have the opportunity to keep laptops upon completing the workshop. |
Bourne | $79,685 | Bourne will use funds to provide public Wi-Fi in recreation areas. The town will work with the Barnstable County IT department to install and maintain a public Wi-Fi network at the Bourne Community Center outdoor areas in Buzzards Bay. |
Cambridge | $100,000 | Cambridge will use funds to support digital navigators in the city and purchase devices for residents in need. With this grant, existing digital navigators at the library and public schools will have their current terms extended through the end of FY26. |
Chelmsford | $39,200 | Chelmsford will modernize multiple public spaces, including the Chelmsford Public Library, the Chelmsford Senior Center and Chelmsford Housing Authority (CHA) shared technology centers. The library will get a privacy booth, expand its supply of hot spots and the CHA will receive computer lab equipment. |
Chelsea | $99,700 | Chelsea will purchase laptops and privacy booths to improve public access to private workspaces and devices available for lending at the library. The city will also purchase refurbished laptops to distribute to eligible residents in need to complete digital skills classes. |
Chicopee | $64,991 | Chicopee will use funds to expand hot spot lending and digital literacy programs at the Council on Aging and library. The city will also create a free public Wi-Fi network, leveraging its municipal fiber network. |
Dunstable | $41,600 | Dunstable will purchase and install smart room infrastructure to enable remote/hybrid meetings at the town hall, establish a tech support program for older adults, purchase and install smart boards for high school classrooms, and establish a device lending program at the library and Council on Aging. |
East Longmeadow | $64,950 | East Longmeadow will use funds to contract a digital navigator through the library. The digital navigator will offer workshops, tech help sessions, and train-the-trainer sessions. The town will also use funds to purchase devices for workshop participants and engage a consultant to research program interventions and sustainable solutions. |
Falmouth | $84,954 | Falmouth will engage contractors to provide one-on-one digital navigator services and group workshops/classes. The town will also purchase devices to support digital skills training. |
Fitchburg | $84,996 | Fitchburg will use this grant to make equipment upgrades at the public library, including new public computer workstations and video conferencing tools. The city will also purchase new hot spots to add to the library’s existing lending supply. To support the new equipment, staff members will be trained to provide technical assistance and educational resources to community members. |
Gill | $60,740 | Gill’s efforts are focused on making more devices available at the library, public Wi-Fi and video conferencing equipment at the Riverside Municipal Building, and tech training at the senior center. The town will use funds to extend support for Tech Tuesdays and group classes at the Gill-Montague Senior Center. Participants who complete classes will be able to keep provided laptops. |
Gloucester | $100,000 | Gloucester’s proposal features two projects: a computer basics digital literacy course at the Sawyer Free Library and outdoor public Wi-Fi access in the downtown area. The digital literacy course will be supported by student interns and include a learn-to-earn component where learners who complete the course will have the opportunity to keep a Chromebook and hot spot. |
Great Barrington | $60,236 | Great Barrington will use funds to cover a portion of the cost for a regional digital skills instructor and increase access to devices and internet service. The town will provide quarterly digital literacy classes, new laptops, desktops and tablets for on-site use and lending, and improve public Wi-Fi. The town will also conduct outreach to housing authority residents about the new programming and resources to obtain lower-cost home internet service. |
Hadley | $62,500 | Hadley will improve public Wi-Fi services; establish local digital navigators; and purchase additional devices for public on-site use at the library and Council on Aging. The town will also provide digital skills workshops, one-on-one device support and create a library of online training videos. |
Hampden | $48,504 | Hampden will use grant funds to make internet upgrades at the town hall, including installation of new wiring and network switches. The town will also make hot spots available for lending and offer digital navigation support through the library and Council on Aging. |
Holyoke | $75,000 | Holyoke will expand existing device and hot spot lending programs and work with the library, Council on Aging, and Tech Foundry to expand digital navigation and tech support services. The city will also work with a contractor to provide free public Wi-Fi at one to two sites. |
Haverhill | $89,619 | Haverhill will implement a Digital Connectivity and Engagement Program, consisting of structured training offered in English and Spanish, personalized support and access to devices for older adults. The city will also purchase hot spots to loan out and make upgrades to AV equipment to support hybrid programming. |
Hubbardston | $59,050 | Hubbardston’s proposal revolves around creating a multimedia room at the public library. This includes purchasing laptops and peripherals, providing digital skills workshops, and establishing digital navigators to work at the library and senior center. |
Lawrence | $100,000 | Lawrence will purchase devices for the Lawrence Community Works and Lazarus House and expand the ELEVATE program at the Lawrence Public Library. The grant will also support the purchase and construction of four computer kiosks stationed at city hall. |
Lee | $60,854 | Lee will use funds for public Wi-Fi expenses, new computer devices/equipment for the library and senior center, and digital literacy classes at the library and senior center. Funding will also be used to cover a portion of the cost for a regional digital skills instructor and to hire a local student to provide one-on-one tech support to residents. |
Leominster | $79,990 | Leominster will provide public computer workstations, charging stations, translation tools and privacy pods at various city locations. The city will work with the library to coordinate digital skills workshops and tech help office hours. The library will also expand its supply of devices available for lending. Finally, the city will create a webpage focused on promoting local digital access resources and multilingual public service announcements focused on internet safety. |
Leverett | $50,100 | Leverett plans to make upgrades to the town’s public meeting spaces to enable hybrid/remote participation and improve accessibility. Alongside these updates, the town will hire a technology operator, provide hot spots to residents lacking home internet, and contract services to provide digital skills training. |
Leyden | $15,892 | Leyden will distribute tablets to older and low-income residents and provide recipients with training on new devices. The town will also provide free internet service at the public pavilion, which is frequently used for community events and serves as an emergency evacuation site. |
Lowell | $99,040 | Lowell will improve the library’s public computer resources through the purchase of new laptops, privacy booths, charging stations, a printer and presentation equipment. The city will also expand its supply of devices available for lending. |
Marion | $20,000 | Marion will purchase hot spots to lend through the Council on Aging and engage a contractor to deliver digital skills classes at the Council on Aging and library. |
Mattapoisett | $17,600 | Mattapoisett will establish a device lending program at the library and Council on Aging, which will make laptops, hot spots and adaptive equipment available to residents. The town will also purchase a digital literacy curriculum to distribute through the library and Council on Aging. |
Methuen | $99,968 | Methuen will establish a learn-to-earn program, offering four different track options. The city will also make AV upgrades at the library to enable digital skills training. |
Millbury | $59,961 | Millbury will use this grant to hire a part-time digital navigator, purchase a digital literacy curriculum and establish a device refurbishment program to redistribute devices from the schools to residents in need. |
Monterey | $56,000 | Monterey will use grant funds to purchase new desktop computers, a printer/copier, a 3D printer and assistive hearing devices for public use at the library. The town will also provide digital skills and cybersecurity instruction, support a local digital navigator at the library, make accessibility improvements to town websites, and make tablets available for older residents to borrow. |
New Marlborough | $56,626 | New Marlborough will create a public Wi-Fi network in recreational areas, purchase devices and technical equipment for on-site use, make tablets available for older residents to borrow, and distribute battery backup devices to residents in need. The town will also provide dedicated digital skills instruction and engage local students to provide weekly tech support. |
New Salem | $40,538 | New Salem will use a portion of funds to provide free long drops and one month of internet service to low-income residents not currently subscribed to the municipal network. The town will also provide device access through the public library by expanding its supply of laptops, tablets and hot spots available for lending. |
Orange | $58,500 | Orange will install new computer stations and ancillary equipment at the town libraries, upgrade public Wi-Fi at one library, install a mesh network and outdoor workstations at Riverfront Park, and provide digital literacy and tech help sessions through contracted instructors. The town will also offer digital navigator training to town staff and interested residents. |
Otis | $56,000 | Otis will improve access to public computing resources, internet service and digital skills opportunities. Funds will be used to purchase printers, laptops and related equipment for public use at the library. The town will also provide dedicated digital skills instruction and engage local students to provide weekly tech support. |
Pepperell | $29,875 | Pepperell will modernize the public library’s computer lab to better support internet access. This grant will also fund 15 additional hot spots to allow the library to keep up with current demand. Finally, the town will provide stipends for high school students serving as teen tech specialists to help older adults with device troubleshooting and other technology basics. |
Phillipston | $64,420 | Phillipston will contract services to assess current internet capabilities and make network improvements at the library, town hall and Phillipston Memorial Building. The town will also establish public computer workstations in community spaces and hire a consultant to provide weekly tech help to residents to support safe and effective use of the resources provided through the public space modernization projects. |
Quincy | $79,546 | Quincy will provide a technology instruction program offering 10 hours of computer basics in multiple languages. Funds will also be used to develop a website focused on local digital access resources and provide one-on-one support to learners. |
Rochester | $17,010 | Rochester will use this grant to expand the library’s hot spot lending supply, purchase and train library staff to provide a digital literacy curriculum, and provide one-on-one device support and technical assistance to residents. |
Royalston | $64,431 | Royalston will improve access to public internet and devices and skills resources through town entities. The town will set up publicly accessible computer workstations and fund network upgrades to improve public Wi-Fi in municipal buildings. The town will also make hot spots available for lending through the library, provide digital skills workshops and tech help sessions, and offer digital navigator training to town staff and interested residents. |
Sheffield | $56,620 | Sheffield will expand public Wi-Fi and expand distribution of hot spots, laptops and tablets. The town will also provide dedicated digital skills instruction and engage local students to provide weekly tech support. A town liaison will be hired to oversee all digital access activities and support digital literacy training opportunities. |
Southbridge | $77,792 | Southbridge will use funds to create a digital library of on-demand digital skills training resources, provide digital skills workshops, purchase additional devices for circulation through the library, establish a digital navigator program, and increase staff capacity for device support at the library and Council on Aging. |
Springfield | $80,666 | Springfield will expand the library's hot spot lending program and digital literacy programming at the library and Council on Aging. The city will also install free public Wi-Fi networks at two senior centers. |
Stockbridge | $55,740 | Stockbridge will expand access to technology through the purchase of virtual reality learning kits and computers for both on-site use and lending programs. The town will also provide digital literacy classes and one-on-one support through the housing authority and senior center. Internet access will be improved through installation of Wi-Fi extenders as well as solar-powered device charging stations in outdoor locations. |
Swansea | $56,528 | Swansea will use grant funds to expand the supply of devices available for on-site use at the library and Council on Aging. The town will also purchase a digital literacy curriculum to provide to residents through the Council on Aging. |
Taunton | $85,000 | Taunton seeks to fund the purchase of devices, expand digital literacy and workforce development, and support two digital skills instructors at the Council on Aging. Six organizations will receive devices for on-site use and five of those organizations will also receive hot spots that will be available for residents to borrow. Digital literacy instructors will provide courses focused on basic technology skills and support on-site device use. |
Templeton | $70,000 | Templeton’s grant activities will be led by Templeton Community Television. Funds will be used to improve public internet services, provide digital literacy and device lending programs, and promote digital inclusion resources and opportunities. |
Townsend | $68,788 | Townsend will establish two exterior free public Wi-Fi spaces. Within town hall, Townsend will install one “pod” workspace for residents to use. The town will also establish peer mentorship and train-the-trainer models to certify local digital navigators and create virtual digital equity resource maps. |
Tyngsborough | $59,999 | Tyngsborough seeks to modernize the municipal library’s computer workstations, install privacy booths and expand the hot spot lending program to reach more people who may not otherwise have access to the internet. |
Warwick | $56,600 | Warwick will utilize grant funds to provide digital literacy and technical assistance to residents in both one-on-one sessions and small group workshops. Funds will support town staff time, training consultants and equipment to provide hybrid or virtual sessions. |
Wellfleet | $85,000 | Wellfleet will establish free public Wi-Fi in the town center. The town will also install wireless access points and other necessary network equipment to provide free Wi-Fi service in the area surrounding a new affordable housing development. |
Wendell | $24,723 | The Wendell Free Library will update its public meeting room AV technology to include hybrid meeting and assistive listening capabilities, replace laptops for on-site use, and make a laptop available for residents to borrow. |
West Brookfield | $72,522 | West Brookfield will hire a digital literacy aide to provide one-on-one assistance at the senior center and library. Computers and video conferencing equipment will be purchased to support hybrid digital literacy programming and technical support at the senior center. The town library will also expand its device and hot spot lending program. |
West Stockbridge | $56,502 | West Stockbridge will use funds to improve access to internet services and devices. Funds will be used to purchase new library equipment and to provide free Wi-Fi in key community spaces. |
Westfield | $64,984 | Westfield seeks to expand digital skills and device access programs through the library, public schools and Council on Aging. The city will also expand public Wi-Fi at the library and Council on Aging. |
Westhampton | $69,200 | Westhampton will work with Northampton Open Media to provide computer classes at two locations. A contractor will be engaged to provide in-home technical assistance and distribute new routers and modems to households in need. The town will also make improvements to the public Wi-Fi network at the town hall. |
Winchendon | $64,980 | Winchendon will improve access to public internet, devices and skills resources through town entities. The town will also make laptops and hot spots available for lending through the library and provide digital skills workshops and tech help sessions. Winchendon TV will create videos focused on internet safety and local digital access resource maps. |
Windsor | $59,686 | Windsor will use a portion of funds to provide free long drops and one month of internet service to low-income residents not currently subscribed to the municipal network. Funding will also be used to cover a portion of the cost for a regional digital skills instructor and to create a stipend program for youth digital navigators. |
Woburn | $84,907 | Woburn will designate a staff member to help residents access telehealth resources and establish a volunteer digital navigator program. The city will also make additional devices available for loan through the public library. |
Municipal Digital Equity Planning Program Participants:
Municipality | Project Summary |
Berkley, Dighton and Rehoboth | Berkley, Dighton and Rehoboth will be able to identify current digital access activities and address gaps that are consistent across communities with similar demographics. The towns hope to leverage existing and long-standing connections in Dighton, Rehoboth and Berkley to explore the best avenues for improving access to broadband services in Bristol County. Through this plan, the towns hope to create a pathway to develop more opportunities for the region’s older and rural residents to access the internet and increase their digital literacy skills. |
Berlin and Boylston | Berlin and Boylston will work together on a local plan. The two bordering towns share similarities but also have demographic differences that will provide informative comparisons. Through this planning process, the towns hope to gain a clearer understanding of local population needs, learn from lived experiences, and build actionable solutions to help close the digital divide. |
Carver, Lakeville and Middleborough | Carver, Lakeville and Middleborough will benefit from a collaborative planning approach. The regional digital equity plan will help identify and address digital access gaps that are consistent across the communities. The towns seek to develop strategies to better help older adults and all rural residents navigate the internet and gain digital literacy skills. The planning process will enable the towns to learn about current efforts to address the digital divide and leverage local resources to improve the lives of the residents of Middleborough, Lakeville and Carver. |
Mendon | Mendon has an aging population that would benefit from digital education. The town hopes to find a way to connect the community with better access to reliable and affordable internet services. The planning process will help identify local needs and explore future funding opportunities. |
Salem | Salem will use this opportunity to build a more coordinated, community-rooted approach to closing the digital divide. The city aims to document and build on the important work already being done by trusted community partners, map existing digital assets and engage the most impacted residents in the process. Salem hopes to gain a comprehensive understanding of the barriers residents face and develop a collaborative plan that centers the needs of the most vulnerable populations. The final plan will serve as a foundation for future investments in infrastructure, training, and policy, ensuring that all Salem residents can access and benefit from digital opportunities. |
About the Massachusetts Broadband Institute at MassTech
A division of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) is working to extend high-speed internet access and availability across the state. To achieve this, MBI uses state and federal funding to launch infrastructure expansion programs that target areas of the state that lack high-speed internet access as well as digital equity programs that tackle barriers to internet adoption and increase availability, addressing critical issues around affordability, enhanced public Wi-Fi, the need for internet-enabled devices, and digital literacy training.
Learn more at https://broadband.masstech.org.
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