Digital Equity Partner: Baystate Health and the Alliance for Digital Equity

The Need: When the Challenge Is Bigger Than Any One Organization

Digital inequity in Western and Central Massachusetts is shaped by geography, broadband infrastructure gaps, economic inequality, language access barriers and the realities of rural and small-town life. These challenges vary widely from community to community and no single organization, sector or service model can address them alone.

Residents experience the digital divide differently depending on where they live and who they are. At the same time, the organizations serving them — libraries, housing providers, nonprofits, municipalities and schools — often lack the coordination, resources or shared systems needed to respond effectively. Without regional alignment, efforts are at risk of being fragmented, duplicative or short-lived.

The Alliance for Digital Equity was created to meet this challenge head-on by strengthening local efforts through collaboration, shared infrastructure and trust.

The Approach: Field-Building Through Networked Leadership

With funding from the Digital Equity Partnerships program, the Alliance for Digital Equity deepened and expanded a three-county regional coalition designed to build the field of digital equity. Housed by Baystate Health, the Alliance is a collective of multi-sector, community-focused organizations working toward digital access for all. It functions as the backbone, aligning strategy, building capacity and enabling partners to do their work more effectively together.

In 2024, the Alliance sharpened its focus on digital navigation as the key connector across the digital ecosystem by linking connectivity, device availability and digital skills through trusted, community-based one-on-one support. Rather than delivering services directly, the Alliance invested in what coalitions do best:

• Training and supporting a regional network of digital navigators
• Creating shared systems for device and hot spot distribution
• Establishing common tools for measurement and learning
• Convening partners to coordinate efforts, share lessons and adapt quickly

This approach proved critical as the federal Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) ended. Where isolated programs might have stalled, the Alliance enabled rapid regional adaptation and community-led responses.

Impact at a Glance

To date, the Alliance translated regional coordination into measurable, community-level outcomes:

• 5,172 individuals able to use basic technology and 304 using intermediate technology because of a digital literacy course
• 5,765 individuals supported through digital navigation services
• 5,447 residents gained digital skills tailored to specific needs
• 1280 devices distributed, including laptops and Chromebooks
• 83 communities served  
• 68 organizations and municipalities funded
• 50-plus digital navigators connected through a regional peer network

Beyond direct outputs, the coalition itself became a multiplier. A recent survey showed 78% of Alliance members collaborate outside of formal meetings, signaling durable relationships and long-term capacity for continued impact.

Human Impact: When Networks Make Change Possible

The Alliance’s approach translated into real, everyday improvements for residents across the region. Older adults learned to manage telehealth appointments independently. Immigrant families built foundational digital skills that supported education and workforce participation. A formerly unhoused resident used digital literacy training to secure stable housing and move forward with their employment goals.

One resident shared that being able to schedule a telehealth visit without asking family for help made them feel “independent again.” An older couple used newly acquired digital design skills to promote their small family restaurant - turning digital access into an economic opportunity.

These outcomes were not the result of a single program, but a coordinated ecosystem working together — local trust paired with regional support.

What This Work Revealed

The Alliance’s experience offers powerful lessons about coalition-based digital equity work. It revealed:

• Coalitions are infrastructure. When done well, they create shared systems, reduce duplication and enable local organizations to scale impact.
• Networks adapt faster than stand-alone programs. Regional coordination allowed partners to pivot quickly as federal policy and funding shifted related to the ACP.
• Trust is the foundation. Relationships - not just resources - make collaboration effective and resilient.
• Digital Navigation thrives in ecosystems. Shared training, peer support and common tools strengthen navigators and the communities they serve.

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