Brick by Brick: HBCUs Are Using the Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program to Fortify the Communities They Serve

A look at how Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are using Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program funding to impact the students, faculty, staff, and residents in the communities that they serve. According to a 2021 report by McKinsey & Company, 82% of HBCUs are located in broadband deserts. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s funding for minority communities intends to elevate community partners and work toward closing deep-rooted digital divides. Each institution that applied for the funding outlined specific goals that they hope to achieve over the two-year period of the grant. Though each institution has considered the unique needs of the communities and populations they serve, the future institutional work plans fit into one of the following categories: community building, infrastructure expansion, upskilling the campus population, and device distribution.