Techquity is a new initiative of United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County (UWGMWC), launched in 2020, to bridge the digital divide in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington counties.
Donor Name: United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County (UWGMWC)
State: Wisconsin
Counties: Milwaukee County (WI), Waukesha County (WI), Ozaukee County (WI), Washington County (WI)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline (mm/dd/yyyy): 09/01/2022
Grant Size: up to $10,000
Details:
To accomplish this, Techquity strives to ensure students, adults, and families in their community have access to the digital tools and skills they need to succeed in their education and/or employment. Techquity uses four strategies to promote digital equity and inclusion:
- Access: Advocating & organizing for access to reliable, affordable broadband internet service.
- Devices: Securing digital devices for priority populations without access to them.
- Skills: Developing & promoting partnerships, trainings, and resources to improve digital skills & literacy, & encourage advancement in tech-sector careers for priority populations.
- Advocacy: Developing a network of local advocates who can raise awareness about the digital divide in their region, & leverage their expertise & organization(s) to foster digital equity & inclusion.
OPTION 1: Techquity Digital Devices Grant. Eligible devices on which to spend Techquity Digital Devices Grant funding include:
- laptop and/or desktop computers/Chromebooks;
- iPads/tablets;
- routers, modems, and/or coaxial cables;
- WiFi hotspots and associated data plans;
- keyboards and mouses;
- cellphones or smartphones and associated data plans;
- broadband internet bill by month or year;
- other relevant tech-related items.
OPTION 2: Techquity Digital Skills Grant. Eligible digital skills training on which to spend Techquity Digital Skills Grant funds include:
- costs for hiring digital skills/literacy instructors for priority populations;
- enrolling clients in digital skills/upskilling classes, seminars, or conferences;
- educational resources or materials to aid or enhance the digital skills and literacy of clients;
- other relevant skills and training-related items or resources.
All Techquity Digital Devices & Skills Grant Fund recipients must use their received funding to serve clients from one or more of Techquity’s designated priority populations, which include but are not limited to:
- Households with school-aged children;
- Under-resourced schools and other education-focused community organizations;
- Community-based organizations in “broadband deserts,” or areas of limited broadband connectivity;
- Seniors in need of digital devices and/or digital skills training;
- Persons seeking employment, especially employment requiring moderate to high digital skills and/or “upskilling”;
- Vulnerable populations, such as those experiencing domestic violence or homelessness;
- Other priority populations as relevant.
Funding Information
Organizations can submit applications for one or both options with a grant request for up to $10,000 per application and an annual cap of $20,000 per organization, from UWGMWC’s Techquity initiative.
Eligibility Criteria
Each organization applying for Techquity Digital Device grants must select “yes” to the following questions to be eligible.
- Is your agency a registered 501(c)3 in good financial standing?
- Does your agency serve Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Waukesha, and/or Washington County residents?
- Can your agency provide a 25% cash or in-kind match?
- Does your agency provide direct service to clients without access to digital tools necessary to learn or work effectively, especially those who must work remotely/from their home, shelter, etc.?
- Can your agency demonstrate need for requested digital devices and the uses to which they will be put?
- Can the agency commit to spending grant awards within three months of grant approval and providing a post-award report on the use of funds within six months of grant approval?
For more information, visit United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County.
