Mission and Vision
Since the adoption of the Digital Equity Action Plan (DEAP) in April 2016, the DEAP has garnered national attention. The 2016 National Digital Inclusion Summit praised the DEAP for its inclusive plan development process. In addition, the DEAP won the National Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA) 2016 Community Broadband Strategic Plan of the year award, and the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) recognized the DEAP as a Digital Inclusion Trailblazer.
The DEAP Mission is to bridge the digital divide for excluded members of our community with affordable access, training and tools.
The DEAP Vision is that all residents of Portland/Multnomah County will have barrier-free access to high-speed broadband internet at home and school, an affordable computing device, and the training to use them effectively.
Implementation
The Digital Equity Action Plan provides a framework for community groups and public agencies to collaborate on actions and projects that specifically address inequities in access to high speed internet, affordable devices, and relevant, culturally-specific training for the plan’s target populations. This cooperative approach builds on isolated digital inclusion programs, projects and activities to achieve greater cooperation and information sharing across our region.
OCT and Multnomah County Library, with assistance from County staff, are tasked with overseeing DEAP implementation. A primary responsibility and commitment of OCT and the Library/County is to foster and engage partnerships and community efforts that align with DEAP goals. The Digital Inclusion Network (DIN) is the collaborative effort to actively plan DEAP implementation.
Progress Reports
The critical need to be online is well established — using the internet is no longer optional to fully participate in education, the economy, healthcare, and civic and cultural life. Yet many Multnomah County residents — 18% of households with income under $30,000, 28% for those 65 years or older, and 30% for Hispanic households — do not have internet service in the home.