Select Stories of Our Work

Bridging the Digital Divide:

Countywide Digital Equity Coalition

As families, students, businesses, and consumers, we depend on technology in all areas of life. The COVID-19 pandemic only underscored the importance of broadband access, as remote work, telehealth, and online learning became the norm.

Challenges tied to internet affordability, access to devices, or digital literacy issues limit opportunities for education, employment, social connection, and therefore, overall wellness.

In Santa Barbara County, 7.9% of residents have no available internet service*, many experience inadequate connectivity, and even more don’t have access due to cost.

In late 2022, the Santa Barbara Foundation formed the countywide Digital Equity Coalition (DEC), in partnership with the Broadband Consortium of the Pacific Coast (BCPC).

The DEC is an initiative emerging from the County of Santa Barbara Broadband Strategic Plan to align regional efforts to close the digital divide with California’s Broadband for All goals. The DEC connects organizations across Santa Barbara County committed to improving digital inclusion in the communities they serve, including broadband affordability, adoption rates, and digital literacy.

The coalition is analyzing community needs across the county to build our knowledge base about geographical disparities. We are also identifying opportunities to increase digital access through partnerships with the social sector. For example, to address the issue of affordability, the DEC is working with partners on the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) to enroll qualifying residents to access internet service and device discounts, and increase the county’s ACP enrollment rates.

We’re honored to serve as the primary convener of the DEC and worked closely in 2022 with the BCPC to identify a framework and partners across sectors representing education, information services, health care, housing, governance, and community resilience organizations in Santa Barbara County.

Watch for exciting new developments as this initiative grows in 2023.

North County Spotlight

In alignment with our strategic priority to close the digital divide, the Santa Barbara Foundation awarded $57,500 to Los Amigos de Guadalupe to conduct a citywide household and business survey of broadband needs.

Significant evidence points to a strong relationship between broadband availability and business efficiency and innovation. Survey results will identify infrastructure needs as well as help prioritize areas within Guadalupe where broadband access would have the greatest impact. This pilot program may guide other cities to conduct similar studies to gather data required to plan multimillion-dollar technology infrastructure projects.

2022 Digital Equity Coalition Steering Committee

Broadband Consortium of the Pacific Coast CommUnify

Community Health Centers of the Central Coast

County of Santa Barbara

Economic Development Collaborative

Family Services Agency of Santa Barbara County

The Fund for Santa Barbara

Housing Authority of the County of Santa Barbara Partners in Education

Santa Barbara County Department of Social Services

Santa Barbara Foundation

Santa Ynez Tribal Health Clinic

Santa Barbara County Association of Governments

Santa Barbara County Education Office

University of California, Santa Barbara

Our goal at Los Amigos de Guadalupe is to ensure our rural community is resilient and sustainable, and that everyone who lives here can thrive. With a Workforce Development grant from SBF, we planned, trained for, and will conduct a critical door-to-door survey about broadband access to assess our points of greatest need.

With information gleaned from the survey, we will be able to support everyone in our community to succeed today and in the future.”

TIFFANY GONZALES Executive Director Los Amigos de Guadalupe