Biden-Harris Administration Awards More Than $5.5 Million to Maine in ‘Internet for All’ Planning Grants

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that Maine received 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. Maine is receiving $5,542,222.32 in funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Job Act, signed by President Biden, to plan for the deployment and adoption of affordable, equitable, and reliable high-speed Internet service throughout the state. Through the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program, Maine will receive $5 million to fund various activities including:

• Creation of an "All-in to get Internet for All (All-In Maine)" five-year high-speed Internet deployment plan;
• Workforce development and targeted research to accelerate education, training and employment opportunities for building high-speed Internet infrastructure;
• Efforts to engage, inform and capture ideas from Maine residents and communities on Maine's planning efforts;
• Surveys of unserved, underserved, and underrepresented communities to better understand barriers to high-speed Internet service adoption;
• Identification of underserved and unserved locations.

For Digital Equity Act planning efforts, Maine will receive $542,222.32 to fund various activities including:

• Building capacity of Maine's new Digital Equity taskforce;
• Creation of a Maine statewide digital equity plan;
• Efforts to connect with health, education development, social services, climate resilience, and civic engagement organizations;
• Analysis of barriers and solutions to high-speed Internet service adoption.