September 10, 2026
Blazing new trails in digital inclusion with the NDIA
Imagine a world where digital equity is viewed as a fundamental municipal obligation, standing alongside public safety, housing, and transportation. What if city and county leaders used their local knowledge to dismantle the greatest barriers to connectivity and digital literacy? Picture local governments leveraging their convening power to partner with libraries, non-profits, schools, and businesses to spark new digital opportunities. What if these pioneering communities not only earned recognition for their achievements, but also shared their strategies to inspire and uplift best practices nationwide? This is the vision of National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) Trailblazers program. For 10 years NDIA has been honoring city, state, or regional governments who have made major strides in digital inclusion. This year, GFiber proudly sponsors the NDIA Trailblazers program.
Together, the NDIA and GFiber share the goal of digital equity through sustainable, community-driven connectivity.NDIA spurs progress toward that future by helping people:
Access robust broadband internet;
Have the devices to connect to that service; and
Possess the digital skills to use those devices.
Check out the most recent biennial NDIA impact report for a deep dive into the outcomes of this great program.
“Digital access is no longer optional—it is essential to quality of life, economic opportunity, and civic participation” said John Carli, the Mayor of Vacaville, California, and a past Trailblazer awardee. “Being named a Visionary Digital Inclusion Trailblazer reflects Vacaville’s commitment to ensuring every resident, regardless of circumstance, has the tools and access needed to thrive in a digital-first world. We are proud to be leading by example and building a more connected, inclusive community.”
As the leading voice for digital equity, the Trailblazer awards program showcases how digital inclusion can be achieved—and, even better, replicated. The program also serves as an open-source knowledge base for others to learn from. The winning applications are archived in the NDIA digital library. Each year there are new examples of civic innovation to share and learn from. They can come from small government non-profit initiatives with five-person staffs to or large statehouses, and so many other organizations in-between. NDIA takes all ideas and plans into consideration, and gives these awards based on projects’ innovation and impact on community digital access, regardless of size.
“Striving for the NDIA Trailblazer indicators has helped focus and uplift our digital inclusion efforts while providing a wealth of insights from other communities to learn from,” said Patrick McGuire, the Technology Equity Manager of South Bend, Indiana, and the leader of a Trailblazer-winning government initiative. Trailblazer indicators are the standards— like funding full time staff at a community organization and enacting public policies that promote digital inclusion—that applicants are judged by to earn their scores.
When a community comes together to solve these tough problems, we move closer to a more connected world. GFiber proudly supports the NDIA Trailblazer program, and we look forward to honoring the newest Trailblazers this year. The 2026 Trailblazers application is open and all state, local, and regional government bodies or government sponsored programs are eligible. NDIA will be accepting submissions until October 13.
Read about GFiber’s community impact and more at www.gfiber.com/blog.
Posted by Jess George, Head of Government & Community Affairs, East Region