The Just Transition Fund Invests in Closing the Digital Divide to Strengthen Economic Resilience in Coal-Affected Communities

The Just Transition Fund (JTF) provides grants, technical assistance, peer-to-peer support, and education to help coal communities identify, prepare for, and apply for federal funding for broadband projects that meet local needs. Roughly one-third of residents in the rural and tribal areas the JTF serves cannot access high-speed internet—an inequity that restricts work, education, health care, public services, and civic engagement. Community and economic development organizations and government entities have essential roles to ensure that people in rural areas have equitable access to this critical infrastructure, can afford the service once it’s available, and can learn the necessary skills to use the internet to expand opportunities.