Purdue center seeking comment on Indiana’s Digital Equity Plan
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The Purdue Center for Regional Development has released a draft of the state’s inaugural Digital Equity Plan, designed to help Hoosiers gain access to broadband internet and digital devices, as well as learn digital skills.
The center, in partnership with the Indiana Broadband Office, Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, and Purdue Extension, has worked over the past 14 months to develop the plan, which will serve as a road map to help Indiana overcome the “digital divide,” Purdue said.
A 30-day comment period is currently underway for organizers to get public feedback on the draft before a finalized plan is implemented.
Roberto Gallardo, director of the Center for Regional Development, told Inside INdiana Business the key to the plan is increasing awareness that the digital divide is about more than just infrastructure.
“Mostly when people talk about the digital divide, they typically refer to infrastructure, lack of access, or it’s not affordable or or it’s not good enough. And that’s an important piece, but that’s only one piece,” Gallardo said. “What happens when it is available, when it is affordable, but then you don’t have the devices [or] you don’t know how to run the devices to take advantage of that infrastructure or technology? What happens if your devices are unreliable?”
A task force made up of state agencies and stakeholders from communities throughout the state was established in late 2022, Gallardo said, to begin understanding the digital needs in Indiana.
The group conducted surveys, key informant interviews, and held six regional solution sessions across the state, which helped inform the center so it could develop the draft plan.
The goals outlined in the draft plan are:
- Provide Indiana residents with universal connectivity that is affordable, accessible, reliable, equitable and available in public and private spaces to ensure maximum adoption.
- Ensure all Indiana residents have access to affordable devices needed to live, work, and thrive along with the education to utilize that technology safely and successfully.
- Build digitally resilient and equitable communities by supporting new and existing ecosystems for local prosperity.
Each goal outlines multiple strategies and objectives to achieve the state’s desired results.
Gallardo, who also leads the Purdue Broadband Team, said some work is already being done by not-for-profits, businesses and state agencies, particularly when it comes to getting broadband infrastructure in place. But he notes that these players need to grow in the same direction.
“This really has workforce development implications, economic development implications,” he said. “So one of the things we’re asking for is to build coalitions across the state that will go beyond these nonprofits and other groups and really tie in the chambers of commerce, economic development, quality of life, you name it, to really hit the ground running using the plan as a beacon.”
The public comment period began on Jan. 8 and runs for 30 days. Those who wish to provide comment can view the draft plan and submit their comments by clicking here.
Once the public comment period ends, Gallardo said the center will evaluate the feedback and make any necessary changes to the plan before submitting it to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
Then, the state could receive a share of $2.75 billion in federal funding to build and implement its plan. Gallardo said the guidelines for that funding won’t be released until March, but the Indiana Broadband Office will be responsible for developing a mechanism for dispersing any funding the state receives.