State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program

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

In recent days, major new proposals from the Trump Administration and the majority in Congress are damaging further mechanisms that would have provided low-cost broadband to households in need. The Department of Commerce issued radically revised guidance for states implementing the $42 billion Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program, and the Senate Commerce Committee released its part of the highly problematic reconciliation budget bill.

On behalf of the 156 individuals leading 140 organizations serving communities from 39 states, we, the undersigned, urge you to reinstate the Digital Equity Act (DEA) Programs that were cancelled on May 9, 2025. We are the organizations that would have carried out the work funded by the Digital Equity Act Program, created and authorized by Congress in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.

The adoption of digital workforce skills is more crucial than ever, panelists said at the Speeding BEAD Summit.

A group of representatives from Illinois, led by Sen Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), wrote to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick regarding the termination of the Digital Equity Act. The group objected to the cancellation of the funding and urged Secretary Lutnick to reinstate the funding immediately. "Congress recognized that broadband access and digital literacy are increasingly critical for employment, education, healthcare and participation in the broader economy.

The Digital Equity Act established the Digital Equity Planning Grant Program, the Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, and the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. Since early May, all 50 states, U.S. territories, and Tribal entities have grappled with the termination of broadband adoption funding through the Digital Equity Act, which President Donald Trump, via a social media post, declared to be racist, illegal, and unconstitutional.

In early May, following months of silence and confusion, the Trump administration abruptly cancelled Digital Equity Act programs—the US’s biggest investment in providing Americans with the tools and skills they need to reap the benefits of accessing the internet.

On Friday, May 9, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration terminated North Carolina’s $22.4 million Digital Equity Capacity grant. Without this funding, the North Carolina Department of Information Technology is not able to move forward with the $17 million Digital Opportunity Grant program, which would have expanded North Carolinians’ access to digital devices, help desk and technical support, as well as digital skills and online safety programs.

Education and technology leaders weighed in on what the elimination of Digital Equity Act funds means for students, teachers, and the nation as a whole. Amy Loyd, CEO of the nonprofit All4Ed and former assistant secretary of the U.S.

On Friday, May 9, 2025, the Trump Administration began notifying states that their Digital Equity Act Capacity Grant funds were terminated. The day prior, President Donald Trump shared via Truth Social that he and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick are determined to bring an end to the Digital Equity Act and its “unconstitutional” and “illegal” programs. In 2021, Congress included the Digital Equity Act in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to give U.S.