Congratulations to the five newest grantees of the New York Digital Inclusion Fund!  These organizations are presented with innovation-supporting funding that ranges from $167,000 to $250,000 to further the implementation of their work advancing digital equity in their communities and regions over the next 12 and 24 months. The 2022 grant recipients are: 

• Community Access, Inc. (New York City in the counties of Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan) 
• Mission: Ignite (Southern Tier, Western NY in the counties of Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Lockport, Grand Island, West Seneca, Newstead, Elmira, Horseheads, Jamestown, Binghamton, Little Valley)
• OATS from AARP (North Country in the county of Plattsburgh)
• Queens Public Library Foundation (New York City in the county of Queens)
• The STEM Alliance (Long Island, Mid-Hudson in the counties of White Plains, Mount Vernon, New Rochelle, Greenburgh)

 “The New York Digital Inclusion Fund is designed to make an impact on whole communities and regions by supporting collaborative digital inclusion programs,” said Angela Siefer, executive director of NDIA. “We are proud to partner with Schmidt Futures and intend this work to serve as a model for others investing in digital equity.”

The Fund is managed by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance and powered by Schmidt Futures, a philanthropic initiative founded by Eric and Wendy Schmidt. 

We are pleased to announce the first round of grants to receive a combined $1.42 million in 2022, through the New York Digital Inclusion Fund. The Fund will be managed by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance and powered by Schmidt Futures, a philanthropic initiative founded by Eric and Wendy Schmidt. Read the full descriptions of each grant here.

Digital Inclusion Innovation Grants: Funding to support innovative partnership approaches to increase the number of people connected to broadband, equipped with the devices they need to participate in digital life, digital literacy resources, and technical support across communities throughout New York state.

2022 Innovation Grant Recipients:

• Albany Can Code (Making All New Yorkers Digitally Literate: Statewide expansion of CanCode model for Digital Literacy & Software Job Training)
• Friends and foundation of Albany Public Library (APL-AHA Digital inclusion Partnership)
• Hispanic Federation (New York City Latino Digital Equity Initiative)
• The HOPE Program (Comprehensive Digital Literacy Training and Access for Low-Income New Yorkers)
• Westchester Library System (Reentry Digital Inclusion)

The New York Digital Inclusion Fund launched with exciting new grant opportunities for New York-based digital inclusion work. The fund will support innovative partnership models accelerating digital inclusion across New York state.

NDIA is proud to partner with Schmidt Futures on the launch of the New York Digital Inclusion Fund and to provide guidance and technical expertise to grantees as they carry out their digital inclusion activities to advance digital equity in their communities and regions. 

The Fund is supported by Schmidt Futures, a philanthropic initiative founded by Eric and Wendy Schmidt, and managed by NDIA. NDIA will support applicants and provide training and technical support to grantees, sharing lessons learned, best practices, and guidance as they carry out their digital inclusion work.

The Fund creates opportunities in two categories – Digital Inclusion Coalition Planning Grants and Digital Inclusion Innovation Grants. The first will support regional digital inclusion coalition building and the second will support innovative partnerships to increase the number of people connected to broadband and equipped with devices. The Fund will also provide digital literacy resources and technical support across communities throughout New York state.

Priority Populations. The Fund prioritizes support for communities who identify in the following areas:

• Immigrants/Refugees/ English Language Learners
• BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color)
• Formerly or Currently Incarcerated Individuals
• Housing Insecure/Individuals Experiencing Homelessness
• Low-income households
• People with disabilities
• Jobseekers
• Older Adults (65 years+)

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