We're closing the digital divide

HR&A led an interdisciplinary team working with the Mayor's Office of the Chief Technology Officer to develop New York City's first Internet Master Plan, addressing the digital divide affecting nearly one-third of city households. Our comprehensive strategy established frameworks for public-private collaboration, governance, and financing that enabled the City to commit $157 million toward expanding affordable broadband access to 600,000 New Yorkers, including innovative procurement approaches that experts have praised as among the nation's boldest universal broadband initiatives.

HR&A worked with the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California to assess broadband connectivity solutions for their sovereign tribal nation of over 2,000 members. Through comprehensive feasibility analysis and community engagement, HR&A developed a strategic deployment plan that identified two viable pathways—a tribally owned wireless network and household service subsidies—to address critical connectivity gaps in this underserved Sierra National Forest community.

HR&A developed and continues to advance a comprehensive Strategic Broadband Action Plan for Clark County, Nevada, home to 70 percent of the state's residents. Our multi-phase approach has helped the County secure over $11 million in federal funding, establish a Broadband Program Office, and position Clark County as a national leader in equitable broadband deployment and digital inclusion.

HR&A worked with the Los Angeles County Internal Services Department (ISD) across three transformative phases to tackle the digital divide affecting over 400,000 families without reliable home internet access. Through our strategic planning and competitive solicitation process, we helped the County secure $56 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to launch the Community Broadband Networks program, culminating in a landmark public-private partnership with WeLink Communications announced in May 2024. This breakthrough will serve over 275,000 households with one of the nation's most competitive internet plans—500/500 Mbps service for just $25 per month for low-income families—while also catalyzing significant private investment in underserved communities across Los Angeles County.

HR&A supported Destination Crenshaw, a community-based organization investing in public infrastructure in Los Angeles' Crenshaw District, to develop a broadband infrastructure strategy that advances digital equity in the epicenter of Black Los Angeles. Our infrastructure analysis, market sounding, and procurement support helped evaluate six vendor proposals and position the organization to select a partner aligned with community goals.

The Ford Foundation and Schmidt Futures engaged HR&A to develop and launch the National Broadband Resource Hub, supporting government and nonprofit leaders implementing broadband programs during unprecedented federal investment. Our platform provided curated resources, peer networking opportunities, and expert advisory services, fostering collaboration among broadband leaders nationwide before transitioning to long-term management by the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Center on Rural Innovation, and Next Century Cities.

Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas engaged HR&A to launch an innovative digital equity program supporting device distribution, digital skills building, and public benefit adoption across the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Mid-Border Region, San Antonio, and Austin. Our RFP design, evaluation process, and organizational capacity building resulted in $21.7 million committed to 20 organizations over three years, directly impacting more than 100,000 residents.