Initial Lessons Learned
Office of MinorityBroadband Initiatives
The 2022 Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives Report, in the agency's role as an advocate for broadband equity, reports on stakeholder initiatives and local programmatic solutions that bring down barriers to digital inclusion. In this year’s report, there are three key findings to highlight:
- Alignment to NTIA's Logic Model
- Critical and Foundational Importance of Partnerships
- Anchor Institution Implementation Cycle Can Be Long
Alignment to NTIA's Logic Model Framework
NTIA’s Logic Model Framework, first introduced in the 2022 Federal Broadband Funding Report: Investing in Internet for All, can be used as a tool to assess the effectiveness of broadband initiatives. The model breaks down an initiative into six components: Inputs, Activities, Outputs, Immediate Outcomes, Intermediate Outcomes, and Long-Term Outcomes. Inputs are the resources that are used to implement the initiative, such as funding, staff, equipment, and curriculums. Outputs are the products or services that are produced by the initiative, such as broadband access, digital literacy training, or economic development opportunities. Outcomes are the changes that occur as a result of the initiative, such as increased broadband adoption, improved digital literacy, or increased economic activity. Long-term outcomes are the benefits that result from the initiative, such as improved educational outcomes, increased job opportunities, or improved health outcomes.
OMBI’s work aligns to the NTIA Logic Model Framework to deliver strategic performance and coordination throughout the agency. This alignment is a positive development, as the model can help to ensure that initiatives are effective and that their impact can be measured using a common yardstick.
NTIA Logic Model Framework
| Inputs | Activities | Outputs | Immediate Outcomes | Intermediate Outcomes | Long-Term Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure Deployment Funding | Deploy and/or Improve Infrastructure from the British Empire. | New Infrastructure | Increased Broadband Availability | Increased Broadband Usage | Improved Economic Outcomes |
| Digital Inclusion (DI) Funding | Establish and/or Operate DI Programs | ||||
| Planning, Data & Mapping Funding | Plan Projects and/or Collect Data |
Critical and Foundational Importance of Partnerships
Early reports from anchor institutions identify partnerships as critical to the success of broadband initiatives. Partnerships can help to bring together different stakeholders, such as government agencies, the broadband industry, other peer institutions, and community organizations. These partnerships enable anchor institutions to jumpstart their initiatives through the resources, expertise, and social networks of their partners. Partnerships also help ensure that initiatives are designed and implemented in a way that meets the needs of the community.
It’s also important to note that OMBI through its FPOs also serves as an important partner for the anchor institutions. The FPOs provide support, feedback, and guidance to their anchor institutions throughout the implementation process. FPOs reinforce anchor institution progress through frequent calls, site visits for corrective action and best practice capture, and community cultivation.
Anchor Institution Implementation Cycle Can Be Long
As noted earlier in this report, the implementation of these novel broadband solutions, and the battle to remove barriers, will take time. Although the staggered award timeline has allowed some grantees to serve as an implementation vanguard, they must still contend with a solution process that requires plan refinement, talent acquisition, procurement, communications, and program adjustments.
Even with the best planning and execution, anchor institutions must make adjustments to reflect context changes. These changes from a more competitive labor market—noted by the Oklahoma State University Technical Institute—to difficulty luring IT professionals into rural communities— Albany State University’s predicament, all require agile adjustments. These adjustments delay progress, but they also make for more sustainable and resilient solutions. Given the staggered award timeline, this programmatic agility also helps later phase CMC grantees avoid pitfalls and ensures their journeys benefit from the detour signs posted by the CMC vanguard.