State Consortia: Maximizing the Equity Impact of Competitive Grant Funding

When I left #Starlink last year, it was apparent that maximizing the impact of emerging technologies on communities requires partnerships with community-based organizations and institutions, particularly in rural and low-wealth communities. Since then, I've joined national and regional efforts to ensure that all communities can participate fully, regularly, and equally in deploying new technologies and accessing once-in-a-generation federal funding programs.

Nonprofits and community-based organizations can apply for some federally-funded grant award programs. However, states, for example, prefer to make their awards through consortia or coalitions, defined as a partnership of at least three separate entities. There is a risk that if we are not intentional, these grant programs can reinforce geographic, economic and social inequity by defaulting to the usual suspects in competitive state funding programs.

Of course, intentionality is one thing and doing the hard work of embedding equity in strategies, governance and metrics is another.

By forming consortia, the risk burden is shared among multiple organizations, reducing the financial strain on any single entity, including the state government.?Large-scale projects of the magnitude that we are witnessing with once-in-a-generation federal investments have inherent uncertainties, potential setbacks, and financial risks for states.

But there is also a risk that the limited window we have to build new models of equitable economic and workforce development or to make community engagement and ownership a more significant part of how planning and growth happens in the U.S. will close before we can get going.?

There is a saying that 'change happens at the speed of trust.' In some cases, the trust between stakeholders is there; in others, it is not. Take, for example, the voices of indigenous or Native communities in the U.S. who have faced centuries of broken promises and people offering help but not receiving it. Without solid leadership at the grassroots level and in state government to establish mutual trust and respect, the prospect of genuine partnership is dim.?

People are right to call for more technical assistance support to help bridge the divide and form or strengthen equity-centered consortia. But choosing the right approach for assistance is vitally important. Sometimes, the support needed is longer-term capacity building for alignment between stakeholders beyond any funding opportunity. In other cases, stakeholders get help to do the heavy lifting to prepare for a successful application.?

Last week, I finished working with students this summer, interviewing State Broadband Offices, community advocates, and technical assistance providers across 14 sunbelt states, mapping state digital equity ecosystems, and identifying solutions to bridge the?digital divide?and build lasting civic infrastructure. Among their key takeaways was the strong leadership from states across the region concerning equity and interest in broadening the table of groups positioned to benefit from future grant opportunities.?

Ongoing digital navigation efforts inspire me where I now live in Washington State as well. Digital navigator programs are crucial in promoting digital inclusion, assisting individuals with accessing online resources, and bridging the digital divide. By partnering with various community organizations and government agencies, the program can offer a comprehensive range of services that help people navigate the digital landscape effectively.

If you are interested in learning more about strategies at the state level to build equity-centered approaches to creating consortia that can win competitive grant programs but more importantly sustain the longer-term work of change join myself and digital equity strategist Sabrina Roach for a Linked-In Live conversation Wed, Aug 30, 2023, 4:00 PM - 4:45 PM ET.

Sign-up here: https://www.dhirubhai.net/events/developingeffectivestrategiesfo7100488644016148481/theater/