Individuals who are Members of a Racial or Ethnic Minority Group

This is the third in a three-part series about the State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program announcement from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).

As society becomes increasingly more technology-dependent, experts argue that high-speed internet should be present in all homes. However, digital divides are continuing to permeate the country with minorities being the ones primarily affected, according to a new report by the Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives (OMBI). The annual report shows that over 13 million new internet users came out of the U.S. within two years, from 2021 to 2023. But while a larger number of people are able to access the internet now, the gaps remain when it comes to digital connectivity efforts nationwide.

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) awarded more than $9 million to Nevada to implement its Digital Equity Plan.

American Indian and Alaska Natives living in tribal areas have among the nation’s lowest rates of high-speed internet access in the United States.

Across North Carolina, 63 community service, nonprofit, higher education and regional organizations will get $30 million in Digital Champion grants to help North Carolinians access and use high-speed internet.

Access to the internet via computer or smartphone is an important part of many Americans’ day-to-day lives. People use the internet for completing personal and professional tasks and for interacting with others across vast geographic distances. From browsing social media to paying bills online and countless other activities in between, access to the internet is nearly essential for many Americans.

The US Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has launched a collaborative project to adapt NIST’s digital identity guidelines to support public benefits programs, such as those designed to help beneficiaries pay for food, housing, medical, and other basic living expenses.

A new regulatory framework to address digital discrimination has created a chilling effect felt across the broadband industry mainly because of its unclear enforcement, according to aides to Republican Federal Communications Commissioners. “Out of fear of running afoul of the rules, companies will certainly avoid otherwise planned investments,” said Erin Boone, chief of staff and wireless advisor for Republican FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington.

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved Colorado and New Hampshire’s Initial Proposals for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, a cornerstone of the Biden-Harris Administration’s “Internet for All” initiative. This approval enables Colorado and New Hampshire to request access to funding and begin implementation of the BEAD program—a major step towards closing the digital divide and meeting the President’s goal of connecting everyone in America with affordable, reliable, high-speed Internet service.

Myrna Broncho realized just how necessary an internet connection can be after she broke her leg. Broncho needed nine surgeries and rehabilitation that took months.