Digital Equity Grant Planning Webinar Series

Host: Ronnie Hammond & Vishnupriya Desai (Maryland Office of Statewide Broadband)

Focus & Goals

This session will provide an overview of Maryland's Digital Opportunity Grant Programs and how the NTIA Digital Equity Capacity Grant funds will support five key digital equity initiatives:

1. Digital Equity Planning & Outreach – Identifying and addressing digital equity needs.
2. Digital Education – Expanding digital literacy programs.
3. Digital Navigation – Enhancing one-on-one tech support services.
4. Community Technology Resources – Funding public computer labs and device distribution.
5. Connecting Underserved Communities – Infrastructure investments to close the digital divide.

Agenda

1. 1:00 – 1:10 PM | Welcome & Introduction
2. 1:10 – 1:30 PM | Understanding the Grant Application Process
3. 1:30 – 1:50 PM | Tracking Metrics for Grant Impact
4. 1:50 – 2:00 PM | Q&A + Next Steps

Key Takeaways

1. Clear understanding of Maryland’s Digital Opportunity Grants
2. Guidance on eligibility & application process
3. Best practices for tracking grant metrics

This session was held on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 over Zoom.

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Focus & Goals

This session will highlight digital skills training in rural Maryland and how to integrate these programs into workforce development and regional partnerships.

Key Takeaways

1. Grant opportunities for rural digital skills programs
2. Strategies for collaboration with workforce programs  

This session was held on March 26, 2025 over Zoom.

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This session was held on  April 9, 2025 over Zoom.

Focus & Goals

This session emphasizes the critical role of digital skills in workforce development, explores community-based strategies to reach underresourced populations, and aims to identify opportunities for future collaboration and funding to advance these efforts.

Key Takeaways:

1. Digital skills drive economic mobility
2. Community-based models are critical to workforce success
3. Learn about grant and collaborative opportunities for funding and implementation

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This webinar was conducted on April 23, 2025, from 1:00 – 2:00 PM ET.

Focus & Goals

This session will focus on digital skills training for specialized workforce populations, including veterans, individuals with disabilities, older adults, and formerly incarcerated individuals. Learn about the Benton Institute's report on the digital skills needs of veterans. 

Presenter

Reid Sharkey, Community Broadband Specialist & Research Associate with the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society,
 

Key Takeaways

1. Understand the workforce training needs of specialized workforce populations
2. Best practices for engaging with specialized workforce population organizations
3. Increased collaboration between workforce development programs and organizations serving specialized populations

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This webinar was conducted on May 7, 2025, from 1:00 – 2:00 PM ET.

Focus & Goals

This session will explore how digital skills training and technology can enhance the lives of older adults by supporting social engagement, lifelong learning, workforce participation, and healthcare access.

Presenter

Teri Mumm, Digital Navigation Program Manager

University of Maryland Extension (UME) - Marylanders Online

Key Takeaways

1. Bridging the digital divide for older adults
2. How digital literacy training supports seniors in accessing healthcare, social services, and online resources
3. Grant funding opportunities for senior digital inclusion programs

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This webinar was conducted on May 21, 2025, from 1:00 – 2:00 PM ET. 

Focus & Goals

This session will explore how digital inclusion programs support people with disabilities in employment, education, and daily life.

Presenters:

Sharon Dols, Deputy Executive Director, The Arc Maryland

Renee Seigley, Director of Development, The Arc of Southern Maryland

Key Takeaways

1. Addressing digital accessibility barriers for individuals with disabilities
2. Assistive technology tools that help people with disabilities navigate the digital world
3. Grant opportunities for disability inclusion programs

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This webinar was conducted on May 28, 2025, from 1:00 – 2:00 PM ET.

Focus & Goals

This session will focus on teaching AI awareness in digital literacy programs and how AI connects to workforce development, digital security, and accessibility.

Host: Josh Bokee 

Presenters: Dr. Mega Subramaniam (UMD INFO): AI Literacy for Community Empowerment

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Katherine Lam-Besc (OATS/Senior Planet): Senior Planet’s AI Literacy Tools for Older Adults

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Key Takeaways:

• Bridging technology barriers to support telehealth and health literacy
• Using digital equity funding to scale health-focused technology programs
• Opportunities to align health and digital inclusion networks

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This webinar was conducted on June 4, 2025, from 1 PM to 2 PM

Focus & Goals

This session explores how digital tools and training programs can improve healthcare access and outcomes, particularly for older adults and underserved populations.

Presenter: Katherine Kim, PhD, MPH, MBA; Founder and CEO, Health Tequity; Adjunct Professor, University of California, UC Davis School of Medicine

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Key Takeaways:

• Bridging technology barriers to support telehealth and health literacy
• Using digital equity funding to scale health-focused technology programs
• Opportunities to align health and digital inclusion networks

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This webinar was conducted on June 5, 2025, from 1 PM to 2 PM

Focus & Goals:
This session will provide best practices and shared tools for evaluating digital inclusion efforts across Maryland. It will help programs prepare for reporting under state and federal grants by exploring realistic metrics and templates aligned with the NTIA evaluation framework.

Presenters: Sandy Saperstein & Isaias Tesfalidet

Key Takeaways:

• Aligned evaluation strategies that meet NTIA grant requirements
• Templates and outcome indicators tailored to local organizations
• Explore a potential formal partnership with OSB for statewide coordination

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