US Ignite Partners with Seven Communities to Maximize Federal Funding Impact for Broadband Deployments

Seven communities officially joined the US Ignite network thanks to a $214,000 investment by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. US Ignite will support the communities by identifying federal funding opportunities for broadband and smart city projects, and by providing expert guidance on how to address connectivity and related service needs in under-resourced areas. Among the new cohort of communities, US Ignite will work closely with local government officials and leaders from the private, academic, and nonprofit sectors to assess connectivity options in underserved neighborhoods. Through partnerships and peer learning, US Ignite’s goal is to maximize the impact of newly available federal funds, such as those from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program recently announced by the National Telecommunications Infrastructure Association (NTIA). The seven communities are:

• Charlotte, NC
• Detroit, MI
• Duluth, MN
• Long Beach, CA
• Miami-Dade County, FL
• Philadelphia, PA
• San Jose, CA