On July 24, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced a nearly $1 billion Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. These competitive grants will help fund initiatives that support low-income households, older adults, rural communities, and other populations most impacted by the digital divide.
Grant eligibility extends to a wide range of entities and organizations, including public housing authorities, non-profits, workforce development agencies, and other community anchor institutions. Additionally, applications involving partnerships between any of these entities described in the NOFO are also eligible. Interested applicants can review the Digital Equity Competitive Grant NOFO and application resources including Digital Equity Technical Assistance Hub.
This competitive grant aims to enhance existing broadband deployment initiatives by creating additional opportunities for digital access to hard-to-reach areas and populations. To learn more about developing a competitive application that leverages existing resources, consult your state or territory's existing digital access plans through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. Other relevant resources include:
NTIA plans to conduct a range of online seminars. These sessions aim to provide guidance to potential applicants regarding the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. Additionally, they will offer support to help candidates develop strong and effective grant proposals. Interested applicants can review and register for upcoming webinars:
PHADA encourages interested members to apply. The application deadline is September 23.