Bourne Digital Equity Plan

Overview

The Town of Bourne Digital Equity Plan outlines a roadmap to bridge the digital divide and ensure all residents have equitable access to high-speed internet, devices, and the digital skills needed for full participation in society. This plan was developed in partnership with the Cape Cod Commission and funded through the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) as part of a statewide initiative to advance digital inclusion, especially in the wake of challenges highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Completed in 2024, the plan was created though a robust community engagement process and includes input from a wide range of stakeholders.

Key Findings

Internet access is widespread, but many residents report unreliable connectivity, especially in villages like Monument Beach and Pocasset. Residents reported that a lack of competition among internet service providers seems to limit affordability, quality, and reliability of service. With 18% of the town’s housing stock consisting of seasonal homes, degradation of service is during the busy summer months is another key concern.

As identified through the Digital Equity Act of 2021, digital inequities disproportionately affect aging residents, low-income households, veterans, individuals with disabilities, people with language barriers, members of racial and ethnic minority groups, and rural residents. Notable for the Town of Bourne is that more than 14% of Bourne residents have a disability, the town median age of 55.7 years far exceeds the state (39.8) and nation (38.5), and the town is home to members of the Herring Pond and Mashpee Wampanoag Tribes. With half of renter households being cost-burdened, affordability is a concern for the community. Nearly all households (96.7%) own at least one device and post-pandemic data demonstrates that the town is trending positively for increased connectivity. However, gaps persist in access to reliable, needs-appropriate devices such as those for work or school and in possessing the skills necessary to make the most of this connection.

Recommendations

The plan presents actionable recommendations across four pillars: connectivity, devices, digital skills, and community.

• Connectivity: Advocate for improved internet service, encourage competition, and enhance public Wi-Fi, particularly in critical community hubs such as the schools and the library.
• Devices: Improve on current and develop new public computing device offerings and expand hotspot lending programs.
• Digital Skills and Literacy: Build a network of local partners to offer tech help, expand one-on-one support and explore digital navigation models, and provide offerings to address internet skills and safety concerns.
• Community: Integrate digital equity into municipal communications and services, develop mobile outreach strategies, foster shared digital language, and promote regional collaboration.

Implementation and Next Steps

The Town of Bourne has reserved funding to implement recommendations through MBI’s Municipal Digital Equity Implementation Grant Program. Ongoing evaluation, collaboration, and integration with regional efforts are crucial to success.

Community Engagement

The planning process emphasized community engagement, including surveys, stakeholder interviews, pop-up events, and a public workshop. Participants shared barriers related to connectivity, device access, digital literacy and safety, and outreach.

• Presentation: Bourne Community Workshop, Nov. 13, 2023