Initiatives and Projects
The Digital Equity Coalition supports initiatives that improve digital access, literacy, and inclusion across Santa Barbara County. Our impact spans partnerships, training programs, device distribution, and infrastructure expansion—ensuring that every resident has the tools and knowledge to participate in today’s digital world.
Infrastructure
Improvement Projects
Technical
Support Services
Affordable
Broadband Programs
Community Outreach
and Capacity Building
Advocacy and
Policy Influence
Digital Literacy
Training
Access to Technology (ATT) Project: Empowering Santa Barbara Communities
Launched in July 2024, the Santa Barbara Foundation’s Access to Technology (ATT) project aims to bridge the digital divide in Santa Barbara County. Through this effort, the Foundation partners with local nonprofits to help older adults and people with disabilities get online. Together, they provide essential tools, skills, and support to foster digital connection and inclusion.
Project Overview
The ATT Project provides local nonprofits with the tools they need to offer free devices and digital skills training to underserved residents across Santa Barbara County. Each program is tailored to meet the unique needs of the community, allowing partners to deliver personalized support that creates lasting impact.
What the ATT Project Provides
Each nonprofit partner receives:
- Technological Devices: Partners distributed free devices—including Samsung tablets, iPads, Chromebooks, and smartphones—to eligible community members.
- Staff Training: Community Tech Network (CTN) provided capacity-building sessions to train nonprofit staff and volunteers as digital navigators. These sessions prepared them to lead digital skills classes and connect participants to resources like affordable internet plans.
- Curricula & Resources: CTN also supplied multilingual curricula, instructor guides, and learner workbooks to support each organization’s digital literacy programming.
- Marketing Support: Customized flyers and handouts were developed for each partner to help promote their classes and device distribution efforts—easing the outreach burden on nonprofits.
Tailored Community Solutions
Each of the five local nonprofit partners—American GI Forum, CommUnify, Community Partners in Caring, Family Service Agency, and Independent Living Resource Center—adapted their digital inclusion efforts to meet the unique needs of the communities they serve.
A Sustainable and Community-Driven Approach
The ATT project is grounded in the belief that community-driven solutions create lasting change. Each nonprofit partner had full control over their program—choosing which devices to distribute and how to deliver digital skills training. By training local staff and volunteers, the project ensures that knowledge stays within the community, supporting long-term digital inclusion.
As part of the Santa Barbara Foundation’s broader digital equity efforts, the ATT project is a key step toward ensuring that all residents—regardless of age or ability—have the tools and skills they need to thrive in a connected world.
For example, Community Partners in Caring pairs homebound older adults with volunteers who offer one-on-one, in-home technology training. CommUnify hosts group classes at multiple locations across the county. Most partners provide instruction in both Spanish and English, while the American GI Forum also offers training in Mixtec, an Indigenous language spoken in parts of southern Mexico.