The Internet's value increases exponentially with the number of people who are able to participate.  Wireless community networks can be an effective strategy for addressing the digital divide. They offer affordable access to the Internet while building community and strengthening the local economy. 

ZeroDivide invests in organizations engaged in creating community networks. These networks are typically organized on a geographic basis to improve the quality of life within that community. Many different people and groups are trying to solve the problems in different ways. Approaches range from sharing out no-cost Internet access with stand-alone wireless hotspots to building city-wide wireless networks which are entirely separate from the Internet.  Through technology access, ZeroDivide grantees encourage members of their communities to participate in the realization of their goals by raising the level of engagement. To learn about how ZeroDivide's grantees are delivering vital resources to the communities they serve, please read their stories below.

Booker T. Washington Community Service Center

The Booker T. Washington Community Service Center has successfully set up a low-cost and easy to maintain wireless network for the residents of the Westside Court Housing project in San Francisco. The community is one of the first to use Meraki technology to enhance wireless signals, ensuring connectivity in every housing unit at Westside Court and allaying uncertainties over coverage in apartment buildings.

The WiFi project has empowered residents to take control of their own network and create content relevant to the housing community. A training program for residents contributes to affordable upkeep of the network. Close to 40 participants, primarily young adults, have been trained in the various aspects of network setup and maintenance, including monitoring usage, troubleshooting issues in neighbors’ homes, and installation of antennas and nodes to the network. Residents will also find their newfound skills to be potentially valuable in other settings as wireless networks expand outside of Westside Court.

Sacramento Region Community Foundation

The Digital Inclusion Initiative aims to bridge Sacramento’s digital divide within all of its socio-economically diverse communities. Through successful advocacy and partnership with local nonprofits, the Sacramento Region Community Foundation (SRCF) has been able to provide crucial guidance to ensure the needs of the city’s underserved communities are met.

SRCF and a coalition of nonprofits advocated on behalf of the city’s underserved communities, urging stronger community benefits in the contract. Last June, city council approved a resolution to deploy a municipal wireless network. This means that Sacramento will become one of the largest municipal Wi-Fi networks in the country, effectively covering 90 square miles with a potential reach of 400,000 users. Entering the second phase of the initiative, SRCF will build a pilot project wireless network at Estates/Victory Townhomes, a multi-family housing community.  This demonstration site will provide training, internet access and low cost equipment, reflective of residential needs.

Little Tokyo Wireless Project

Little Tokyo Wireless is a non-profit community project of the Little Tokyo Service Center. This project provides broadband point-to-point wireless Internet access to organizations, and also WiFi "hot spots" to residents and visitors in the downtown Los Angeles and Little Tokyo areas.

The “hot spots ” operate in certain locations such as public spaces, cafes and restaurants in Little Tokyo. These designated areas will enable computer laptop and PDA users equipped with wireless network cards to access the Internet. One long-term goal for this project is to help revitalize the Little Tokyo district by using the WiFi access to communicate information about Little Tokyo -- including a business directory and an events calendar. According to visitors survey taken in May 2006, 45 percent responded that free wireless Internet access in Little Tokyo would enourage them to visit. Eventually the project is projected to aid the preservation of Little Tokyo's cultural and historical heritage by presenting neighborhood information to visitors and residents.