Late last week, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) approved two more states’ applications for funding from the Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program.
The announcement said that “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 two new approved awards include $5 million for Alaska and $23 million for Ohio.
According to the announcement, the states will use the NTIA digital equity grant funds in a variety of ways:
Alaska:$5,631,769
- Launching statewide digital literacy programs with in-person programming, train-the-trainer, leveraging existing digital literacy resources and curricula, and coordinating with community partners
- Creating a device refurbishment, distribution, and maintenance program partnering with private and public agencies and organizations
Ohio:$23,291,991
- Creating a Digital Inclusion Grant Program
- Developing a statewide device ecosystem to increase access to affordable technology
- Offering online digital skills training to incarcerated individuals
“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. Alaska and Ohio now can put their digital equity plans into action,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson.
The awards announced last week — as well as the 11 announced in the last two weeks for Alabama, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Utah, West Virginia, and Wisconsin — come from the first round of the 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.
