Yesterday and today, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) approved four more states’ applications, two territories’ applications, and Washington, D.C.’s application for funding from the Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program.
The announcement said, “States will use this funding to implement their digital equity plans, which outline how they will empower individuals and communities with the tools and skills necessary to benefit from meaningful access to affordable, reliable, high-speed Internet service.”
The seven new approved NTIA digital equity awards include grants for four states — Florida, Iowa, Maine, and Montana — Washington, D.C., and two territories: the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam.
According to the announcement, the grantees will use the NTIA digital equity funds in a variety of ways:
Florida: $41,748,794
- Cultivate and promote efforts from the private sector and community anchor institutions to provide cybersecurity and privacy skills training and technical support.
- Implement ConnectedFlorida, a program that intends to subgrant funds for programs that encourage workforce development, digital literacy, device ownership, and other digital adoption activities.
Iowa: $8,442,129
- Work with public libraries to expand their Wi-Fi hotspot checkout program.
- Develop a virtual training platform to provide cybersecurity training.
- Fund a program that will help incarcerated individuals access educational opportunities, including digital skills and cybersecurity training.
Maine: $5,784,349
- A comprehensive digital opportunity program, including support for Internet access, digital skills building, and internet safety education.
- A statewide device donation and refurbishment campaign.
- A statewide awareness campaign for a new online directory of digital resources called Tech Help for ME.
Montana: $6,938,534
- Upgrade facility access for the Montana School for the Deaf & Blind to support distance learning across Montana.
- Expand the Last Mile Prison Coding and Web Development Program for the Montana Department of Corrections.
- Connect rural Montanans to workforce development and other essential services through the Montana Prosperity Portal.
Washington, D.C.: $3,804,000
- Collaborate with others, including universities, on new programming and research such as a telehealth pilot program and a digital navigators program.
- Launch a digital equity subgrant program for eligible entities, such as community and economic development agencies.
The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands: $2,100,000
- Initiate discussions with telehealth and telecommunications providers to establish a robust telehealth network connecting Saipan, Tinian, Rota, and the Northern Islands.
- Form a working group with at least one representative from each school district to assess the current internet technology curriculum.
Guam: $2,100,000
- Engage libraries, healthcare providers, and cultural centers for digital navigator programs, free Wi-Fi hotspots, and device distribution.
- Collaborate with workforce agencies, labor organizations, and educational institutions to integrate digital skills training and promote innovation.
“For the first time, every state in the nation has a digital equity plan in place to promote widespread adoption of high-speed Internet services. These states and territories now can request access to the funds to put their digital equity plans into action,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson about the digital equity awards.
The awards announced today and yesterday — as well as the 27 announced previously — come from the first round of the NTIA Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, which made more than $800 million (of the total $1.44 billion State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program) available to states.
