HP Unveils Canadian Cohort for 2024 Digital Equity Accelerator Program

News Highlights

• Ten nonprofit organizations in Brazil, Canada*, and Poland selected for the 2024 Digital Equity Accelerator.
• Organizations are serving historically disconnected groups through literacy, education and educator support, entrepreneurship and employment services, sport and health, and other initiatives.
• Each nonprofit will receive a $100,000 grant, about $100,000 in HP technology, and a six-month training program to help strengthen capacity and scale impact.
• Since 2022, the Digital Equity Accelerator has supported 17 organizations across 6 countries, expanding their reach by more than 8.1 million people.
• The Digital Equity Accelerator, a joint initiative of HP Inc. and the HP Foundation, helps nonprofits strengthen capacity and scale digital inclusion programs.
  

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, April 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ) and the HP Foundation announced the selection of 10 nonprofit organizations in Brazil, Canada*, and Poland for the 2024 Digital Equity Accelerator (Accelerator). The Accelerator will provide the 2024 cohort with a USD $100,000 grant, HP technology (~USD $100,000 value), and six months of virtual training to foster digital inclusion.

"The Digital Equity Accelerator program is part of HP Canada’s longstanding commitment to create a more sustainable and equitable future and we are proud to partner with the three selected local organizations to bridge the digital gap to unlock opportunities for marginalized communities enabled by equal access to technology,” said Mary Ann Yule, President and CEO, HP Canada. “We look forward to the next steps of the program and providing our technology solutions and expertise to help accelerate the impact of the chosen nonprofits through their important literacy, education, sport and health initiatives to promote digital inclusion in Canada.”

Accelerating Digital Equity in Brazil, Canada*, and Poland
The Accelerator helps nonprofits scale digital equity programs and initiatives serving communities that are often or have been traditionally excluded. Meet the 2024 Digital Equity Accelerator cohort:

Brazil

• Associação Nova Escola (Nova Escola Association) – Empowering public school teachers across Brazil with quality pedagogical tools (e.g., lesson plans), self-paced courses, news articles, and other materials, delivered through its platform, free of charge. Nova Escola aims to encourage Brazilian literacy teachers to adopt technology through customized lesson plans, facilitating the integration of digital tools to improve learning results.
• Associação Vaga Lume (Vaga Lume Association) – Empowering children within rural communities in the Brazilian Amazon by fostering literacy and community libraries as sharing places. After 22 years of promoting access to books and reading, Vaga Lume operates 95 community libraries, reaching more than 109,000 children. Vaga Lume aims to increase community libraries’ engagement in the Brazilian Amazon and implement two new libraries in the region.
• The Trust for the Americas – Empowering vulnerable communities in the Americas through access to technology and training in digital, technological, and life skills, while also promoting job readiness and entrepreneurial skills, with a focus on those at risk of digital exclusion. The organization aims to strengthen The Trust’s and the POETA program’s capacity to promote digital equity across the Americas, with a particular focus in Brazil.
  

Canada

• Access to Success Organization – Providing unique programming, support, and resources to help scale accessibility tech (AT) and enable everyone. The Toronto-based not-for-profit organization runs ATS Labs, Canada’s leading accelerator for accessibility startups. Access to Success aims to develop new masterclasses on digital equity-focused AT solutions and create a Centre for Accessibility Innovation, an in-person co-working hub for AT entrepreneurs.
• Chapter One Canada – Using innovative technology to bring proven high impact tutoring to marginalized communities, closing the reading gap so all children can have the literacy skills needed to thrive. Chapter One aims to triple the number of children receiving its 1:1 high impact tutoring on families’ smartphones and double readership of its Global Free Library by December 2025.
• Jays Care Foundation – The charitable arm of the Toronto Blue Jays uses baseball to give kids a place on a team where they belong. The organization believes that baseball for development programming can play an important role to address pressing mental and physical health challenges for kids. To scale its training outreach, Jays Care Foundation is establishing a comprehensive and accessible e-learning platform that hosts modules and videos for coaches and educators across Canada.
  

Poland

• Fundacja 2do2 (2do2 Foundation) – Developing IT solutions for Polish NGOs, catering to grassroots organizations, 2do2 Foundation offers cost-effective tools designed for users with limited digital skills and provides comprehensive support, including help-desk assistance, financial management training, and tailored mentorship programs. 2do2 aims to enhance its communication strategy, expand its reach, and prepare a new tailor-made IT solution for rural grassroots organizations.
• Institute for Discourse and Dialogue (INDID) – Providing media literacy training and educational tools for youth and educators across Poland working to improve their digital skills and empower youth. INDID’s media monitoring program engages youth volunteers to foster their critical thinking competencies. INDID aims to scale a comprehensive digital education program by training educators based in rural areas and equipping them with access to the teaching app, curriculum, equipment, and mentorship.
• OpenStax Poland – Publishing open access (free), peer-reviewed academic textbooks to lower the education costs for students. OpenStax Poland works to remove barriers in education and popularize access to reliable sources of knowledge on the Internet. OpenStax aims to publish and promote a free, university textbook on Nursing, with special emphasis on empowering female students.
• Fundacja Rozwoju Społeczeństwa Wiedzy (Think! Knowledge Society Foundation) – Fostering 21st-century competencies and contributing to the development of the knowledge-based society and economy. Think! supports young people and adults by increasing their skills and abilities, as well as focus on lifelong learning of adults. Think! aims to strengthen 4C competences (communication, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking) of high school educators and students in smaller municipalities, providing digital skills education, lifelong learning, and consulting.

Since 2022, the Accelerator has helped expand the reach of 17 nonprofit organizations in India, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, South Africa, and the U.S. by more than 8.1 million people.

HP’s Commitment to Digital Equity and Sustainable Impact
As nearly half of the world's population remains offline, closing the digital divide through equitable access to technology, skills and content will transform lives and communities, creating a more equitable world. The Digital Equity Accelerator is one way HP is delivering progress toward its goal to accelerate digital equity for 150 million people by 2030.

For more information on the Digital Equity Accelerator, please visit www.hp.com/digitalequityaccelerator.

About HP
HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ) is a global technology leader and creator of solutions that enable people to bring their ideas to life and connect to the things that matter most. Operating in more than 170 countries, HP delivers a wide range of innovative and sustainable devices, services and subscriptions for personal computing, printing, 3D printing, hybrid work, gaming, and more. For more information, please visit: http://www.hp.com.

* Except in the Province of Quebec

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/40fa86b4-051a-4ffe-be9b-d2e5f773518f
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/97228dbe-5413-4c99-baee-54350551f75c
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/49adbfd0-1395-4389-b32f-8879606d5fc3