Diversity

The White House has taken its first steps toward distributing $45 billion of federal money aimed at getting the entire country connected to high-speed Internet, with President Biden inviting governors to start applying for these funds.

As the pandemic continues for a third year, addressing the digital divide is critical for local governments and communities to prosper. The solution is fiber and wireless broadband investment and ownership by municipalities, utilities, electrical co-ops, and Tribal governments. With access to fiber broadband, everyone from residents and tourists to government entities can benefit from telework, access online education, offer and access online services, use telehealth, take advantage of economic opportunities and stay connected.

Federal, state and local leaders gathered May 16 to discuss improving digital equity in Detroit (MI), where a large portion of the population remains offline. The roundtable discussion held at Detroit's Cass Technical High School included Federal Communications Commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel, Michigan Lt Gov Garlin Gilchrist (D-MI), Detroit's Director of Digital Inclusion Joshua Edmonds, and Detroit Public School Community District educators and students. Their discussion focused on affordable internet access and the Affordable Connectivity Program.

WeLink announced the Cities Challenge to invest up to $100 million of private capital in deploying the company’s turnkey solution in low-income communities across the country. The company focuses on bringing ultrafast internet to historically overlooked communities to make them future-ready. The WeLink Cities Challenge allows cities to work with WeLink to deliver much-needed digital infrastructure in neighborhoods identified by government partners. Through the Cities Challenge, WeLink aims to partner with large and mid-sized cities to accelerate efforts to deliver lasting digital equity.

This is the third in a four-part series about the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) digital equity and broadband grant Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) announcements from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) has identified how the BEAD Program will intersect with the Digital Equity Act Program and how the two complement each other:

This is the second in a four-part series about the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) digital equity and broadband grant Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) announcements from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Sifting through the Digital Equity Act (DEA) NOFO, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) identified the following highlights:

The subject of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)—the $60 million State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program—is part of the Digital Equity Act’s larger State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, the purpose of which is to promote the achievement of digital equity, support digital inclusion activities, and build capacity for efforts by States relating to the adoption of broadband by residents of those States.

BroadbandUSA’s Tribal Broadband Planning Toolkit provides the guidance, knowledge, and resources to design, implement, and then execute a broadband plan in Tribal communities. The toolkit outlines seven, common elements that serve as the building blocks of a Tribal broadband plan:

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act's $65 billion in broadband funding is fueling a nationwide rush by state and local

The Hispanic Federation and Comcast NBCUniversal have partnered to help community organizations in 20 cities, including Philadelphia (PA), battle the digital divide that sets Latinos behind in the workforce.