Building Digital Communities: Pilot is an IMLS funded project to support and document the efforts of local leadership teams in nine pilot communities who are leading their communities efforts to increase information technology access and use. Building Digital Communities: Framework in Action (a project of IMLS) provides the guidance and structure for the pilot communities. The first step recommended in Building Digital Communities: Framework for Action is to “Convene Stakeholders”.  As we have learned from our case study of Broadband Rhode Island, engaging stakeholders requires a well-planned process that truly hears the stakeholders, carefully documents the outcomes and helps build relationships.

OCLC has partnered with the University of Illinois Center for Digital Inclusion and WayMark Systems to create a digital inclusion stakeholder alignment process.  The objective is to stimulate community wide discussion and planning efforts to create and support healthy, prosperous and cohesive 21st century communities.  The process is being piloted first in Dodge City, Kansas led by Cathy Reeves, Director of the Dodge City Public Library, Jane Longmeyer, Public Relations Manager at City of Dodge City and Greta Clark, Professor and Director of Multicultural Education at Dodge City Community College.

Building a digitally inclusive community requires involvement from government, education institutions, libraries, community-based organizations, business and residents. To begin the process of defining potential stakeholders, the Dodge City local leadership team individually completed the Stakeholder Alignment Worksheet. (At the end of this article you will find a full list of digital inclusion stakeholder sectors for which the Dodge City local leadership team identified representatives.) Each identified stakeholder was mailed a postcard and (for all but a few) was sent an email requesting their participation in the digital inclusion stakeholder alignment meetings.

Stakeholders in Dodge City are being given a choice of four different meetings taking place April 24 and 25, 2013. Each meeting will be two hours and consist of the following:

• A short presentation that defines digital inclusion, outlines the benefits of all members participating in today’s digital society.
• Overview of the stakeholder alignment process.
• 20-25 survey which will begin determining the degree of alignment along digital inclusion principles as defined in Building Digital Communities: Framework.
• Small group discussion.
• Additional 20-25 survey to further determine the degree of alignment along digital inclusion principles
• Review and full group discussion of preliminary results from questionnaire.

Stakeholders who cannot attend the April 24 and 25 meetings are being encouraged to complete the stakeholder alignment survey online. To encourage attendance, the local leadership team is contacting all identified stakeholders who have not yet responded to the invitation to participate.

On May 17, 2013 we will gather all participants into one inclusive three hour event to review the results and guide stakeholders toward future collaborations, communication and community-wide planning. The summit will consist of:

• Distribution of print materials documenting the survey results and table discussions from the stakeholder meetings.
• Explanation of the results and analysis.
• Facilitated activities to clarify a shared vision of success.
• Facilitated activities to determine the next steps to building a digitally inclusive Dodge City.

Additional Resources:

• Stakeholder Alignment Worksheet
• Building Digital Communities: Pilot March 2013 Project Update
• Engaging Stakeholders, the First  Step to Increasing Digital Inclusion. A Case Study of Broadband Rhode Island.

Digital Inclusion Stakeholder Sectors

• Local city, county and tribal governments
  • Elected city official
  • Elected county official
  • Other elected official
  • Public agencies (government agencies)
  • Library staff or leadership
  • K-12 School educator or administrator
  • Community college educator or administrator
  • University educator or administrator
  • Adult education training and development program educator or administrator
  • Economic development agency staff or leadership
  • Community center staff or leadership (such as recreation centers)
  • Agencies with community centers such as recreation departments
  • Public housing agency staff or leadership
  • Technology/Digital management agency staff or leadership
  • Regulatory government agency staff or leadership
  • Other public agency staff or leadership
• Nonprofit community based organizations
  • Nonprofit organization staff or leadership serving low income or homeless populations
  • Nonprofit organization staff or leadership serving people with disabilities
  • Nonprofit organization staff or leadership serving ethnic communities/cultures
  • Nonprofit organization staff or leadership providing access and training with digital technologies
  • Nonprofit organization staff or leadership providing workplace training and development
  • Nonprofit organization community foundation staff or leadership
  • Nonprofit labor organization staff or leadership
  • Other nonprofit staff or leadership
• Business
  • Broadband service provider staff or leadership
  • Chambers of Commerce and other business group staff or leadership
  • Technology association staff or leadership
  • Technology related business
  • Other business organization staff or leadership
  • Additional Organizations
• Local media
  • Public energy utility
  • Health care provider
  • Other
• Community Residents
  • Living in a neighborhood with high speed digital services
  • Living in a neighborhood not presently served by a high speed digital provider
  • User of public internet access and training