National Digital Extension Education Team—Broadband and Digital Skills

Closing the Digital Gap

Reliable internet service is now essential for everyday life. The COVID-19 pandemic made that clearer than ever as work, school, health care, government services, and commerce all moved online at once. Millions of people had to adapt quickly to telework, online learning, telehealth, digital forms, and virtual services. For households and businesses without dependable broadband or the skills to use online tools confidently, those changes created major barriers.

Even as many services have returned to in-person options, much of daily life remains tied to digital systems. Applying for jobs, renewing licenses, accessing benefits, communicating with schools, managing finances, receiving medical care, and operating a business increasingly depend on internet access and digital know-how. Communities that lack strong connectivity or the practical skills to use digital tools are at a serious disadvantage. Strengthening digital readiness requires more than infrastructure alone. It also requires education, local support, and training that helps people use online tools safely, effectively, and with confidence.

How is the Cooperative Extension System responding?

The Cooperative Extension System (CES) delivers practical, research-based education that helps people, businesses, and communities solve problems, build skills, and prepare for the future. State specialists develop curricula and educational resources that translate research into useful information for real-world settings. County-based Extension professionals work directly with local residents, organizations, and employers to identify priorities, deliver programs, and gather input that shapes future work.

CES has been addressing digital challenges for years. Well before the pandemic, Extension professionals recognized that communities needed stronger digital skills, better planning, and more local capacity to make full use of broadband and online tools. In response, CES has supported community planning, broadband awareness efforts, local assessments, feasibility work, stakeholder engagement, grant support, and practical training for residents and businesses.

Extension programs also help people strengthen the skills needed to participate in today’s economy and civic life. This includes training on topics such as online safety, digital communication, remote work tools, e-commerce, telehealth navigation, and the use of online services for education, business, and everyday needs. Through partnerships with local organizations, CES helps communities turn broadband access into measurable economic and community benefit.

Examples of this work include National 4-H Council’s 4-H Tech Changemakers, North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension resources and training related to broadband adoption and use, Purdue University Digital Ready Business, Oklahoma State University Extension partnerships with local libraries to provide hotspots, the Nebraska Broadband Initiative, Washington State University Extension Broadband Action Teams, Utah State University’s Rural Online Initiative, Mississippi State University’s Bricks-to-Clicks program, and the University of Wisconsin Extension’s Community Development Institute. CES is also partnering with the Land O’Lakes American Connection Project and the Schools, Health, and Libraries Broadband Coalition.

What difference is Cooperative Extension making?

By helping residents, businesses, and communities make better use of broadband tools, CES is strengthening local economies, supporting workforce readiness, and improving the ability of communities to adapt in a rapidly changing environment. Research continues to show that broadband contributes to economic growth and productivity, including agriculture, small business development, and household participation in the digital economy.

Extension plays an important role in helping communities move from internet availability to meaningful use. For small businesses, that can mean building an online presence, reaching new customers, using digital marketing tools, and improving operations. For households, it can mean better access to services, education, communication, and employment opportunities. For communities, it can mean stronger planning, better coordination, and greater readiness to compete in a connected economy.

What can be done with additional resources and partnerships?

Additional investment would allow CES to update and expand curricula, train more staff, increase local capacity, and evaluate what approaches are delivering the strongest results. With more resources, CES could help more communities develop practical plans, identify opportunities, and coordinate local and regional efforts related to broadband and digital readiness.

Expanded support would also strengthen collaboration among Extension, state broadband offices, agricultural organizations, community institutions, employers, and other strategic partners. By aligning resources and working across sectors, CES can help communities make better use of available funding and build long-term momentum for economic growth, workforce development, and community success.