In partnership with Merit, Arizona State University, and the Marconi Society, The Quilt is offering a digital inclusion leadership certificate program. The course is intended to address the urgent demand for expertise in closing the digital divide.

This Quilt-Merit certificate program is designed to enhance the digital inclusion capabilities of Quilt member organization staff. For staff leading digital inclusion projects and collaborations with your communities, this program will benefit their important work by providing them with digital inclusion tools and resources. This digital inclusion leadership program not only encourages staff participation, but also welcomes the participation of key digital inclusion collaborators whom you may elect to invite to join you in the program.

Specific goals of this program are to bolster individuals with their digital inclusion leadership skills through a training program with professional certification as well as the opportunity to participate in an R&E digital inclusion community of practice.

The desired outcomes of the program are:
• To support member organization staff who are actively working in their local and state communities on digital inclusion efforts that impact access, affordability, and ability.
• To build the capacity of our national R&E networking community for local and state digital inclusion efforts.
• To create a cohort of R&E network digital inclusion leadership participants where together we will explore:
–  Partnerships
–  Community engagement models
–  Digital navigator resources and programs for state-based efforts supporting NTIA Digital Equity Act capacity and competitive grant programs
–  Local planning and digital equity practitioner work
–  R&E network professional service offerings to support local and state DEA plans

Candidate Profiles from Quilt Members:
As you think about ideal staff candidates for this initiative, please consider the following criteria:
• Individuals with the capacity for leadership growth and development.
• Individuals with the potential to catalyze/contribute to the home organization’s current and future digital inclusion initiatives.
• Individuals who have exposure to The Quilt and broader R&E networking community who understand and appreciate the culture of The Quilt community and the importance of a national community of practice.
• Individuals with the potential to contribute to The Quilt’s (and broader community) current and future initiatives as well as an R&E network digital inclusion community of practice.

Program Details:
This program is a formal certificate program offered by Arizona State University. As such, each program participant will be required to adhere to ASU student requirements as well as meet the course objectives in a satisfactory manner to receive their professional certificate. The program will be taught by an ASU faculty member and the course syllabus is attached. The program consists of five virtual workshops spread over a 6-month period that are designed to introduce new digital inclusion competencies. Please see the program website for specific learning outcomes, assignments and due dates, content delivery and course pace information. https://www.thequilt.net/programs/digital-inclusion-training/

Cost to Participate:
The total maximum cost for individual participation in the training is $2,000 per person. This amount may decrease depending on the number of participants. The Quilt can provide a partial scholarship for one staff from each of our member organizations to participate in the program if they wish to do so. The maximum out of pocket after scholarship for the member participant is $1,000. Member organizations are welcome to nominate additional staff, as well as external collaborators, to participate in the training and the cohort at full participation cost.

Nomination process:
The registration process includes a checkbox to indicate that the participant has the support of their organizational leadership to attend.
Registrations will be accepted through January 15, 2025.
Please direct any questions regarding the process, cost and program to Jen Leasure (jen@thequilt.net).