2026 Digital Equity Fund
We are excited to continue ensuring that Boston residents have affordable internet and devices, needs-based digital skills training, and access to vital online resources.
This year's fund is $900,000 and consists of two focus areas:
- Digital Navigation and Community Technology Training ($700,000)
- Device Distribution and Refurbishment Work ($200,000)
We encourage all community-based organizations who are interested to apply. We look forward to supporting innovative ways to provide Bostonians with the tools we need to navigate our increasingly digital world. The deadline to submit an application is Thursday, April 9, 2026 at 5:00 PM.
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Have questions? Contact us:
Please email or call our team with any questions about the Digital Equity Fund and the application process:
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1 City Hall Square Room 703 Boston, MA 02201-2021
About the Fund
The 2026 Digital Equity Fund will continue to accelerate solutions for: social, educational, and economic problems through community-based digital equity programs. The funded programs will provide immediate, positive impacts on Boston families. They will help to increase participation and access to opportunities in all aspects of life for those impacted by the digital divide. This year’s fund will have two focus areas: “Digital Navigation and Community Technology Training” and “Device Distribution and Refurbishment Work.”
Focus Areas
Boston is fortunate to have robust competition among broadband and wireless service providers, with wide access throughout the City. However, broadband that is not affordable is not accessible, and so one focus area of this year's Fund is to provide community-based organizations with the tools they need to perform Digital Navigation work and community technology training. These services include (but are not limited to) ongoing assistance with affordable internet access, device acquisition, technical skills, and application support.
The City invites community-based organizations, non-profit institutions, social service agencies, local religious groups, and advocacy agencies to apply for this grant to assist eligible clients, constituents, customers and congregations. Awards for this portion of the DEF will range from $20,000 to $30,000 and recipients will have 6 months to expend funds from when they are received.
In order to help residents, funds may be used for the following:
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New or existing digital skills programs
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Staff support (current and new employees, such as hiring "Digital Navigators")
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Outreach efforts (ads, translation services, events, supplies, tools)
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Subscriptions for software, databases, Learning Management Systems, and other training-specific tools
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Purchasing devices related to the program (laptops, tablets, hotspots/internet connectivity)
The City will prioritize organizations who have exceptional track records in this space and have proven that they can carry out this work in a short period of time. Based on community feedback, proposals focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI), cybersecurity & preventing online fraud, and collaborating with Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF), are encouraged. The City has open access to the resources built using the funds and co-owns the content. Adherence to clear standards for Digital Skills Training at different levels is required.
Device distribution and refurbishment programs offer a unique opportunity to provide low- or no-cost devices to families that need them, while reducing the environmental impact on the lifecycle of these devices. These programs also provide pathways to employment, which benefits vulnerable groups. This component of the Digital Equity Fund will seek partners that execute programs providing workforce development, training, and other activities while distributing and refurbishing devices that are provided to income-eligible residents.
Organizations interested in applying for the Device Distribution and Refurbishment focus area must be committed to providing devices to a substantial and meaningful number of Boston residents, even if the organizations are not entirely Boston-based.
Awards for this portion of the DEF will range from $20,000 to $50,000 and recipients will have 6 months to expend funds from when they are received. The City will prioritize organizations who have exceptional track records in this space and have proven that they can carry out this work in a short period of time.
Apply for the Fund
Eligibility Criteria:
To qualify for a grant, organizations must:
- Be a 501(c)(3) or have a fiscal sponsor
- Be Boston-based and/or serve Boston residents specifically
- Have experience carrying out this specific type of work
We encourage organizations that work with the following populations to apply:
- Households with income at or below 200% of the national poverty line.
- Households where any member participates in one of these programs:
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Assistance programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, Federal Public Housing Assistance, WIC, Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefits, or Lifeline.
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Eligible Tribal programs.
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A currently-awarded federal Pell Grant.
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A school lunch or breakfast program.
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- Households where any member meets the eligibility criteria for a participating service provider's existing low-income program.
How to Apply
- Organizations must apply through the City's WizeHive grant platform.
- DUE DATE: All applications and required documents are due by Thursday, April 9, 2026 at 5:00 PM (No extensions will be granted).
- Follow this Guide for Grant Applicants to learn how to create your organization profile, apply for grant funding, accept your grant award, and complete reporting requirements.
Fund background
We support projects that:
- help people use the Internet, digital skills, and digital tools to pursue life goals
- allow communities to work, play, learn, and engage in civic life on the Internet safely and securely
- make decisions based on the needs of their community, and
- work to help households who don’t subscribe to broadband get access to this service.
History
In 2017, the City of Boston used $35,000 to offer grants to local community organizations. We administered the fund through a selective application process. The first grant was awarded to the Castle Square Tenants Organization to fund its work with local students. Through our grant, the nonprofit was able to provide paid internships to more than a dozen students. They also offered an audio/visual college course, in partnership with the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology.
In 2019, three Boston nonprofits received the grants — La Alianza Hispana, Mujeres Unidas Avanzando, and South End Technology Center. These groups received $100,000 in grants combined through the fund.
Most recently in 2021, we were able to support 19 community-based organizations with nearly $500,000 in funding. These grants funded projects that addressed three major technology challenges: device access, affordable and reliable internet access, and digital skills training. Learn more about the 2021 recipients here!
Previous Rounds of the Digital Equity Fund
Previous RoundsThe 2021 round of the Digital Equity Fund supported 19 organizations with nearly $500,000.
We are excited to announce that 19 Boston nonprofit organizations received $478,900 in grants. Learn more about the programs that were funded:
In 2021, City of Boston launched the third round of the Digital Equity Fund, which supported the Boston community through nearly $500,000 in mini-grants. This work was funded in partnership with:
- the Age Strong Commission, and
- the Department of Innovation and Technology
Grants went towards solving three major technology challenges:
1. EQUIPMENT:We supported the community by providing the technology equipment required to keep folks connected. This included:
- smartphones
- tablets
- laptops, and
- any other technology devices that would support your cause.
Internet access is essential to staying connected to the world. These grants also went toward hotspots, WiFi, and any other connectivity essentials. It also supported organizations working with residents who are eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).
3. TRAINING:We know technology can change by the day. These grants also supported the training needed to empower organizations or residents with the tools they needed to utilize technology.
We encouraged non-profits focused on serving the following populations to apply:
- Older adults
- Persons with disabilities
- English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) or English Language Learner (ELL) students
- Residents of Public Housing or rental voucher holders
- Adult residents who have lost employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Finally, organizations focused on neighborhoods disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 were prioritized. These neighborhoods included:
- East Boston
- Dorchester
- Roxbury
- Mattapan, and
- Hyde Park.
The 2023-24 round of the digital equity fund supported 36 organizations with over $1.4 million.
Learn more about the organizations that were funded:
In 2023, the City of Boston launched the fourth round of the Digital Equity Fund, which supported the Boston community through over $1.4 million in grants. This work was funded by the Massachusetts Broadband Institute's Digital Equity Partnerships Program.
Grants supported projects across three focus areas:
1. Digital Navigation Work (31 awards, $768,000 total):
These projects included (but were not limited to) ongoing assistance with affordable internet access, device acquisition, technical skills, and application support. In order to best help residents, funds were used for the following:
- Purchasing devices for staff and/or residents (laptops, tablets)
- New or existing digital skills programs
- Staff support (current and new employees, such as hiring "Digital Navigators")
- Outreach efforts (ads, translation services, events, supplies, tools)
2. Efforts to Improve Telehealth programming (2 awards, $500,000 total):
The COVID-19 pandemic showed us that we as a society must adapt to how we provide healthcare services. Funded projects enhanced telehealth access for residents, which included investing in additional capabilities for health care providers, and increasing support for patients who experience gaps in digital tools by providing education and training.
3. Device Refurbishment work (3 awards, $150,000 total):
This was a unique opportunity to provide low-or no-cost devices to families in need, while reducing the environmental impact on the lifecycle of these devices. We funded organizations who refurbished and distributed devices to income-eligible residents, and who also led workforce development, training, and other activities. The types of refurbished devices that were distributed included laptops, desktops, and tablets.
Funding was prioritized to:
- local non-profits,
- places of worship,
- healthcare organizations, and
- community-based organizations serving Boston neighborhoods disproportionately impacted by the digital divide. This included (but was not limited to) Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan, East Boston, and Hyde Park.
We encourageD organizations that work with the following populations to apply:
- Households with income at or below 200% of the national poverty line.
- Households where any member participates in one of these programs:
- Assistance programs such as SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, Federal Public Housing Assistance, WIC, Veterans and Survivors Pension Benefits, or Lifeline.
- Eligible Tribal programs.
- A currently-awarded federal Pell Grant.
- A school lunch or breakfast program.
- Households where any member meets the eligibility criteria for a participating service provider's existing low-income program.
To Have qualified for a grant, organizations must Have fit the following criteria:
- Be a 501(c)(3) or have a fiscal sponsor
- Be Boston-based and/or serve Boston residents specifically.
Who's Involved:
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Have questions? Contact us:
Please email or call our team with any questions about the Digital Equity Fund and the application process:
-
1 City Hall Square Room 703 Boston, MA 02201-2021
