Kaptivate

Q: Where is #KaptivateInTheCommunity this week? A: At the 2025 Virginia Education and Workforce Conference in Richmond, VA

Rural communities are being quietly erased from state broadband proposals. We compared changes in how often states referenced rural vs. urban communities between their initial and final #Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (#BEAD) plans. And the pattern is clear: rural areas are falling off the map. - In the Midwest, Northeast, Southwest, and West, mentions of rural areas dropped by 80% or more - Meanwhile, urban mentions dropped by just 20% on average Billions in federal broadband dollars are now being distributed. If rural voices are being removed from the plans, they risk being left out of the buildout entirely. Which region’s shift surprises you most? For the full interactive story and data breakdown — including how these shifts tie to BEAD policy revisions — check out our feature article: Blurring BEAD: How the Push for Deployment is Erasing the Path to Adoption: https://lnkd.in/ejj93DQR Center for Rural Health Innovation SHLB Coalition American Association for Public Broadband NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association Benton Institute for Broadband & Society #DigitalEquity #RuralAmerica

FBA Presents: A Catalyst for Economic Growth – Why Broadband Adoption Matters 📅 Tuesday, October 21, 2025 | 11:00 AM ET Join us for this important session as we explore how Kaptivate supports key stakeholders in driving broadband adoption and measuring its economic impact. If you’re a Community Anchor Institution, Internet Service Provider, or State Broadband Leader, this conversation will help you turn access into opportunity and investment into impact. 🔗 Register here: https://hubs.la/Q03Nwn8P0 Kaptivate #FiberBroadband #Fiber #Broadband #FiberBroadbandAssociation #Webinar #DigitalOpportunity #EconomicGrowth

Our Blurring BEAD report, built on NLP analysis of state Phase I and II submissions, revealed a notable shift: the early reliance on partnerships is beginning to wane. As states responded to Benefit of the Bargain priorities in Phase II, mentions of partnerships declined. As our analysis cautions: “The decline suggests a drift toward top-down implementation. In bypassing local collaborators, states may reduce short-term friction but at the risk of losing long-term trust and buy-in.” This finding underscores an important inflection point. While centralizing control may streamline immediate rollout, the long-term health of BEAD depends on trust, local insight, and durable collaboration. The choice states make now, between expediency and enduring partnership, will shape the trajectory of broadband deployment and adoption for years to come. To read our analysis: https://lnkd.in/ejj93DQR #BEAD #BroadbandPartnerships #LocalSolutions The Quilt, Inc. SHLB Coalition

Our Blurring BEAD report, built on NLP analysis of state Phase I and II submissions, revealed a notable shift: the early reliance on partnerships is beginning to wane. As states responded to Benefit of the Bargain priorities in Phase II, mentions of partnerships declined. As our analysis cautions: “The decline suggests a drift toward top-down implementation. In bypassing local collaborators, states may reduce short-term friction but at the risk of losing long-term trust and buy-in.” This finding underscores an important inflection point. While centralizing control may streamline immediate rollout, the long-term health of BEAD depends on trust, local insight, and durable collaboration. The choice states make now, between expediency and enduring partnership, will shape the trajectory of broadband deployment and adoption for years to come. To read our analysis: https://lnkd.in/ejj93DQR #BEAD #BroadbandPartnerships #LocalSolutions The Quilt, Inc. SHLB Coalition

Broadband connectivity gets players on the court, adoption teaches them how to play the game. Join us for a discussion of how #BroadbandAdoption transforms connectivity into economic gains at our October 21 webinar - A Catalyst for Economic Growth: Why Broadband Adoption Matters, hosted by Fiber Broadband Association. Hear from our CEO Ron Vassallo, and VP of Community and Stakeholder and Engagement Katherine Kempe, MPA, as they delve into how #BroadbandAdoption transforms connectivity into economic gains. If you’re a Community Anchor Institution, Internet Service Provider, or State Broadband Leader, this webinar is for you. Register here: https://lnkd.in/e5n24aST #ISP #Broadband

When times are uncertain, inspiration matters most. Kaptivate’s #PivotAndThrive series is all about real stories of leaders, innovators, and community changemakers who’ve faced challenges head-on and found ways to adapt, grow, and thrive. From Eileen Kent, who built a thriving business out of federal budget cuts… to Steven Partridge at Northern Virginia Community College, helping workers reskill for the future… to Jay Anaya from Disruptica, who’s cutting through the #AI noise with clarity and purpose, and many more! Each story reminds us that resilience isn’t just about bouncing back, it’s about moving forward with purpose. If you need a little inspiration to keep going, start here: https://lnkd.in/ey5qc2Kw #Leadership #Resilience 

In our latest analysis, Blurring BEAD: How the Push for Deployment is Erasing the Path to Adoption, we found that rural America is losing ground in the second phase of BEAD submissions. Our review of state and territory plans revealed a troubling shift: “References to rural America declined in over half of states. The drop wasn’t partisan—it was systemic. Even as BEAD’s mission targets the unserved, states generalized their language, diluting rural specificity.” This matters. Rural communities were meant to be at the heart of BEAD. Instead, the focus is blurring, and with it, the path to real adoption and economic opportunity. To read our analysis: https://lnkd.in/ejj93DQR #BEAD #BroadbandAccess #RuralAmerica #DigitalDivide #ConnectivityForAll NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association Kathryn de Wit Christopher Ali WTA - Advocates for Rural Broadband RuralRise

We love seeing #KaptivateInTheCommunity!

What is the talent magnet? What will drive talent retention for the DMV? Here’s one compelling opinion… “This experience taught me that successful talent attraction requires more than jobs or amenities. It demands creating conditions where people can build meaningful relationships, engage in work that matters, and participate in their community's transformation.” 🎯