PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The state has awarded more than $300,000 to six Berkshire communities for digital equity.
On Monday, the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s Massachusetts Broadband Institute announced $1.33 million to communities as part of its new Municipal Digital Equity Implementation Program.
Adams, Cheshire, Florida, Lanesborough, North Adams, and Pittsfield will receive a combined total of $310,332.53 in implementation grants. These support planning projects that focus on internet accessibility, public space modernization, device distribution and refurbishment, and digital literacy.
This is a part of the $1.33 million awarded to 19 cities and towns as they work to bridge the digital divide.
Pittsfield received nearly $100,000 to support public Wi-Fi expansion into Durant Park, located in a neighborhood designated as an Environmental Justice Community, and to hire a digital equity consultant.
“This most recent grant is part of the second phase of the city of Pittsfield’s formal digital equity efforts in partnership with MBI. Using federal ARPA funds, MBI awarded the city of Pittsfield $99,972 to begin implementation of some items identified in the Digital Equity Plan. This includes Public Space Modernization and Education, Outreach and Adoption,” Chief Information Officer Kevin Zawistowski said.
“The first portion of the grant, public space modernization, includes extending the City’s current free WiFi network to Durant Park in Pittsfield and adding signage across the city to alert residents and visitors to the networks and how to connect. The second portion of the grant focusing on education, outreach, and adoption provides money to hire a multilingual digital equity consultant that will be the main liaison between residents and City Hall for matters involving digital equity.”
The city was awarded a Digital Equity Planning grant in 2023 and created a Digital Equity Plan focused on internet availability and affordability, device access, and digital skills. The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission was contracted to help identify barriers that limit folks’ access.
According to a 2023 presentation, the downtown, Crane Avenue, Cheshire Road, and Dalton Avenue areas reported higher numbers of households without internet, and downtown, Morningside, Westside, Merrill roads and East Street, and Crane and Dalton avenues and Cheshire Road areas reported a higher number of households without a computer.
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