Community Anchor Institutions

Institutions that are rooted in their local communities by mission, invested capital, or relationships to customers, employees, and vendors.

FCC Announces Over $1.7 Million In Emergency Connectivity Funding

The Federal Communications Commission announced it is committing over $1.7 million in a new funding round through the Emergency Connectivity Program, which provides digital services for students in communities across the

FCC Targets Additional $7 Million Toward Affordable Connectivity Program Awareness

The Federal Communications Commission is targeting approximately $7.445 million for two additional one-year, pilot outreach grant programs to raise awareness of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The two pilot programs will test a variety of methods to reach out to federal housing communities, and work with trusted third parties to assist consumers with completing and submitting an ACP application. The FCC selected 23 applicants for the Your Home, Your Internet Program and 9 applicants for the ACP Navigator Pilot Program.

FCC Seeks Budget Boost to Power Equitable Communications Buildout

The Federal Communications Commission has asked for a budget increase of a little more than 5 percent for fiscal 2024 (FY 2024), given inflation and its goal of getting broadband to 100% of the US in an equitable and inclusive way. In its budget request to Congress, the FCC said its top priority is the universal broadband the Biden administration has said should be achievable by the end of the decade. To do that, the agency said, it wants a 5.3

Use of Telemedicine among Physicians and Development of Telemedicine Apps

Prior to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, adoption of telemedicine was slow and its usage was rare. However, during the pandemic, usage of telemedicine increased dramatically with physicians using a number of telemedicine tools to deliver health services, while limiting patients’ exposure to the virus. Wide use of telemedicine may impact various aspects of health care delivery such as quality, cost, and access to care. Thus, a detailed understanding about the usage of telemedicine is vital to develop better policies associated with health care delivery.

2022 Report to Congress: Update on the Access, Exchange, and Use of Electronic Health Information

Hundreds of thousands of physician offices, hospitals, and health systems across the US have transitioned from paper-based medical records to health IT that is certified under the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) Health IT Certification Program. This report highlights the impact that the 21st Century Cures Act (Cures Act) and its implementation contributed to continued progress toward interoperable access, exchange, and use of electronic health information (EHI).

IMLS Awards $180 Million to Support Communities Through Library Services in All U.S. States and Territories

In support of the intrinsic role that libraries play in promoting informed, healthy, vibrant communities, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has awarded $180 million in annual grants to each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the US Territories and Freely Associated States. These grants represent the largest source of federal funding support for library services.

50 Ways the American Rescue Plan Act is Improving Internet Connectivity

Today marks the second anniversary of the American Rescue Plan Act. Funding from the law provided over $25 billion to jumpstart universal broadband access—including broadband connections for 16 million students through the Emergency Connectivity Fund for schools and libraries to close the homework gap.

Breaking barriers in fiber fieldwork

Tonya Felsinger spent more than half her life working in the food service industry. She obtained her GED a few years ago, and her GED teacher and an administrator at Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology (OSUIT) encouraged her to try the school’s new fiber technician training course.

FCC Announces $66 Million in Affordable Connectivity Program Outreach Grants

The Federal Communications Commission is targeting approximately $66 million through the Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program to drive awareness and enrollment in the country’s newest and largest broadband affordability program in the nation’s history.

Digital healthcare equity in primary care: implementing an integrated digital health navigator

The 21st Century Cures Act and the rise of telemedicine led to a renewed focus on patient portals. However, portal use disparities persist and are in part driven by limited digital literacy. To address digital disparities in primary care, we implemented an integrated digital health navigator program supporting portal use among patients with type II diabetes. During our pilot, we were able to enroll 121 (30.9%) patients in the portal.