Project Title:
Hewel Wepegi Macidag kc, wog - 'Learning the Internet Road'
Funding Program:
Connecting Minority Communities Program
Project Purpose/Type:
The Tohono O'odham Community College (TOCC) Hewel Wepegi Macidag kc, wog - ‘Learning the Internet Road’ is designed to directly address the lack of broadband access, connectivity, adoption and equity at the college and in the surrounding anchor communities on Tohono O’odham Nation (TON). The overarching goal of the program is to support economic development on the Tohono O'odham Nation through digital workforce development, community connectivity improvement, and computer literacy enhancement.
City/Town/Service Area:
State(s):
-
$1,912,357.60Funding Amount$1,912,357.60Total Project Cost0.00Non-Federal Cost Share
The first project activity will be conducting anchor community outreach, personnel training and digital needs assessments. A district employee or other community representative will be trained and serve as a "monitor" in each of the TON's 11 political districts. Each monitor will deliver training programs for participants that require basic computer literacy and broadband education. The second activity will providing basic computer literacy & broadband education in rural tribal communities. This activity will also deliver continuing education programs in employable digital skillsets and expand program options for advanced digital users. The final activity will implement a program for student and community broadband access.
Additionally, TOCC and consortium members will (1) build the capacity of technology centers at tribal offices or other spaces within each remote District, (2) lend mobile, cellular-service based wi-fi hotspots and (3) provide stipends for the purchase of broadband access subscriptions, routers, modems, and other allowable equipment, to qualifying individuals.
There are five outcomes to be expected as a result of project implementation. First, the project aims to address the digital divide experienced by remote tribal households by providing basic computer literacy training, improved internet access, and increased IT capacity of MBEs, community groups, and tribal governments in TON, the anchor community served by TOCC. Second, the adoption of broadband internet will expand through stipends and lending programs for internet service, modems, routers, hotspots, and other eligible equipment. Third, the project aims to Increase capabilities for remote instruction and distance learning at TOCC, resulting in an increase in retention and graduation rates at the college. Fourth, a computer-literate workforce will be developed for the TON through a combination of campus-based, remote, in-community, and professional development certificate programs. Finally, the project aims to increase the long-term capacity of TOCC to provide ongoing services in broadband and computer literacy to its students and surrounding anchor community through IT staff capacity building and training.
Program beneficiaries include the TOCC student body of over 800 students, as well as the entire Tohono O'odham community residing on TON reservation lands - more that 10,000 according to 2019 ACS data and currently estimated at nearly 14,000 people, based on TON records. All these students, residents and tribal members will benefit from the increased access to fast broadband internet, computer-literacy training, professional development, and certificate programs that are components of the program.
As an expert in administering federal grant programs, Apex Applied Technologies, Inc. (AATech) will directly assist the program consortium with activity coordination, federal reporting, evaluation, and provide engineering and technical assistance and support. AATech will assist TOCC with federal reporting, financial oversight, and conducting the needs assessment and working to develop IT recommendations.
The applicant does fund a consortia. The applicant’s activities do occur in the surrounding anchor communities. Details of community involvement are described below.