Initiatives and Projects
The Santa Barbara County Digital Equity Coalition (DEC) undertakes a variety of initiatives and projects to address digital equity challenges and drive meaningful change in the community.
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 is designed to bridge the digital divide in Santa Barbara County. Through this initiative, SBF is working alongside local nonprofits to provide older adults and people with disabilities the tools and skills needed to connect with the digital world.
Project Overview
The ATT Project equips participating nonprofit organizations with the resources to offer free technological devices and digital skills training to underserved residents in Santa Barbara County. This initiative is tailored to meet the unique needs of each community, empowering partner organizations to deliver personalized solutions that make a lasting impact.
What the ATT Project Provides
Each nonprofit partner receives:
- Technological Devices: Partners distributed a range of devices, including Samsung tablets, iPads, Chromebooks, and smartphones, at no cost to eligible community members.
- Staff Training: Through capacity-building training delivered by Community Tech Network (CTN), the nonprofits’ staff and volunteers learned how to lead digital skills classes and become digital navigators, helping community members access key resources like low-cost internet options.
- Curricula & Resources: CTN supplied multilingual curricula, teacher guides, and learner workbooks for each nonprofit to use in its technology classes.
- Marketing Support: Customized promotional materials, including flyers and handouts, were created for each partner to publicize its device distribution and digital skills classes, reducing the burden on nonprofits already working to deliver services.
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 Centers–tailored its digital inclusion efforts to meet the specific needs of the people they serve.
A Sustainable and Community-Driven Approach
The ATT project is built on the belief that community-driven solutions lead to lasting change. Each nonprofit partner had full control over its program, deciding, for instance, which devices to distribute and how to offer digital skills training. Also, by training local staff and volunteers, the project ensures that knowledge and resources remain within the community, fostering long-term digital inclusion.
As part of SBF’s broader digital equity initiatives, the ATT project is an important step toward guaranteeing that all residents of Santa Barbara County, regardless of age or ability, have the skills and tools they need to thrive in an increasingly digital world.
For example, Community Partners in Caring pairs homebound older adults with volunteers who provide one-on-one, at-home technology training. Meanwhile, CommUnify offers group classes at various locations throughout the county. Most partners provide classes in both Spanish and English, while the American GI Forum also offers training in Mixtec, an indigenous language from southern Mexico.