State and Local Stakeholders are Key to Making Emergency High-Speed Internet Programs Long-Term Successes

Heartland Forward has created a multi-year, multi-pronged initiative, Connecting the Heartland, that includes a new workshop series to bring together decision-makers and influencers from the Beltway with the problem-solvers and doers in the Heartland who are working to expand high-speed internet access. April 19 was the first workshop, co-hosted by the National Urban League and Land O’Lakes, where we spoke with Federal Communications Commission Acting Chair Jessica Rosenworcel about the new Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program intended to help struggling households afford high-speed internet service at home in the wake of the pandemic. It was also here where we began discussing what it will take to get to a long-term solution. Takeaways:

• The EBB funding program is an important step in the right direction, but the program’s success will depend on planning and coordination among state and local stakeholders.
• Achieving success for this short-term program is critical for helping to shape the long-term solution in our country. So, it is imperative that those involved take note of lessons learned, seek out best-practices and share them – with other states, and with federal policy makers.
• It will take creativity and true grassroots, person-to-person, outreach to get eligible families connected and set up to access essential virtual services and opportunities.