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Net Inclusion 2026
Every year, there are conferences that share information, and then there are conferences that shape a movement. Net Inclusion clearly falls into the second category.
Hosted by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA), Net Inclusion has become the most important gathering of practitioners, policymakers, funders, researchers, and advocates working to close the digital divide. It is where ideas are tested, partnerships are built, and the future of digital inclusion is driven forward in real time.
As a founding board member of NDIA, I am especially excited for Net Inclusion 2026. I have attended every conference since the very first one in Kansas City, and each year reinforces why this community and this convening matter so deeply. It reflects the values, people, and shared commitment that shaped my own journey in digital equity.
This year, I’m especially impressed by the depth and breadth of digitalLIFT staff leadership across the agenda. Our digitalLIFT staff are speaking in five sessions that span the full ecosystem of digital inclusion, including frontline instruction, disability accessibility, sustainability, aging, and creative expression. This level of participation reflects not only our expertise, but our commitment to strengthening the digital inclusion field as a whole.
Workshop | Tuesday, February 3 | 10:15 AM to 12:15 PM
Digital skills instruction is about more than teaching tools. It is about building confidence, adaptability, and problem-solving skills that last. In this hands-on workshop, digitalLIFT leaders Skye Downing and Jess Strom, alongside Inclusive Learning Strategist Xandi Wright, help practitioners rethink common instructional challenges through the lens of digital resilience. Participants will explore strategies that normalize anxiety, encourage safe exploration, and build transferable skills. Attendees will leave with five practical approaches they can apply immediately in their programs.
Workshop | Tuesday, February 3 | 10:15 AM to 12:15 PM
One of the most pressing challenges facing digital inclusion today is sustainability.
This interactive session invites participants to move beyond exclusive reliance on philanthropic and federal funding and explore how digital equity programs can be positioned as valuable services. I will join leaders from Connect Humanity, Mission Telecom, PCs for People, and others to examine how digital inclusion outcomes can translate into measurable cost savings, revenue growth, or risk reduction for public and private sector partners. Participants will leave with tools to map their impact to value, identify potential partners, and begin crafting pitches aligned with real-world economic and policy goals.
Workshop | Tuesday, February 3 | 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Digital inclusion cannot exist without accessibility. Ethen Baca of digitalLIFT joins Campaign Disability to lead an interactive training focused on ensuring programs, communications, and events are accessible by design. Participants will gain practical skills in accessible language, graphics, social media, document creation, and event planning. This session equips attendees with concrete steps to make accessibility a core component of digital inclusion work, rather than an afterthought.
Breakout Session | Wednesday, February 4 | 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Net Inclusion recognizes that data, policy, and programming alone do not tell the full story of digital inclusion. This creative showcase creates space for storytelling through art, music, poetry, film, and other formats. It is an opportunity to center lived experience, creativity, and reflection, and to remind us why this work matters and who it serves. No professional artistic background is required, only a story or perspective to share.
Breakout Session | Wednesday, February 4 | 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Older adults are one of the fastest-growing populations affected by the digital divide. This session brings together national leaders, including digitalLIFT, OATS from AARP, Cyber-Seniors, LeadingAge CAST, and others, to explore sustainable models for providing technical support to older adults. Participants will examine staffing structures, funding approaches, and service delivery models, including in-person, remote, hybrid, and partnership-based solutions. Attendees will also receive a resource toolkit with staffing templates, funding sources, and digital literacy partners that can be adapted regardless of organizational size or budget.
Turning Shared Values Into Shared Action
What makes Net Inclusion essential is not just the sessions, but the people. This is where digital navigators sit alongside federal policymakers, where grassroots organizations connect with national funders, and where difficult conversations are welcomed alongside collaboration and creativity.
For digitalLIFT, Net Inclusion 2026 is both a homecoming and a call to action. For me personally, it is a reminder of how far the digital inclusion movement has come and how much more we can accomplish together.
If you care about digital equity, digital justice, and digital inclusion, Net Inclusion is not optional. It is essential.
We cannot wait to be there, and we hope you will join us. See you there!