“If you are reading this, you’ve crossed the digital divide. One in two people on the planet have not,” said Chris Worman for Alliance Magazine. “You can take advantage of an increasing array of digital products and services. Unconnected families cannot; and they are falling behind as work, education, healthcare, civic participation, and access to services provided by your grantees, are increasingly moving online. For unconnected families, the internet — once touted as a great equalizer — is becoming a wedge between the haves and have-nots.”
“This can and must change. Philanthropy can support pathways to digital equity — the state in which all people have the affordable, high-speed internet, tools and skills they need to participate in our digitalizing world —and ensure the communities we care about do not get left further behind. If our success is predicated on the success of our grantees, and their success is predicated on the increased quality of life for those they serve, and both are increasingly dependent on access to digital technologies, then we must engage.”
“Digitalization is happening. Digital equity depends on all of us. Philanthropy must engage in support of communities markets have failed. Together we can ensure communities come online, on their terms, with the tools and skills they need to thrive in our digitalizing world.”