Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program

In the United States, millions of Americans lack a broadband connection at home due to the high cost and unaffordability of services. In 2021, Congress allocated nearly $65 billion for broadband programs through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. A large portion of these funds were allocated for the Broadband, Equity, Access, & Deployment and Digital Equity Act programs, which allocated funds to states for deploying infrastructure, promoting broadband adoption, and developing programs to develop digital skills.

Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) called on Arielle Roth, the recently confirmed Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), to fulfill her responsibility to fully implement programs authorized and funded by Congress—specifically, the Digital Equity Act and the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. Senator Luján urged Roth to make her first act as Administrator the immediate restoration of suspended digital equity grants and the release of approved federal funding to connect all New Mexicans to broadband.

The Northeast Ohio Regional Digital Opportunity Alliance, which includes the Cuyahoga County Public Library, was planning to increase the number of digital navigators in 2025. It was part of a larger plan to expand efforts to close the digital equity gap.

A wave of funding cuts risks digital skills training, device access, and navigator programs that help unconnected Americans get online and meaningfully use the internet. Meeting this challenge will take creativity and cross-sector partnerships — but if we succeed, it could power the digital inclusion sector’s next chapter. It’s been a hard year for digital inclusion. The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) has ended. The Digital Equity Act (DEA) funds so many fought for have been cancelled.

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Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) announced the re-release of the ConnectALL Digital Equity Program Capacity Grant Request for Applications, committing over $5 million in State funding to continue New York's digital equity grantmaking after federal funding was terminated by the Trump administration in May 2025. The ConnectALL Digital Equity Program will award grants across the state to support digital equity and inclusion projects that provide New Yorkers with devices, skills, and awareness needed to make use of affordable, reliable broadband service.

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society congratulates Assistant Secretary Roth and looks forward to working with her and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration on realizing our shared national goal of universal connectivity and digital opportunity in the U.S. During her confirmation process, Ms. Roth repeatedly affirmed her commitment to following the law as she implements broadband programs housed at NTIA.

The Senate Committee on Appropriations approved the Fiscal Year 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations Act, providing support for law enforcement, economic development, scientific research, and other national priorities. The measure, which was advanced by a vote of 19-10, provides $79.7 billion in discretionary funding, including $6.6 billion in defense funding and $73.1 billion in nondefense funding. 

The fifth report of the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Access (Task Force) continues the ambitious goals set by the Task Force in 2024 and provides forward-looking recommendations that will continue to promote the efficient, strategic expansion of broadband access and adoption across Wisconsin. This 2025 Task Force Report comes at a pivotal time for policy makers and elected officials. Many of the past recommendations that were enacted are resulting in significant measurable progress for internet access and adoption in Wisconsin.

Continuing his crusade against diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, President Donald Trump announced he was shutting down the Digital Equity Act in May 2025.