April 2025 Community Roundtable Conversation
April 8, 2025
Digital Equity Program
Arizona’s Digital Equity Program is an initiative to promote digital equity and inclusion to ensure that all people and communities have the skills, technology and capacity needed to reap the full benefits of a digital economy. The state is committed to ensuring universal broadband availability through infrastructure investments, supporting affordable broadband plans for all Arizonans, ensuring access to affordable, internet enabled devices and providing inclusive digital skills training.
The state is committed to ensuring that all Arizonans can participate fully and securely in the digital landscape. The Digital Equity Plan is designed to address the critical areas of:
Internet Cost & Stability
1
Inclusivity of Resources
2
Digital Literacy Upskilling Opportunities
3
Privacy & Cybersecurity
4
Device Access
5
Digital Equity Timeline
The State Broadband Office intends to successfully achieve the Digital Equity Plan goals by 2030.
Timeline
Anticipated Next Steps
Digital Equity Plan
Arizona’s Digital Equity Plan represents the culmination of a year-long, statewide collaborative effort, marked by attentive listening to the voices and feedback of communities across the state. This plan, written in response to the 15 requirements laid out by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), addresses specific barriers faced by Arizonans that fall within the eight covered populations as defined by NTIA:
- Individuals who live in low-income households
- Aging individuals
- Incarcerated individuals, other than individuals who are incarcerated in a Federal correctional facility
- Veterans
- Individuals with disabilities
- Individuals with a language barrier, including individuals who are English learners and have low levels of literacy
- Racial and ethnic minorities
- Rural inhabitants
Overall, more than 80% of Arizonans fall into one or more of the eight covered populations outlined above.
Digital Equity Plan Strategic Goals
The state is committed to ensuring that all Arizonans can participate fully and securely in the digital landscape. The Digital Equity Plan strategic goals include:
Goal 1:
Increase availability and affordability of reliable, high-speed broadband Internet.
- Provide universal connectivity to unserved and underserved areas and ensure high-speed internet access is available to every household in Arizona.
- Launch and increase enrollment in BEAD-compliant, low-cost plans.
Goal 2:
Increase inclusivity and accessibility of public resources and services.
- Make online spaces and content more accessible to a wider range of persons.
- Establish local and tribal designated Digital Equity Specialists.
- Support local and tribal capacity for digital equity planning and activities.
- Increase telehealth access points and support Health Navigator services.
Goal 3:
Enhance digital literacy and skills training, tailored to covered populations.
- Increase digital literacy and skills training opportunities.
- Strengthen community support through digital navigation service utilization.
- Ensure workforce development opportunities for people within covered populations to prepare for jobs created by the BEAD Program.
- Create State Seal of Digital Literacy for high school students.
Goal 4:
Enhance safety and security of Arizona’s digital spaces.
- Develop a statewide online safety campaign for individuals of all ages.
Goal 5:
Ensure Arizonans have an affordable device that meets their unique needs.
- Increase the availability and affordability of internet-enabled devices that meet the needs of the user.
Digital Equity Community Roundtable Conversations
The State Broadband Office hosts regular roundtable conversations to bring together community and nonprofit organizations, industry leaders, state and local governments and other key stakeholder groups from around the state to discuss the implementation of the Digital Equity Plan.
There are no upcoming webinars at this time. Check back soon for future events!
Previous Webinars:
Previewing 4 of 11 Webinars
General Capacity Subgrant Submissions
Arizona's Digital Equity General Capacity Subgrant Program is meant to partially fulfill the Digital Equity Capacity Grant requirements, as administered by NTIA.
The submission window for the General Capacity Subgrant Program will be from May 1 – June 30, 2025. Submissions responding to the requirements herein may be submitted as a PDF attachment.
Completed applications should be sent via email to: [email protected]
An automated response acknowledging receipt will be provided. Submissions will be reviewed after the submission window closes. Final determinations and actual fund availability will be subject to federal approvals.
RESOURCES
- Subgrantees are required to familiarize themselves with the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) and the requirements of subgrantees in this federal program found therein.
- READ: Arizona’s approved Digital Equity Plan
- Digital Equity Subgrant Program – Combined FAQ