State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program

Every person in America should be able to access affordable, high-speed internet no matter where they live or how much they earn. I am proud to highlight that we are finalizing a rule to allow schools and libraries—primarily in low-income and rural areas—to use funding from the Federal Communications Commission’s E-Rate program for Wi-Fi hotspots that will increase access to remote learning and virtual library services. Additionally, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration will award over $9 million to the state of Nevada to implement their Digital Equity Plan.

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has accepted Digital Equity plans from American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each territory received $150,000 from the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program to create a plan aimed at addressing disparities in digital access, skills and affordability across the state. NTIA has now accepted digital equity plans from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S.

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

The Michigan High Speed Internet Office (MIHI) launched Michigan's Inclusive Training, Technology and Equity Network (MITTEN), a $13 million grant program to bolster digital inclusion and capacity building efforts for regional entities and collaboratives throughout the state. Applicants are encouraged to apply to be regional resource hubs and host sites for the state’s regional digital coordinators.

President Joe Biden regularly emphasizes how the major pieces of legislation he has signed — the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act — expand opportunities for Americans. This is especially true for rural Americans. Those three laws appropriated billions of dollars — about $464 billion — for many projects that could be particularly relevant to rural communities, allowing them to dream of a different economic future.

Digital connectivity is important for everyone to gain access to productivity and life-improving technologies. As we march into the era of generative artificial intelligence and the acceleration of fintech for businesses and personal banking, digital inclusion (DI) becomes an increasingly important topic for community development and economic inclusion.

Digital equity cannot be fully realized without the participation of educational institutions, including K-12 public schools, community colleges, historically black and other minority serving colleges and universities, and extension programs. Many state digital equity plans embrace education and potential collaborations with educational institutions. All states acknowledge that digital equity is critical to education.

Congress included the ACCESS BROADBAND Act in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 and established the Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth (OICG) within the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). On April 30, OICG released its annual report detailing the office's work for 2023. OICG administers broadband programs created by both the Consolidated Appropriations Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Four interconnected core pillars drive OICG’s initiatives, strategy, and key accomplishments:

The U.S. Virgin Islands' Next Generation Network (viNGN) released the draft U.S. Virgin Islands Digital Equity Plan (USVIDEP) for public comment. Being disconnected from a connected world is not new to the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has now accepted digital equity plans from all 50 States, DC, and Puerto Rico.