Case Study
Problem
There are more than 800,000 Texans who lack access to broadband internet, and over 90% of these folks reside in rural areas. The importance of these long-standing issues was elevated by the COVID-19 pandemic, when students abruptly left their schools for online learning, and many adults began working from home and depending on access to fast internet. Texas Rural Funders, a coalition of foundations supporting rural initiatives, helps elevate rural needs to educate and prepare city and state legislators to support change. Broadband access was a key 2021 priority, and Texas Rural Funders engaged Blue Seats Consulting to tell their story.
Action
Experienced with and passionate about rural issues, Connie and team collected relevant and timely data. They interviewed local leaders to understand how citizens of rural Texas communities have collaborated to secure high-speed internet access. Connie and team summarized the challenges, successes, and the overall process for how rural counties collaborate to secure robust internet networks beyond city limits, and called legislators to action to help them by creating a state broadband office and a statewide plan.
Outcomes
With profiles of several communities that highlighted the leadership of 10 small-town leaders, the document prepared Texas legislators to understand challenges, opportunities, and methods for supporting broadband development for the most disconnected rural Texans. Broadband is among the highest priorities for the 2021 legislative session.
The Best Part
The privilege of talking to rural folks who are getting it done, and who share their vision and dedication to find collaborative solutions, no matter what.
See the Work
Blue Seats provided our team with the perfect combination of technical expertise, project management, and consultation to help us reach our goals. Connie is also an excellent relationship manager, and we were able to deploy her into the field to interview key stakeholders, knowing she would build instant rapport and do their stories justice. Connie was exactly what we needed: someone to dive in and "project manage us" while remaining flexible, extremely comfortable with iteration, and willing to think outside the box.