In partnership with Sacramento-based Valley Vision, mohuman is supporting the Capital Region of California to create the Capital Region Digital Inclusion Portal. Through this partnership, a streamlined digital inclusion platform has been created for the Capital Region, allowing community members and those serving them to easily search for resources – including free and low-cost computers, internet services, digital skill building tools, training, and more.

Following the last two years of pandemic, countless individuals fell victim to the lack of affordable, reliable, and resilient digital access that served as a necessary conduit to health, work, and other vital services. Internet connectivity, computers, digital skills, and digital services are commonplace and essential for many, but the digital divide between those connected and underconnected or disconnected is large and growing for millions of Americans. The digital divide affects not only rural areas, but also disenfranchised regions within many of our nation’s developed urban areas.

“It’s the belief of mohuman, that everyone has the right to participate in today’s digital world,” said mohuman Founder Nishal Mohan. “moDAT is an important tool to empower and maximize the potential of under-connected individuals. This partnership will create an important digital entry point for thousands of individuals in the Sacramento/Capital Region and we’re honored to be working with Valley Vision to bring this to a reality.”

The Capital Region Digital Inclusion Portal will connect individuals to low-cost computers and digital tools, training on Microsoft Office and Google Suite, as well as career search skills and more. The platform allows organizations with digital inclusion resources to integrate and share their services on the Portal to engage with residents. The platform also enables digital inclusion practitioners and digital navigators to more efficiently and effectively connect residents to digital services.

This partnership first began in 2018, inspired by a Brookings Institution report on the strengths and weaknesses of the Sacramento Capital region, and culminated in the formation of the Capital Region Coalition for Digital Inclusion.

Since then, the work of the Coalition has brought together partnerships, thought leaders, and collaborative investment to address the digital inclusion needs of the region especially during the heightened needs of the pandemic.

Valley Vision commented on the partnership, the need for digital inclusion in underserved communities and the investments being made:

“The last two years have proven the significance of digital inclusion to accessing opportunity and economic prosperity. Our nation is experiencing unprecedented investment, including the Affordable Connectivity Program through the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) – a $14.2 billion piece of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs act, and the biggest investment in broadband this country has ever seen. The Greater Sacramento region is well poised to garner and maximize investments in digital inclusion due in no small part to the dedicated contributions of the steering committee, working groups, and members of the Sacramento Coalition for Digital Inclusion.”

An urgent push has been made by governments and NGOs for digital inclusion programs that improve the digital skills and knowledge in such regions. The moDAT platform aims to help bridge the divide now by providing disconnected communities with the tools to determine their digital futures today.

Mohan describes the work of the Coalition and the impact of the Portal:

“The Capital Region and their digital inclusion coalition have been doing a fantastic job of regional coordination to serve digitally un and underserved individuals and families. Now with a personalized and easy to use portal, all of their free or low-cost digital inclusion services and resources are available to the public in an easy to use, accessible, expandable, and sustainable platform so that more people can move towards equity faster, more effectively, and at scale. Congratulations to Valley Vision and partners on bringing a powerful tool with the people for the people of the Capital Region!”

moDAT was first launched for the City of San Diego, and mohuman is actively working with community stakeholders across California, Promise Zones, Opportunity Zones, and digitally underserved regions across the United States to create moDAT digital inclusion portals for communities and people. mohuman’s community and human centered design startup culture has allowed the organization to innovate quickly and decisively with communities to continuously improve moDAT’s value and scalability.

As mohuman and moDAT continue to grow, we look forward to supporting disconnected communities everywhere in their fight to get online and digitally resilient.

If you are interested in finding out more about how you can bring moDAT to your region, please reach out to us at hello@mohuman.org.