Biden-Harris Administration Awards $5.5 Million to Rhode Island in ‘Internet for All’ Planning Grants

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awards Rhode Island with its first “Internet for All” grants for deploying high-speed Internet networks and developing digital skills training programs under the Biden-Harris Administration’s Internet for All initiative. Rhode Island is receiving $5,506,100.07 in funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to plan for the deployment and adoption of affordable, equitable, and reliable high-speed Internet throughout the state.  Rhode Island will receive $5 million in Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment grants to fund various activities including:

• Identification of unserved and underserved locations;
• Capacity-building and employee training of the state broadband office;
• Asset mapping across Rhode Island to catalog high-speed Internet adoption, affordability, equity, access and deployment;
• Support for the Rhode Island Broadband Development Program, including a 5-year action plan and enhancing a previous statewide assessment of infrastructure and Internet service availability;
• Refining state goals, principles, priorities and strategies for digital equity;
• Reaching more than 3,000 people to better understand barriers to Internet access, affordability, adoption, digital literacy, online privacy and cybersecurity, and access to digital opportunities and devices.

Rhode Island will receive $506,100.07 in Digital Equity Act grants to fund various activities including:

• Development of a statewide digital equity plan;
• Engage local and regional stakeholders on Internet access and equity issues;
• Conduct a digital equity survey and coordinate with local governments to ensure statewide outreach.