Technology
Catalyst Impact Narratives explore how we help organizations create the conditions for prosperity—through data-driven insight, strategic growth, and a deep commitment to strengthening the fabric of community.
Community-Driven Connectivity: Creating Conditions for Prosperity
In a marketplace dominated by national telecom giants, community-based internet providers face an uphill battle. Despite offering faster, more reliable, and more personalized service, many municipal broadband initiatives struggle to compete with the scale and promotional budgets of larger corporations.
At Catalyst, we believe that connectivity is a cornerstone of community prosperity. We help municipal and regional broadband providers turn their local roots into a strategic advantage—positioning them not just as internet service providers, but as engines of digital equity, economic development, and long-term community resilience.
A Framework for Growth Grounded in Purpose and Place
Our work with municipal broadband leaders reveals a clear truth: the future of connectivity lies in community. We’ve developed a strategic approach that helps providers move beyond price wars and build meaningful value through trust, local impact, and inclusive expansion.
1. Reframing the Value Proposition
We help providers redefine what success looks like—not just in terms of speed or cost, but in terms of community impact. Our approach includes:
Quantifying how subscriber revenue stays in the local economy.
Connecting broadband infrastructure to improvements in education, small business vitality, and public services.
Emphasizing public accountability over profit motives, reinforcing the community-first mission.
Developing "Digital Dividend" reporting to transparently showcase community reinvestment.
2. Creating a Community-Centric Service Model
Municipal broadband is rooted in people, not just performance. We help build models that:
Employ local teams who build real relationships with their neighbors.
Launch Digital Navigator programs to close the digital divide, especially for seniors and underserved populations.
Partner with schools, libraries, and nonprofits to expand digital literacy and ensure equitable access.
Form community advisory boards that shape services based on lived experience.
These investments turn service delivery into trust-building—and connectivity into belonging.
3. Expanding with Precision, Not Just Scale
Growth is most effective when it’s intentional and inclusive. We support broadband providers to:
Identify and prioritize service in digitally neglected neighborhoods.
Establish cooperative expansion plans with neighboring municipalities.
Pilot neighborhood-based signup campaigns that build demand before infrastructure investment.
Engage local institutions—schools, clinics, businesses—as partners in sustainable expansion.
This model ensures that every mile of fiber strengthens the economic and social fabric of the community it serves.
Measurable Results, Rooted in Impact
With Catalyst as a partner, municipal broadband providers are primed to:
Increase subscriber retention despite aggressive national promotions.
Boost year-over-year subscriber growth in key service areas.
Improve ARPU through locally aligned tiered service models.
Elevate customer satisfaction by embedding support within the community.
Beyond Market Share – Advancing Digital Equity and Local Empowerment
Connectivity is no longer a luxury—it’s a public good. The most successful municipal broadband providers understand this and embrace their role as community stewards.
At Catalyst, we help these providers not just survive in a competitive market—but lead with purpose. Together, we create the conditions for digital prosperity and ensure that every household, business, and institution has the connectivity they need to thrive.
