As New Hampshire’s second largest county, Grafton is well known for its rural charm. It’s home to over half the White Mountain National Forest, and upwards of 90% remains timberland.
But in a world that’s increasingly online, connecting to digital goods and services is essential for everyday tasks — from online educational resources to mobile banking to telehealth. Lack of infrastructure, training and resources can hinder digital access in rural communities like those in Grafton County.
This issue is being addressed by UNH Extension’s Community and Economic Development team, which was awarded a grant from the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs to lead the development of a statewide, five-year Digital Equity Plan.
Extension’s team, under the leadership of Charlie French, partnered with the National Collaborative for Digital Equity and the Digital Equity Research Center at the Metropolitan New York Library Council to develop the plan.
Published in 2024, it outlines ways to close the digital divide, ensuring that individuals, regardless of their socioeconomic status, geographical location or other demographic factors, have access to and opportunities for meaningful participation in the digital world.
The plan places an emphasis on unserved or underserved populations, including aging individuals, veterans, racial and ethnic minorities, English learners, individuals with disabilities, those currently or recently incarcerated, rural residents and veterans.
Taylor Caswell, commissioner of the NH Department of Business and Economic Affairs, says, “New Hampshire is a national leader when it comes to deploying critical resources targeted at increasing access to reliable, high-speed internet services. We look forward to identifying new opportunities to bridge the digital divide and connect Granite Staters with the digital economy.”
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration has allocated just under $5 million to the state to support implementation of the plan. This funding will go to support projects and efforts that address priority areas.
By collaborating with statewide partners and county governments, Extension can help advance opportunities for workforce and economic development, education, healthcare and civic engagement.
Digital Equity Plan Research by the Numbers
- 1,000 stakeholders engaged
- 92 meetings with digital equity partners and constituents
- 26 focus groups with participants representing underserved populations
- 25 key informant interviews
- 24 meetings with partner organizations that have a shared goal of enhancing digital equity
- 9 meetings with regional digital equity coalitions
- 8 sector summits focused on key plan objectives and metrics
- 2 statewide forums
- 1 statewide asset advisory council meeting
The Digital Equity Plan was crafted in alignment with the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program, which is providing over $196 million to support the expansion of broadband infrastructure in New Hampshire.
