Minnesota DEED Announces Federal Approval of Digital Opportunity Plan

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) announced Minnesota's Digital Opportunity Plan has been accepted by the US Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The acceptance means the state is now eligible for federal grants to implement the plan, which will help reduce gaps in internet adoption, and expand digital skills and digital technology access. The Digital Equity Act, part of the Internet for All initiative and a key piece of President Biden's Investing in America Agenda, provides $2.75 billion to establish three federal grant programs—the State Digital Equity Planning Grant, Digital Equity Capacity Grant and Digital Equity Competitive Grant—that promote digital equity and inclusion. DEED's Digital Opportunity Plan, produced by the Office of Broadband Development (OBD), details how Minnesota will use its Internet for All grant funding to expand digital access.