Local leaders returned from the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) conference in Chicago to share key takeaways on sustainability, intersectionality, and the future of digital equity funding.
March 6, 2026 – The March 2026 meeting of the Kansas City Coalition for Digital Inclusion a panel of local attendees of the Net Inclusion conference who reported back on their takeaways from the National Digital Inclusion Alliance’s annual event, such as emerging trends in digital health, device strategy, and rural resources. The session also featured informative updates on local device recycling milestones from PCs for People and expanded youth coding cohorts from WeCode KC.
Member Spotlight: PCs for People
Greg Smith, account manager for PCs for People provided an update on their significant environmental and community impact to date. Operating out of the West Bottoms from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday through Friday, the organization is currently processing between 55,000 and 60,000 pounds of electronic waste per month.
Key highlights include:
- Expansion and Hiring: The organization is moving toward a model of community impact managers per region and has successfully hired two individuals through a pipeline partnership with ArtsTech.
- Bulk Resources: A dedicated grants team is available to assist other organizations with bulk device orders, which can be shipped locally or ordered online.
- Community Events: They continue to engage at local collection events including Un-Dumpster Day through Re.Use.Full to collect devices locally and ensure electronics don’t go to the landfill.
PCs for People Kansas City is always looking for more partners to be able to collect old devices and distribute for a discounted price to low-income families in the region. Consumers are able to go on their website to order their devices directly that can be shipped to their home. Pick-up service is available for large donations of used devices.
For more information, contact Greg Smith at gsmith @ pcsforpeople dot com.
Member Spotlight: WeCode KC
Diona Webb, Director of Programming and Community Engagement, shared exciting updates regarding WeCode KC’s current cohorts and community offerings.
- Code and Conquer: This 18-week program serves 20 individuals ages 18–26, focusing on web development through a primarily online curriculum designed for busy students.
- Professional Certification: A 16-week cohort is currently preparing students for the CompTia+ exam, supported by an “Earn and Learn” program that provides a $1,500 stipend.
- Community Access: WeCode KC is working to bring back Saturday programming (10 a.m. – noon), which will be open to the community for learning languages like Python and Java.
To learn more about their programs and register your student, please visit their website here. If your organization is interested in receiving an intern, reach out to Diona at diona.webb @ wecodekc dot org.
Featured Content: NDIA Net Inclusion 2026 Panel
The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) advances digital equity by connecting organizations, supporting community programming, and equipping policymakers to act. In early February, more than 700 digital inclusion leaders and stakeholders from across the country gathered in Chicago for the National Digital Inclusion Alliance’s Net Inclusion conference at a pivotal moment for the field.
Overall, the event aligned well with the topics on many practitioners’ minds, such as how to:
- Sustain and grow their digital inclusion and equity work;
- Ensure those historically left behind, such as older adults and people with disabilities, are sufficiently served; and
- Minimize the impact of emerging technologies being adopted at an unprecedented rate on our communities as a whole and especially our most vulnerable populations.
As funding challenges were front of mind for many after the loss of the Affordable Connectivity Program, which loomed large at the 2024 conference, and the unexpected cancellation of Digital Equity Act funding, a hot topic at the 2025 convening, the question on many minds wasn’t just what’s next—it was how do we keep moving forward? Dedicated funding for digital equity work is increasingly rare, and where it does still exist, grant cycles are consistently oversubscribed with many more requests than money to support them, which was evident during the Digital Inclusion Fund grant cycles.
Another particularly salient topic was the intersection of digital inclusion and emergency preparedness to ensure all community members can access life-saving information, request assistance, and navigate recovery services. As with the 2025 conference, AI made a frequent appearance on the schedule, with a focus on equity, literacy and inclusion as well as its intersection with workforce development, as well as guidance for engaging with developers of data centers in your community.
As is Net Inclusion tradition, NDIA handed out the Digital Inclusion Trailblazer award to this year’s 58 recipients who demonstrate the important role that municipal, county, and regional governments play to bring digital opportunities to their residents. This year, the City of Kansas City, Mo., was a repeat awardee, earning the newly created designation of Visionary Trailblazer reserved for those scoring 18 points and above out of a total of 23 possible points. Mayor Pro Tem Ryana Parks-Shaw accepted the award on behalf of the City.
This month’s featured panel brought together five KC-area leaders who attended the conference to share insights.
Moderated by Leah Henriksen, KC Digital Drive, panelists included:
- JudeAnne Heath (Hispanic Tech & Telecommunications Partnerships – HTTP): Highlighted her “Cultivating Connections” panel on rural digital equity and the importance of teaching policymakers in D.C. about rural telehealth resources.
- Tom Esselman (DPO-KC): Attending his 8th Net Inclusion, Tom focused on Human-IT’s device strategy and the need for organizations to adapt their impact and outcome stories rather than resisting shifts in the funding landscape.
- John Tramel (Health Forward Foundation): Noted the unique “birds of a feather” discussions regarding refugees and immigrants and distributing essential devices to these communities at this time, and the creative intersection of meal support with device distribution.
- Leslie Scott (KC Digital Drive): Observed a trend toward intersectionality in digital inclusion work and a shift in conference “moods” over the years, specifically focusing on long-term sustainability and diversifying funding streams.
- Aaron Deacon (KC Digital Drive): Pointed out that healthcare conversations at the national level are mirroring local work, particularly regarding the ending of certain funding streams.
Key Takeaways:
- The panel emphasized that while the “funding downer” mood was present at the national level, the focus must remain on telling better stories through data and continuing to move forward despite the evolving landscape.
- At the conference, there was an emphasis on a significant amount of content this year related to artificial intelligence, funding landscapes and focusing on the local/state level, and how intersectional digital inclusion is to everyday life.
- There was an emphasis on supporting minority communities during this changing landscape, especially related to direct service work and being more culturally-sensitive.
Community Announcements
- KOBD Update: The Kansas Office of Broadband Development expects a delayed update but anticipates $139 million in nondeployment funds for Kansas.
- Train the Trainer: Carol Meyers is hosting another Digital Skills Train the Trainer workshop for nonprofit staff on March 26 and April 2. More information here: https://www.kcdigitaldrive.org/event/digital-skills-train-the-trainer-sessions-2-0/
Want to get involved? Visit digitalinclusionkc.org to learn more, sign up for updates, or watch past meetings. Membership is free—just complete the short form at digitalinclusionkc.org/join.
Next Coalition Meeting: April 3, 2026 (10:30 a.m.-noon) on Zoom. More information here.