Investing in Infrastructure to Strengthen Our Future
This year, the CDE deepened its internal capacity to support a growing portfolio of initiatives while staying grounded in the values of equity, transparency, and community trust. CDE designed career development tools, expanded operational systems, and shaped a more strategic funding approach to remain a resilient, responsive partner in digital equity work.
Building a Culture of Growth and Development
To ensure that our internal team structure reflects the same values we bring to the ecosystem, we introduced two new tools to support personal and organizational development. A comprehensive role matrix now outlines responsibilities, skills, salary bands, and growth pathways for every role at CDE—empowering team members to map out their professional journey. Complementing that, a succession tracker reviewed biannually by leadership helps us monitor trends in promotions, tenure, and retention across the organization and identify where more support is needed to foster equity and advancement.
The CDE Team Grew by 129%
As our work continues to expand, so does our team. This year, we grew from 14 to 32 team members, thanks to partnerships with AmeriCorps, regional support, and graduate assistant roles through Queens University. With this growth came the need for more coordinated systems. We leveraged Agile frameworks and Asana project tracking to streamline workflows and enhance efficiency across our teams.
We also began a strategic assessment of our operational effectiveness in partnership with PwC. Their pro bono support focused on strengthening our internal processes, encompassing finance and grants management, as well as inventory tracking.
In the coming year, we’ll begin implementing key recommendations to ensure our operations remain both scalable and sustainable.
Strengthening the Foundation for Financial Sustainability
We pursued a diverse funding strategy this year, submitting applications for six funding opportunities. Of those, we received three—Spectrum-Charter, Ageless Access, and AT&T Skilling—bringing us halfway to our $1 million annual funding goal. While the shift in federal policy has paused our planned submission to the State Capacity Grant, the setback has reinforced the importance of our multi-pronged approach. We continue to explore new revenue opportunities, including developing a clear framework to describe and deliver our services, helping potential funders and partners better understand the value we bring and the solutions we offer.
- Spectrum-Charter
- Ageless Access
- AT&T Skilling
Embedding Equity in Our Operations
As a systems builder, CDE understands that inclusion doesn’t stop at programs—it must live within the organization itself. This year, we operationalized our core values by integrating equity practices throughout onboarding, staffing, and decision-making processes. All new team members now receive onboarding that connects their role to CDE’s broader mission and includes tools for considering impact, unintended consequences, and opportunities for community-centered design.
Combined with our succession tracking and increased alignment between job descriptions and community needs, this investment is ensuring that our internal growth reflects the diverse communities we serve.
Centering Data, Privacy, and Insight
To better manage our growing portfolio and preserve institutional knowledge, we have launched a new project management system with the support of PwC. Currently in use by our operations and marketing teams, the system centralizes our planning, tracking, and execution, making it easier to measure progress and ensure transparency. As we expand its use across the organization, the system will also support vendor collaboration and data-driven insight gathering, ultimately strengthening our ability to serve residents and partners with clarity and accountability. Just as we teach digital privacy and security in our skilling programs, we strive to model it internally.
When we tell residents they can trust us with their data, we mean it —and we back it up with systems designed to honor that trust.
Laying the Groundwork for Greater Visibility
Finally, we strengthened how residents and partners see, understand, and access our work. Through focus groups, internal exercises, and a brand audit conducted with external consultants, we examined how our visual identity and messaging could better reflect the communities we serve and the values we hold. This foundational work informed a broader effort to enhance our reach and brand awareness. A few key initiatives include:
Access Charlotte, a citywide initiative co-led with the City of Charlotte, connects residents with free internet, digital skills training, and Digital Navigator support. Its community-embedded delivery model strengthens local capacity while creating a more sustainable digital inclusion ecosystem.
The Digital Champion Grant from the State of North Carolina enabled us to scale our Digital Navigator model beyond Mecklenburg County, reaching residents in Gaston, Union, and Cabarrus counties with support that includes storytelling, outreach, and ongoing evaluation.
Similarly, Ageless Access, a statewide initiative in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, supports older adults through a tailored training toolkit and a growing network of trained Digital Navigators focused on senior engagement.
The CDE partnered with Barings, Habitat for Humanity, and E2D to launch a two-year initiative that equips every new and repaired Habitat home with refurbished laptops and wraparound digital support, ensuring families are connected from day one.
Through our Spectrum-Charter partnership, we expanded digital training in high-need areas, complementing initiatives like Access Charlotte and reinforcing a community-first approach to digital adoption.
Through our partnership with RISE and the CLT Alliance Foundation, we have integrated Digital Navigators into entrepreneurship programming, offering bilingual marketing, in-person tech support, and digital skills training at events such as Global Entrepreneurship Week.
These efforts exemplify how operational growth, clear communication, and cross-sector collaboration can amplify impact and ensure our message, our work, and our resources remain rooted in trust and powered by community.