WHAT IS A STATE DIGITAL EQUITY PLAN?

In order to qualify for a State Digital Equity Capacity Grant, a state's administering agency must develop and submit a State Digital Equity Plan (SDEP) to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The SDEP then serves as a blueprint for the state's digital equity efforts.

The SDEP must include the barriers to digital equity faced by each covered population, measurable objectives for documenting and promoting digital equity among each covered population, an assessment of how the plan's objectives will impact the state's digital equity related goals, and an asset map of digital equity stakeholders who are engaged in digital equity and digital inclusion activities and with whom the administering agency has and will coordinate to develop and implement the SDEP.

The objectives contained in the SDEP must address documenting and covering the following elements of digital equity:

• the availability of, and affordability of access to, fixed and wireless broadband technology
• the online accessibility and inclusivity of public resources and services
• digital literacy
• awareness of, and the use of, measures to secure online privacy and cybersecurity
• the availability and affordability of consumer devices and technical support for those devices

The plan's assessment must address the plan's impact on the following digital equity related goals:

• Economic and workforce development goals
• Educational outcomes
• Health outcomes
• Civic and social engagement
• Delivery of other essential services

The plan's asset map should address a variety of stakeholders including:

• Community anchor organizations
• Local, county, and municipal agencies and governments
• Civil rights organizations
• Nonprofit organizations
• Organizations that represent covered populations