Where are you going: Merit Network plans to develop a connectivity and digital equity strategy to accelerate the expansion of high-speed internet in eight underserved areas in Muskegon, Ogemaw, Roscommon, Saginaw, and Van Buren counties. Masu.
Who is behind it: The Ann Arbor-based Merit Network was founded in 1966 by Michigan’s public universities as a shared resource for networking assistance and is the nation’s longest-running regional research and education network. Merit operates as an independent nonprofit corporation managed by the state’s public universities.
How they do it: Merit leverages the Digital Opportunity Compass to execute this plan. It is a digital equity framework originally developed by academic researchers at Michigan State University’s Cuero Center, Merit Network, National Digital Inclusion Alliance, and Digital Equity Research Center. USDA grants support activities such as research activities, educational programs, community planning facilitation, digital skills programming, and infrastructure planning and funding activities.
Why it’s important: “This Compass framework serves as a vehicle for community engagement and planning so that knowledgeable local resources, with support from leadership, community organizations, and others, are ready to take action,” said Community Engagement Officer. said Charlotte Bewersdorff, Merit Vice President. “The team supporting this effort is a group of DE (digital equity) experts, researchers, and practitioners of broadband expansion efforts. Our goal is to develop multi-stakeholder digital equity plans at the local level. to serve as an unbiased resource for promotion.”
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