We knew we had a problem, but it sat unaddressed for a number of years. We didn’t address it because we didn’t know how to start, where to go for help and besides most of our peers (rural counties) had the same issue. This is where Connected came in.
The process of becoming a Certified Connected Community had many benefits for Urbandale. It brought together the stakeholders with an interest in Urbandale’s telecommunications infrastructure. It provided an opportunity to hear perspectives and ideas on how to improve Urbandale’s broadband status. Finally, the process and award provided the focus and impetus to identify and begin work on projects. In just a few months since being certified, Urbandale is making progress.
Through the Connected Community Engagement Program we have put together a plan for broadband access, use, and engagement. This is the first time our area has looked at improving broadband access and it’s been a tremendous tool in building improved access for the future.
Community Technology Advisors provide independent community broadband education across the state through the Connected Community Engagement Program by working in the best interest of communities.
Broadband access is a crucial component of economic development. The Connected community certification program will facilitate the building of a comprehensive action plan for developing a technology-ready community.
We thought we’d benefit from finding out where we stood. The whole point of the certification process is to identify strengths and weaknesses. Frankly, even if you didn’t get to the certification, you would still get a blueprint for moving forward to eliminate those weaknesses.
Being a rural community and facing the challenges of bringing broadband Internet services to residents, the Clare County Broadband Network Group partnered with Connect Michigan and the Connected program. We are developing the Clare County Technology Action Plan to further foster adoption and education for better broadband use and understanding here in Clare County.
Connected Community certification says to potential investors that Clarksville-Montgomery County understands today’s global business environment and is committed to providing the tools necessary for industries to build, grow and create jobs in our community. An impartial assessment of our digital infrastructure validates the high quality of resources available in our area.
St. Clair County was the third in Michigan and the sixth in the nation to obtain Connected certification. Along with certification, the county worked collaboratively on developing the St. Clair County Technology Action Plan. Our Action Plan is a roadmap for our broadband future. It details our current status and clearly outlines steps to take in order to fill the broadband gaps in the county. We are currently addressing the recommendations laid out in the plan. An unexpected benefit to our broad… Read more
Connected Nation’s community outreach and education programs have proven to be highly effective in Michigan’s continued strides toward more broadband connectivity and ultimately our state’s economic prosperity.
Connected Nation
+1 877 846 7710
[email protected]
Connected Community Engagement Program
Spartanburg County Reaches Technology Milestone as Connected Certified Community
Click here to view the plan highlights.
Certified Connected: Emerging Success in Indianola
Indianola, Iowa celebrates its Connected certification success story, highlighting the Emerge Program at Simpson College as a prime example of what a community championing technology can achieve. Click here to view.
“We were looking at moving from the Abbeville area because we could not support our customers…”
Watch the video and learn how this community got connected.
In 2012, Charlevoix County, MI became the nation’s first
certified Connected community.
Watch the video and learn how this community got connected.
Empowering Local, Collaborative, and Data-Driven Technology Planning to Inform Intelligent, Digital Development
Every community can benefit from more, better, and smarter technology.
No two communities get there in the same way.
The Connected Community Engagement program provides a way for local elected officials, leaders from education, healthcare, business, and community organizations to work together to chart their own course for accelerating the local access, adoption, and use of technology.
Join the movement. Get Connected.
Success Stories
Lake County, MI. (August 21, 2019) – Over the past several years,...
Alma, Mich. (March 7, 2019) – Connected Nation’s Connected Communities program shows...
(February 19, 2019) – Our credo affirms that everyone belongs in a...
McCamey, TX (September 5, 2018) – In February of this year, the...
Marfa, Texas (September 10, 2018) – The City of Marfa is a...
Upton County, TX (February 7, 2018) – The Upton County Broadband Committee...
Ward County, TX (February 1, 2018) – Children, veterans and active military,...
Because of my mother’s health, I will become her caregiver. Having high-speed...
Better broadband connectivity can transform a community—both rural and urban. It can...
The Loft, a co-working space, recently opened in Harbor Springs, Michigan,...
The first-ever Connectedsm community engagement in the state of Pennsylvania launched June 5....
The Upton County Broadband Committee is partnering with Connected Nation’s Connected Community...
Mecosta County, MI. (April 25, 2017) – Ten minutes is all it...
Ogemaw County has made it easier for ISPs to extend broadband coverage...
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that 40% of Americans will work...
Many small business owners believe cyber security practices and vulnerabilities only apply...
Marketing businesses and economic development agencies are teaming up for a fourth...
HarborActive, a community organization promoting technology education in Northern Michigan, is serving...
Over 50 businesses, non-profits, and community organizations from Iosco County attended Showcase...
Connect Ohio has selected five Ohio communities to participate in the Connected℠...
With over 1 billion Yahoo! accounts recently compromised in a record-breaking cyber...
On December 12, 2016, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and Iowa Lieutenant Governor...
When applying for jobs, taking an online course, finishing homework, or even...
Since 2010, local businesses have urged customers to “shop small” on the...
With more than 1.7 billion active users logging onto Facebook each month,...
Video on demand (VOD) and streaming services are changing the way viewers...
With vast spreads of trees, the natural landscape of Ogemaw County, Michigan,...
On the edge of the Utah-Nevada border, off Route 50—known as “The...
Though they may be 30, 40, 50, or even many more miles...
On October 13, community, business, government, and technology agencies will come together...
Eight years ago, Grow Benzie started with an abandoned plant nursery, an...
Michigan’s tourism industry amounts to more than $17.7 billion, a number that...
Lack of access to technology, training, or reliable Internet are all factors...
Recently, businesses, governments, and universities have been finding their information locked down...
Mentors can make a permanent impact on a young person’s life. Mentors...
It’s June, and that means the start of summer. Around here, that...
An estimated 30 to 50 million tons of electronics are trashed every...
Recognizing that their county was being left behind in regard to Internet...
Ninety-seven percent (97%) of consumers now search the web to find the...
After building broadband systems for soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, building systems...
Radio towers allow ISPs to transfer wireless Internet signals across wide distances,...
We all want to fight the barriers to broadband adoption and create...
Navigating the labyrinth of social media tips, online security pitfalls, and Internet...
Partnerships with influential businesses and nonprofit groups give Connected Nation (CN) and...
At the recent American Planning Association 2016 National Conference, Connected Nation’s Eric...
Whether you are looking for a place to eat, an apartment to...
One of the first steps in improving broadband access, adoption, and use...
Broadband adoption rates in rural Michigan households have caught up to the...
Whether you’re watching a movie, sending an e-mail, posting a tweet, or...
When John Reigle found out he couldn’t get the telephone service he...