Gov Pritzker Announces Illinois Broadband Grant Recipients

Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced the first cohort of grant recipients as part of the Office of Broadband Regional Engagement for Adoption and Digital Equity (READY) program. Through this first of its kind program, $200,000 has been awarded to four regional entities to accelerate progress toward eliminating the digital divide. The inaugural READY cohort is fueling local efforts in four major regions throughout Illinois, including East Central, Northern Stateline, Southeastern, and Southern Illinois. The program is one of an increasing robust Digital Equity Package offered by the Illinois Office of Broadband to increase access, adoption and utilization of high-speed internet access--all through the lens of digital equity and inclusion. To further these efforts across all ten economic development regions of the state, the Office of Broadband is launching the next READY notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) June 16, with another $250,000 available for grants. The initial cohort of READY grantees includes awards of $50,000 for the following entities:

• Eastern Illinois University on behalf of the Southeastern Region
• Region 1 Planning Council on behalf of the Northern Stateline Region
• Southern Illinois University on behalf of the Southern Region
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on behalf of the East Central Region

The Broadband READY program is part of a comprehensive Digital Equity Package announced by Governor Pritzker in Fall 2020 to boost broadband capacity while addressing existing broadband equity gaps.  The  program and other investments to enhance community planning and equitable implementation will complement the Governor's Connect Illinois program, a $400 million plan to deliver universal access to high-speed internet statewide. A second round of READY grants are now available, with a deadline of October 4, 2021, to apply.