Connected Communities Digital Literacy

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Executive Summary

Connected Communities Digital Literacy is a nonprofit in Mississippi that provides free digital skills training, device lending and broadband navigation assistance to adults in rural Leflore, Sunflower and Humphreys counties in the Mississippi Delta. Instructors deliver hands-on classes at libraries, community centers and churches, and a device lending program puts a working laptop or tablet in the hands of adults who complete the training.

The Mississippi Delta has some of the lowest broadband adoption rates in the United States, and lack of access combines with lack of skills to exclude rural adults from telehealth, online job applications, benefits portals, banking and communication with family. A fiber cable passing by a house does not help an adult who has never used a computer. With this grant we will pay our digital navigators and buy the devices in the lending library. We do not provide internet service and we do not guarantee employment or benefit outcomes.

What we are asking for. Our program has a Year 1 budget of about $195,000. We are asking for $52,000 from a Mississippi broadband access foundation for digital navigator salaries and the device lending library. The rest comes from other grants and program fees listed in the funding section. Every dollar amount in this plan is an estimate.

Company Description

Connected Communities Digital Literacy is a nonprofit organization recognized under section 501(c)(3) of the tax code, governed by a volunteer board that includes a Leflore County library director, a Delta community college continuing education dean and three community members. The board meets monthly, approves the budget and oversees the executive director. A new organization without its own determination letter can use a fiscal sponsor, explained in the funding section.

What we believe. A broadband line to a house is only half the work. The other half is helping the person inside know what to do with it.

What we do:
- Digital skills classes. Eight-hour introductory curriculum delivered across four two-hour sessions at 12 community sites: libraries, community centers, churches and the county extension office. Topics include using a smartphone or computer, email, video calling, searching the internet safely, using government benefits portals, applying for jobs online and recognizing online scams.
- Advanced modules offered after the introductory series: telehealth visit setup, online banking basics, filing taxes online and using social media safely.
- Digital navigators. Trained navigators at each site provide one-on-one help during open-lab hours, help adults troubleshoot problems at home and assist with broadband affordability program enrollment, including the Affordable Connectivity Program successor programs and Lifeline.
- Device lending library. Adults who complete the introductory curriculum can borrow a refurbished laptop or tablet for up to six months while they practice skills and determine what device to buy.
- Broadband navigation. Navigators help eligible households apply for subsidized broadband service through available state and federal programs.

What we do not do. We do not provide internet service. We do not guarantee device return but use a signed lending agreement and keep a deposit equal to $50. We do not give cash.

Who we serve. Adults 18 and older in Leflore, Sunflower and Humphreys counties with limited or no digital skills, with priority for older adults, adults seeking employment and adults who need to access telehealth or government benefits.

Our board has at least five members, including at least one person who has used our services or lives in the community we serve, and only a minority of board members may be related to each other or paid by the organization.

We keep a written conflict of interest policy, a whistleblower policy and a record retention policy, and the board reviews them every year.

Problem & Opportunity

Rural Delta adults are excluded from the digital economy not only by lack of broadband but by lack of the skills to use it.

1. Adoption gap. Mississippi has the lowest broadband adoption rate of any state. In the Delta counties we serve, adoption rates are 25 to 35 percentage points below the national average even in areas where broadband infrastructure now exists, because a connection without skills produces no benefit.
2. Age and experience gap. A survey of adults at Delta county libraries found that many adults over 50 had never completed an online form or made a video call, and many could not identify a phishing email.
3. Employment and benefits access. Online job applications are the primary gateway to employment above minimum wage in most industries. SNAP, Medicaid and Social Security benefits are increasingly managed through online portals. Adults who cannot use those portals are disadvantaged in applying, managing and appealing decisions.
4. Telehealth exclusion. The Delta's physician shortage means telehealth is often the most practical access point for primary care. Adults who cannot navigate a video call cannot use it.
5. Scam vulnerability. Adults unfamiliar with digital norms are disproportionately targeted by online and phone scams. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center reports that adults over 60 lose more to internet crime than any other age group.

Why it matters now. The Mississippi Digital Equity Plan identifies the Delta as a priority area. Federal BEAD program infrastructure funding is bringing broadband to previously unserved Delta addresses; the limiting factor for adoption is now skills, not cable.

How we know the need is real. We surveyed 80 adults at four Delta county library branches, reviewed FCC broadband adoption data and interviewed the library directors in all three target counties. The survey data is in the appendix. We update these facts annually.

Products & Services

What the funded project will do. With this grant we will pay digital navigator salaries and purchase and maintain the device lending library.

How an adult takes part:
1. Enrollment. An adult walks in during a class session or open lab hours. No pre-registration is required, though we ask for a name and contact number to track completion.
2. Four-session introductory curriculum. Two hours per session, four sessions across two weeks. Participants can join any session they missed; the curriculum is designed for non-linear access.
3. Device lending. Adults who complete all four sessions can borrow a laptop or tablet from the library for up to six months. A signed lending agreement and a $50 deposit are required.
4. One-on-one navigator help. During open lab hours twice a week at each site, a navigator is available for individual questions, device troubleshooting and broadband enrollment help.
5. Advanced modules. After the introductory series, adults who want to continue can attend one of four advanced modules offered monthly at each site.
6. Follow-up. At three months, a navigator calls or texts participants to check in and offer additional help.

What the grant pays for. This request covers a portion of digital navigator salaries and the initial device lending library purchase and maintenance.

What we do not promise. We do not promise that any adult will gain employment, successfully access benefits or maintain broadband service. We track class attendance, introductory curriculum completions, devices lent, broadband enrollments assisted and navigator one-on-one sessions, and we report honestly.

Safety. Classes are held at public sites with regular hours. Navigators never visit private homes alone. Device lending agreements are signed and kept on file. We call 911 in any emergency.

Market Analysis

Who benefits from this project are adults in Leflore, Sunflower and Humphreys counties in the Mississippi Delta.

Who we serve. Adults 18 and older in three Delta counties with limited digital skills, with priority for adults over 50, adults seeking employment and adults who need to access telehealth or benefits portals.

How many we plan to serve. About 400 adults through classes and open lab hours in Year 1, with about 200 completing the full introductory curriculum and about 80 borrowing a device. By Year 5 we plan to reach about 800 adults annually across an expanded site list. We chose those numbers from the navigator's class capacity and the device library size.

Where we serve. Twelve sites across Leflore, Sunflower and Humphreys counties: county library branches, community centers, churches and the county extension office.

Who else benefits. Employers whose applicant pool includes more people who can complete an online application. Telehealth providers who can reach more patients. State agencies whose benefits portals are more accessible to the populations they serve.

We choose how many classes to schedule from the navigator's available hours and the device library's capacity, not from the size of the need.

Competitive Landscape

Other digital literacy resources in our area.

1. Delta community college continuing education. Offers some computer skills courses but requires transportation to campus, charges tuition and operates during hours that working adults cannot attend.
2. Mississippi State University Extension. Has a digital literacy component in its family and consumer sciences programming but does not cover the Delta counties we serve at regular scheduled frequency.
3. Public libraries. Provide computers and some informal help but do not have staff with dedicated time for individual instruction or a device lending program.
4. National broadband adoption programs. Exist at a policy level but do not deliver direct training or one-on-one help in rural Delta communities.

What makes us different. We bring the training to 12 sites across three counties on a fixed schedule, we provide a device lending library so adults can practice at home and we have navigators available for one-on-one help twice a week at each site. We coordinate with the library and extension rather than competing with them.

How we avoid duplication. We meet quarterly with library directors and the community college continuing education dean to coordinate schedules and refer participants who want more advanced coursework.

Marketing & Sales Strategy

How we will reach adults once the project is funded.

Library and community center partnerships. Directors at our 12 sites promote classes through their regular communications, on their bulletin boards and to patrons they know are trying to learn digital skills.

Faith communities. Churches in rural Delta communities have weekly gatherings where announcements reach residents who do not use social media or the internet. Pastors in our service area are primary ambassadors.

County extension offices. Extension agents reach farming households and older rural adults who are our priority population.

Word of mouth. A grandparent who learns to video call their grandchildren tells every other grandparent they know. Word of mouth in rural communities is the most effective channel we have.

Funding cultivation. The Microsoft Airband Initiative, the Federal BEAD Digital Equity program, the Mississippi Office of Broadband Expansion, the Appalachian Regional Commission digital literacy grants (we are on the ARC boundary) and national digital equity foundations are our primary funding prospects.

Operations Plan

How the project will be carried out.

Timeline for Year 1. Month 1: confirm site agreements at all 12 locations, purchase and image the device lending library, train navigators. Month 2: begin classes on a rotating schedule. Months 3 to 12: maintain the class and open lab schedule, lend devices to qualifying graduates, assist with broadband enrollment.

Schedule. Each site hosts the four-session introductory curriculum twice per quarter and open lab hours twice per week during library or community center hours.

Partners. Three county library systems, the Leflore County extension office, the county health department for telehealth module coordination and the Mississippi Office of Broadband Expansion for subsidy program enrollment updates. Each has or will have a written agreement.

Device library. Sixty refurbished laptops and 20 refurbished tablets, imaged with a standard software configuration and covered by a lending agreement. Devices are inspected on return and repaired or replaced as needed.

Money controls. Device purchases are made in bulk with board approval. Deposits are held in a separate account and returned on device return. Two people approve every purchase over $300.

Records and reporting. We track class attendance, curriculum completions, devices lent and returned, broadband enrollments and navigator one-on-one sessions. We report to funders twice a year.

Management & Organization

The executive director manages the organization and the site and partner relationships. Digital navigators each cover four to five sites on a rotating schedule, delivering classes and open lab hours.

The team. Pay figures include payroll taxes and workers' compensation insurance. The numbers in parentheses are how many people we plan to have in Years 1 through 5. A number with a half, such as 2.5, means a hire phased in during the year or one part-time person.
- Executive Director: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 (Years 1 to 5), about $58,000 a year.
- Digital Navigator: 2, 2, 3, 3, 3 (Years 1 to 5), about $40,000 a year each.
- Device Library Coordinator (part-time): 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 (Years 1 to 5), about $16,000 a year.
- Program Associate (added as the budget grows): 0, 0.5, 0.5, 1, 1.5 (Years 1 to 5), about $46,000 a year each, hired as new grant money arrives.

Governance and money controls. The board reviews financials monthly. An outside accountant prepares the yearly tax return. Every grant is in its own budget line. Device lending deposits are held in a separate account.

Feedback and complaints. Participants can give feedback to navigators verbally or in writing. We report themes to the board quarterly. No participant loses access for speaking up.

Milestones Narrative

Goals for each of the first five years. These are goals, not promises.
- Before the grant starts: confirm site agreements at all 12 locations, purchase and image the device lending library and complete navigator training.
- Year 1: serve about 400 adults, graduate about 200 from the introductory curriculum, lend about 80 devices, assist about 60 households with broadband enrollment. Budget about $195,000.
- Year 2: add a third navigator, expand to 15 sites and grow the device library to 100 units. Budget about $238,000.
- Year 3: launch telehealth setup as a standalone module with the county health department. Budget about $272,000.
- Year 4: apply for federal Digital Equity Act funding through the Mississippi broadband office. Budget about $308,000.
- Year 5: reach about 800 adults annually and publish a plain results report. Budget about $342,000.

How we will measure results: class attendance, introductory curriculum completions, devices lent, broadband enrollments assisted, telehealth sessions successfully completed and navigator one-on-one sessions. We report to funders twice a year.

Funding Request

What we are asking for, and how the money will be used. Our request: $52,000 from a Mississippi broadband access foundation for digital navigator salaries and the device lending library, for January through December 2027.

The request is spread across these budget lines:
- Personnel: Digital Navigator salaries (part), $36,000 (other funds cover the remaining $44,000 of the two navigators' combined salary).
- Other: Device lending library - 60 refurbished laptops at $220 each and 20 refurbished tablets at $140 each - $16,000 (other funds cover maintenance and replacement costs of $4,000 per year).

Other money in the program. This request is about 31% of Year 1 grant income. Other grants pay for everything it does not cover.

Year 1 budget: about $195,000, planned to balance with a small surplus (about $5,000 after the yearly wear on equipment). Year 1 money coming in: Grant Revenue $168,000; Individual Donors $19,000; Device Deposits and Program Fees $8,000. Year 1 costs: executive director $58,000; digital navigator $80,000; device library coordinator (part-time) $16,000; device purchase and maintenance $15,300; class supplies and printed curriculum $6,100; vehicle mileage for navigators traveling to 12 sites $7,700; office and reporting $6,100.

One-time startup costs. Startup costs of $12,600 are paid once from startup funds: $3,800 for device imaging, a device tracking system and a repair kit, $2,800 for navigator training and curriculum development, $2,400 for legal setup and device lending agreement review, $2,000 for site setup - banners, welcome materials and a printed schedule at each of 12 locations - and $1,600 for a simple website and social media setup.

How we got our startup number. The Funding Need Calculator in this plan adds the startup costs ($12,600), the cash the program uses before it balances (about $2,000) and a cash cushion of about $47,300, which is about 3 months of Year 1 costs. In all, that comes to $62,000. We start with $16,000 of our own savings and $47,000 from the Mississippi Office of Broadband Expansion planning grant and board contributions, $63,000 in all, which covers that amount.

The next five years. Our budget grows from about $195,000 in Year 1 to about $342,000 in Year 5. Grant revenue is planned at $168,000, $165,000, $186,000, $208,000 and $204,000 in Years 1 to 5. Other income grows as sponsors and donors join. The program plans to end each year with a surplus, about $5,000, $19,400, $6,600, $11,200 and $12,000 in Years 1 to 5, which we put into savings. Some years are larger because new grant money arrives before the added staff are hired. The lowest year-end cash in the plan is about $57,200.

After the grant. Federal Digital Equity Act funding through the Mississippi broadband office becomes the primary federal revenue stream in Year 4. Individual donors grow as community awareness builds.

Risks:
- Device loss or damage can deplete the lending library faster than the replacement budget covers. We require a signed lending agreement and a $50 deposit and inspect every device on return.
- A community site may change its hours or availability. We maintain relationships with two backup sites in each county.
- A major grant may end. We grow individual donors and pursue federal digital equity funding each year.
- Navigator turnover in a rural labor market is a real risk. We cross-train both navigators on all 12 sites and maintain a documented class curriculum so a new navigator can deliver it with minimal ramp-up time.

If you are just starting. A new organization can begin through a fiscal sponsor: an established nonprofit that receives grants and passes the money to your program, usually for a fee of around 5% to 10% of the grant. Starting with two sites, one navigator and a small device library allows you to document outcomes and build toward larger grants.

Appendix Notes

Documents to attach before you send this proposal:

- Your IRS determination letter showing 501(c)(3) status, or your fiscal sponsor agreement.
- Your board list and board minutes approving the application.
- Your most recent budget and financial statements.
- A list of other funders and what each has given or been asked to give.
- Site agreements with all 12 community locations.
- Navigator training curriculum and competency checklist.
- Device lending agreement template.
- Mississippi Office of Broadband Expansion partnership documentation.
- Library director letters of support from all three counties.
- Survey data from 80 adults at four Delta library branches.
If you don't have any of this yet, no worries - let's continue.

The assumptions behind our numbers:
- Grant Revenue: $168,000 in Year 1, planned to reach $204,000 in Year 5.
- Individual Donors: $19,000 in Year 1, growing to $138,000 in Year 5.
- Device library: 60 refurbished laptops at $220 each ($13,200) and 20 tablets at $140 each ($2,800) = $16,000 initial purchase; $4,000 per year maintenance and replacement budget.
- Navigator mileage: 2 navigators covering 12 sites across 3 counties, approximately 20,000 miles per year at the federal mileage rate.
- Every dollar amount is an estimate.

Plain words used in this proposal:
- Digital navigator: a trained person who helps others with digital skills and device and internet access problems, one on one.
- Device lending library: a collection of laptops and tablets that qualified participants can borrow for a set period.
- BEAD: Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment, a federal program funding broadband infrastructure in unserved areas.
- Affordable Connectivity Program: a federal program that provided low-income households a discount on broadband service; successors to this program exist at the state and federal level.
- Lifeline: a federal program that subsidizes phone and broadband service for low-income households.
- Digital Equity Act: a federal law providing grants for digital inclusion programs.
- 501(c)(3): the tax status that lets a nonprofit receive tax-deductible gifts and many grants.

Startup Costs