About

The CNY Digital Inclusion Coalition is a group of community stakeholders in Central New York working together to create a unified voice in support of digital inclusion.

Exclusion from access to the Internet, including high speed connectivity, can have profound repercussions for those on the wrong side of the digital divide.

Those without access are disadvantaged in today’s digital society, facing challenges conducting business, accessing health information, gathering research, looking for employment, learning, completing school assignments, securing government services or even communicating on a day-to-day basis.

The Digital Divide is real in Central New York. Syracuse is one of the worst-connected cities in the U.S. The consequences of living without access to the Internet and the skills required to use it are alarming. Consider the following:

• Many employers require online job applications
• Social Security information is moving to online-only access
• Accessing the Health Insurance Marketplace requires a device and an Internet connection
• Schools increasingly rely on electronic tools to educate our children
• The Internet keeps people connected to their friends and family
• A connection to the Internet leads to greater success finding employment

The digital divide has grown significantly in the COVID-19 pandemic, as schools and workplaces move online and now rely on families and employees to have broadband Internet and computers in the home, and the skillset necessary to use them effectively.

We want to ensure that all members of our community are digitally included.

Goals of the CNY Digital Inclusion Coalition:

• Gain a better understanding of challenges to digital inclusion in Central New York
• Create regional awareness of efforts to improve digital inclusion by the many community groups engaged in this work
• Consider a shared advocacy agenda that will allow us to work toward policy and funding to support digital inclusion