Authorize the Director of the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability to execute a Digital Inclusion Coalition grant agreement not to exceed $76,600
The City of Portland ordains:
Section 1. The Council finds:
- In March 2022, the Community Technology program engaged ASCETA, LLC., a woman-owned, woman-led firm in the Portland Metropolitan area, to lead the reimagination of the Digital Inclusion Network (DIN) by the community and partners toward addressing digital equity barriers and developing solutions to bridging the digital divide in Multnomah County and to re-envision how we meet our collective goals for full digital inclusion.
- Following a five-month human-centered design engagement process, the Community Technology Program received the ASCETA Final Report and Recommendations in August 2022. The Final Report and Recommendations outlined a Coalition Framework, Coalition Structure, and a set of Insights and Recommendations.
- In response to these community-identified needs, the Community Technology program seeks to award a one-time grant of $76,600 to support the hiring of a Coalition manager to lead the transformation of the Digital Inclusion Network into a community-led and community-centered Digital Inclusion Coalition.
- The “Grantee” may be eligible to receive additional grant awards annually to support the continuation of the grant project. The Coalition should work to support those with lived experiences of digital exclusion and be dedicated to bridging the digital divide and achieving digital equity throughout Multnomah County for the following priority communities: Black people, people with low income, Indigenous people, people of color, people with disabilities, people with language barriers (immigrants, refugees, ESL), seniors, houseless or facing housing insecurity, youth—particularly foster and children with special needs and their families, survivors of domestic violence, people impacted by incarceration, and adult learners.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Council directs:
- The BPS Director is authorized to execute a grant agreement with the nonprofit organization Free Geek for funding listed in the “Proposed Spending Plan" table of Exhibit A for a total not to exceed the amount of $76,600.
Official Record (Efiles)
An ordinance when passed by the Council shall be signed by the Auditor. It shall be carefully filed and preserved
in the custody of the Auditor (City Charter Chapter 2 Article 1 Section 2-122)
Passed by Council
Auditor of the City of Portland
Simone Rede
Impact Statement
Purpose of Proposed Legislation and Background Information
This Ordinance authorizes the Director of the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability to execute a Digital Inclusion Coalition grant agreement that does not exceed $76,600. The goals of the Digital Inclusion Coalition Grant are to:
- To support the hiring of a coalition manager to lead the transformation of the Digital Inclusion Network into a community-led and community-centered Digital Inclusion Coalition.
- Create a “leadership team” made up of community members and/or leaders who are directly connected to priority communities and/or have lived experience, whose task will be to guide the work and lead the coalition in a 1–2-year position, and be compensated for their time, convene meetings, establish “sub workgroups" or “task-forces,” and track and report the progress.
- The “sub-committees” are project-focused in areas geared towards closing the digital divide and addressing policy and budget opportunities and prioritization that can come in the form of recommendations to the City of Portland, Multnomah, County, and State and Federal agencies or policymakers. Members of the “sub-committees" or “taskforces” should be made up of those with insight into on-the-ground activities or who operate programs that address digital equity, people with specific knowledge of issues and opportunities, those with lived experiences and ability to lead coalition projects, and time-bound tasks.
- Design, develop, and implement a Coalition plan, timeline, framework/structure/guidelines, and community agreements by continuing to further collaborate with priority communities impacted by the digital divide to ensure authentic inclusion and impact.
- Work with the “leadership team” and the broader coalition to develop a mission and vision statement to support the collective vision for closing the Digital Equity gap in Multnomah County.
- Lead an engagement and outreach process of priority communities for inclusion and coalition participation by following ASCETAs recommendations and continuing to iterate learnings.
- The Coalition should center those with lived experiences of digital exclusion and be dedicated to bridging the digital divide and achieving digital equity throughout Multnomah County for the following priority communities: Black people, people with low income, Indigenous people, people of color, people with disabilities, people with language barriers (immigrants, refugees, ESL), seniors, houseless or facing housing insecurity, youth—particularly foster and children with special needs and their families, survivors of domestic violence, people impacted by incarceration, adult learners.
- Grantee shall ensure that all print and digital communications and civic engagement materials are accessible according to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The Community Technology Program engaged in Participatory Grantmaking, an approach to funding decisions and strategies that emphasizes a human-centered approach and aims to shift traditional power dynamics in grant-making decisions to communities and those most impacted by social issues.
Financial and Budgetary Impacts
This legislation has no financial and/or budgetary impacts. The ongoing General Fund allocation supports funding to the Community Technology Program. There are enough funds available to support this community-based grant.
Community Impacts and Community Involvement
In March 2022, the Community Technology program engaged ASCETA, LLC., a woman-owned, woman-led firm in the Portland metropolitan area, to lead the reimagination of the Digital Inclusion Network (DIN) by the community and partners toward addressing digital equity barriers and developing solutions to bridging the digital divide in Multnomah County and to re-envision how we meet our collective goals for full digital inclusion.
Following a five-month human-centered design engagement process, the Community Technology Program received the ASCETA Final Report and Recommendations in August 2022. The Final Report and Recommendations outlined a Coalition Framework, Coalition Structure, and a set of Insights and Recommendations.
In response to these community-identified needs, the Community Technology program seeks to award a one-time grant of $76,600 to support the hiring of a Coalition manager to lead the transformation of the Digital Inclusion Network into a community-led and community-centered Digital Inclusion Coalition.
The “Grantee” may be eligible to receive additional grant awards annually to support the continuation of the grant project. The Coalition should center those with lived experiences of digital exclusion and be dedicated to bridging the digital divide and achieving digital equity throughout Multnomah County for the following priority communities: Black people, people with low income, Indigenous people, people of color, people with disabilities, people with language barriers [immigrants, refugees, ESL], seniors, houseless or facing housing insecurity, youth — particularly foster and children with special needs and their families, survivors of domestic violence, people impacted by incarceration, adult learners, and intersectionalities of the above.
100% Renewable Goal
n/a