Slides from a free webinar for State Library staff and leadership, Adam Echelman and John Chrastka review the structure of the Digital Equity Act and BEAD stakeholder engagement process that begins on or after September 29, 2022. View the webinar via https://www.everylibraryinstitute.org/reverse_engineer_dea_stakeholder_engagement

1. REVERSE ENGINEERING STAKEHOLDER
ENGAGEMENT for BEAD and DEA
An overview of stakeholder engagement opportunities and
strategies for state libraries
Recorded July 18, 2022

2. Stakeholder engagement is the
process by which various entities
come together, often to co-create or
strengthen a product.
As state agencies with relatively
quick access to localities, state
libraries can serve the go-to
agency for state/federal grants
that require stakeholder
engagement
Stakeholder engagement is central to many federal grants
including broadband grants like BEAD and DEA.
State libraries are uniquely positioned to lead it.

3. Stakeholder Engagement within the Digital Equity Act
● A $60 million dollar grant, divided by each state, that will
support the creation of a digital equity plan. The funding
requires stakeholder engagement in 4 ways:
○ The co-creation of “measurable objectives” based on
feedback from stakeholders.
○ A needs assessment and an asset inventory.
○ A coordination and outreach strategy that shows how
stakeholders can participate in the creation of the plan
○ A description on how the implementation of the plan
will include certain stakeholders

4. Local
educational
agencies
Civil rights
organizations
Community
Anchor
Institutions
County and
municipal
governments
4
WHO: Digital Equity Act Requirements
Housing
development
agencies and
community
associations
Workforce
Development
entities
Organizations that represent
individuals with disabilities,
including organizations that
represent children with
disabilities; aging individuals;
Individuals with language
barriers; Veterans; and
Individuals in that State who
are incarcerated in facilities
other than federal correctional
facilities
Nonprofit
organizations

5. Key Questions - Before You Begin
● Who is most impacted by the DEA
and BEAD programs?
● What are the areas of expertise we
lack and who can help us fill in the
gaps?
● What’s the end goal and how will
stakeholders perspectives be
reflected in that final product?
● What networks already exist that we
can tap into?
● Are libraries affected?
● How can libraries bring impacted
individuals to the table?
● What expertise can libraries bring
to the conversation?
● How will the end product support
libraries?
● Are there any similar engagement
projects the state library has
recently run?
For State Libraries For Libraries

6. HOW: The Stakeholder Engagement
Framework
Credit: the National Telecommunications and Infrastructure Administration, Stakeholder Engagement Overview in Preparation for IIJA Broadband Programs

7. A Sample Stakeholder Engagement Budget
Personnel ● Mid-level staff time dedicated to engaging public libraries, other anchor
institutions, or stakeholders writ-large with the digital equity plan.
● Senior-level staff time to manage mid-level staff, review final products,
and liaise with the managing public agency.
● Fringe benefits, if applicable
Travel ● Transportation to meet with stakeholders or to convene stakeholders in
a central place
Supplies, Events, and Software ● Subscription costs to publicize events and engagement opportunities
online, e.g. newsletter or content management costs
● Costs to host public meetings, e.g. food and event rentals
● Advertisement costs, e.g. radio advertisements, flyers, TV ads
Subgrants/Contractors ● Contracts to professional organizations and established
stakeholders who assist in the engagement process
● Stipends for grassroots organizations and volunteers
Admin/Overhead ● Fixed percent

8. Expectation from NTIA on State Planning Agencies
(Reverse Engineering the Process)
● Planning a Stakeholder Engagement Strategy
For states and localities develop a stakeholder
engagement strategy.
● Setting Up Initial Stakeholder Engagement
This is the second of two resources designed to help
states and localities develop a stakeholder engagement
strategy.
Pre-NOFO Technical Assistance via https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/resources/grant-programs/digital-equity-programs

9. Key Considerations As You Go Along
● Track your engagement process, the
feedback you’re getting, and make
sure the final product is equipped to
integrate that feedback
● Iterate with stakeholders and
communicate where you are
● Keep engagement as simple and
direct as possible.
● Assess your capacity and make sure
you are setting the engagement team
up for success
State DEA and
BEAD Agency
For State Libraries
● Create a designated communication
channel between you and engaged
libraries.
● Consider capacity at every moment,
especially for small and rural libraries
● Ask for funding to increase your
capacity - and don’t be afraid to build
an ambitious budget

10. Provide
technical
assistance to
libraries about
broadband and
equity topics
Convene
conversations
with libraries
about “what do
we want?” and
“what do we
need?”
Gather speed
data across all
libraries. Create
maps with a
BEAD and DEA
lens
Review library
best practices in-
and out-of-state
that meet likely
DEA and BEAD
goals
10
State Library To-Do | July to September 2022
Assess
capabilities of
libraries as local
partners to reach
populations
Communicate
with state
planning
agency(s) about
your intent to
engage
Document
everything in a
clear and
consistent
manner
Apply for
sub-grants to
support this
community
anchor
engagement
process

11. BROADBAND Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (NTIA)
- LOI due July 12th
- Planning grant, which includes stakeholder engagement runs from fall 2022 to 2023
DIGITAL
EQUITY
Digital Equity Act (NTIA)
- LOI due July 12th
- Planning grant, which includes stakeholder engagement runs from fall 2022 to 2023
HEALTH
LITERACY
Information Resource Grants (NLM/NIH/HHS)
- LOI due Sept 21st
- Project implementation grant with substantial stakeholder engagement criteria
LIBRARIES National Leadership Grants (IMLS)
- LOI due Sept 21st
- Project implementation grant with substantial stakeholder engagement criteria
Upcoming federal grants with stakeholder engagement requirements

12. Contact
Adam Echelman
Consultant - EveryLibrary
adamechelman@gmail.com
For More Information
“Broadband Stakeholder Planning
Webinar for State Libraries” from
EveryLibrary Institute
https://www.everylibraryinstitute.
org/broadband_planning_webinar
_state_libraries
Recorded May 18, 2022