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It is estimated that one in five Essex County residents do not have access to internet service, a computer, or know how to use a digital device.
Aiming to address this divide, the third annual Digital Equity Challenge invites individuals with ideas that address these issues to our annual pitch competition. The contest will award her $10,000 prize to the most promising solution. Kate Mashe, director of strategic initiatives for the Community Foundation of Essex County, said there’s more work to be done.
“We look forward to hearing from this year’s contestants about their vision for increasing access to the digital resources needed to navigate life today.”
Individuals of all ages, including college and high school students, business and nonprofit professionals, can apply online by Friday, March 29th. His six finalists, who will be announced in April, will be invited to pitch their ideas on May 2 at his Hub for Innovation at the University of Massachusetts Lowell in Haverhill. The winner will share her $10,000 awarded to help bring the idea to fruition.
Last year’s top winner, the nonprofit Computers 4 People, provides services such as refurbishing donated computers and giving them to people in need. Haverhill Promise, a local initiative that ensures the city’s elementary school students are proficient in reading by her third grade, will receive funding through funding she received as her second-place winner in the 2023 Digital Equity Challenge. , which started and has since expanded its kindergarten readiness summer program.
“The program’s success has attracted even more support through our community partners and the Essex County Community Foundation. We have expanded to an annual program to continue working across the board,” said Jessica Currin, executive director of Haverhill Promise.
Other programs funded through the Digital Equity Challenge include Haverhill’s Internet Connectivity Program, Lynn’s Senior Digital Literacy Program and a countywide device retrofit program.
“We help entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses,” said Stephanie Guyot, associate director of the Haverhill iHub at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. “Creating the Digital Equity Challenge was a natural extension of that work. We are committed to empowering communities to leverage their entrepreneurial spirit to develop innovative solutions to digital literacy, access, and digital equity challenges. After two successful years of project launch, we look forward to seeing what comes out of the 2024 competition.”
For more information, please email Guyotte. [email protected] Or visit uml.edu/digitalequity.
