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Connected Nation is a leading technology organization committed to bringing affordable high-speed Internet and broadband-enabled resources to all Americans. We work with public and private partners to help communities, institutions, and individuals realize the benefits of today's technology.
STATE PROGRAMS - INITIATING GROWTH
Connect Alaska
Connect Alaska is a public-private partnership between CN and the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development. Connect Alaska has produced the state's first comprehensive broadband map showing both rural and urban access and is working to increase availability, awareness, and utilization in Alaska's remote villages.
To learn more, visit www.connectak.org
Connect Iowa
Connect Iowa is a partnership with the Iowa Broadband Deployment Governance Board and the Iowa Utilities Board working to ensure that all Iowans can experience the benefits of broadband. This public-private effort has produced one of a kind broadband market data to help formulate a statewide plan for increased access and use.
To learn more, visit www.connectiowa.org
Connect Kentucky
Connect Kentucky connects people to technology in world-altering ways: improving the lives of the formerly disconnected; renewing hope for previously withering rural communities; driving increases in tech-intensive companies and jobs; and nurturing an environment for lifetime learning, improved healthcare, and superior quality of life.
To learn more, visit www.connectkentucky.org
Connect Michigan
In collaboration with the Michigan Public Service Commission, Connect Michigan is a public-private effort driving broadband expansion across the state. High-speed Internet is a key to economic growth. Connect Michigan's planning and mapping efforts will result in the data and tools needed for broadband expansion.
To learn more, visit www.connectmi.org
Connect Minnesota
Connect Minnesota has been a long-time partner assisting the state to achieve its broadband goals. The initiative's broadband maps provide the tools needed for expansion and adoption of broadband to unserved and underserved areas across the state. Connect Minnesota actively supports the efforts of the Minnesota Broadband Advisory Taskforce.
To learn more, visit www.connectmn.org
Connect Nevada
In collaboration with the Nevada Broadband Task Force, Connect Nevada is working to bring the benefits of universal broadband to the state. The public-private effort is focused on mapping current broadband availability as a vital tool to expansion efforts for the benefit of all Nevadans.
To learn more, visit www.connectnv.org
Connect Ohio
Since 2008, Connect Ohio has documented Ohio's broadband availability and usage and established a national model for grassroots technology planning, bringing together leaders from all sectors to improve broadband adoption. Connect Ohio is administering a federally-funded computer training program to encourage broadband adoption among new users.
To learn more, visit www.connectohio.org
Connect Puerto Rico
Connect Puerto Rico is working with the Puerto Rico Office of the Chief Information Officer and the Puerto Rico Infrastructure Financing Authority to ensure that all communities have access to the benefits of broadband. The public-private initiative is creating a detailed map to accurately pinpoint remaining availability gaps.
To learn more, visit www.connectpr.org
Connect South Carolina
Connect South Carolina is a public-private initiative working to expand high-speed Internet across the state. By working with the Office of the Governor and South Carolina's broadband providers, the program is creating broadband availability maps, which are vital for economic growth.
To learn more, visit www.connectsc.org
Connect Tennessee
Connected Tennessee works with a wide array of Tennessee entities with a goal of creating a better business environment, more effective community and economic development, improved healthcare, enhanced education, and more efficient government with planning and mapping efforts aimed at broadband expansion.
To learn more, visit www.connectedtennessee.org
Connect Texas
Connected Texas is working with the Texas Department of Agriculture on a comprehensive broadband mapping initiative designed to assess current broadband availability across Texas. The public-private mapping and planning efforts are a vital part of the effort to produce ubiquitous broadband, a key component of economic growth, to Texas.
To learn more, visit www.connectedtx.org
COMPLETED PROJECTS - SUCCESS STORIES
Connect Colorado
Connect Colorado was a comprehensive broadband mapping initiative designed to assess current broadband availability across Colorado. Connect Colorado worked with technology providers to develop broadband inventory maps for the purpose of improving digital inclusion statewide. This project is sponsored by the Colorado Governor's Office of Information Technology.
Connect North Carolina
In 2009, Connect North Carolina worked in partnership with technology providers to develop a broadband inventory map for the purpose of improving digital inclusion across the state of North Carolina.
Connect West Virginia
In 2007, Connect West Virginia produced detailed county-by-county maps of the West Virginia's broadband inventory and service gaps. These maps will provided the foundation for finding broadband solutions in areas of the state that lack broadband technology.
Opportunity Online
The Opportunity Online project brought together state library associations, partners, participating libraries, and stakeholders to explore and plan ways of expanding the role of libraries as public computing centers. The program was part of the federal Broadband Technology Opportunities Program and costs for launch meetings were provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Ten states hosted launch meetings in 2010 and 2011 (Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Vermont, and Washington) drawing the participation of more than 1,000 librarians, local leaders, government officials, and state leaders.
More than one-third of Americans still do not subscribe to broadband at home. Many of them lack basic computer training and web-browsing skills. Connected Nation has designed the Every Community Online program to provide critical digital literacy training to help more people get connected.
Connected Nation’s Connected program enables communities, both big and small, to tackle the challenges of broadband ADOPTION, ACCESS, and USE. The Connected program is already changing dozens of communities in states and territories across the United States.
In August 2010, Connected Tennessee's Computers 4 Kids program was awarded $2.3 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding in an effort to increase sustainable broadband adoption and provide computers and training to over 60,000 disadvantaged youth across the state.
The "Preparing Tennessee's Next Generation for Success" project will deploy laptops, academic support programs, and workforce training to two disparate, but especially at-risk, populations: those in the state's foster care system that are "aging out" as they turn 18, and youth that are active in the state's 76 Boys & Girls Clubs.
Connect Ohio has implemented a statewide broadband training program, Every Citizen Online (ECO), in order to increase sustainable broadband adoption in Ohio. The project provides free computer training sessions at public libraries, community colleges, community organizations, and educational centers throughout Ohio and teaches new users how to access the Internet and how to best utilize all the Internet has to offer.
The goal of the project is to showcase the many educational, healthcare, economic, and communication benefits of broadband use, and to encourage adoption by residents statewide. Currently, just 66% of Ohioans subscribe to a broadband service at their home.
UPCOMING SUMMITS:
MORE CONNECTED PROGRAMS
Connected Nation works with a variety of national, state and local organizations and leading IT complanies to promote broadband access, adoption, and use throughout the United States. These efforts are an integal part of Connected Nation's services as we continue to promote stronger communities and markets.
