Biden-Harris Administration Awards More Than $6 Million to Massachusetts in ‘Internet for All’ Planning Grants

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that Massachusetts 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. Massachusetts is receiving $6,003,760.60in funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to plan for the deployment and adoption of affordable, equitable, and reliable high-speed Internet service throughout the state. Massachusetts will receive $4,999,996.99 in Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grants to fund various activities including: 

• Developing of a 5-year action plan to close the broadband Internet availability gap;
• Identifying unserved and underserved locations;
• Asset mapping across Massachusetts to catalog high-speed Internet service adoption, affordability, equity, access and deployment;
• Conducting community surveys to better understand barriers to Internet adoption;
• Developing a data-driven strategy to achieve universal broadband access;
• Creating a Massachusetts-specific digital needs assessment;
• Awarding subgrant funding to the MassTech/Massachusetts Broadband Institute.

Massachusetts will receive $1,003,763.61 in Digital Equity Act grants to fund various activities including:

• Developing a statewide digital equity plan to close the digital equity gap;
• Hiring a digital equity inclusion specialist to create and execute the digital equity strategy;
• Working with a consortium of higher education institutions;
• Engaging with the National Digital Inclusion Alliance to seek advice and best practices.

[12/23/2022]