Anchor Institution Say Mission Endures as Policy Climate Shifts

ARLINGTON, Va., Nov. 1, 2025 — The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition closed its annual AnchorNets conference here on Friday with a call for stronger mentorship and partnerships to advance digital equity even amid federal funding uncertainty.

Joseph “Joey” Wender, SHLB’s executive director, said the coalition had begun drafting a new three-to-five-year strategic plan focused on expanding its impact. “Momentum was on our side,” he said, citing the Supreme Court in Federal Communications Commission v. Consumers’ Research, in which SHLB participates, and new partnerships.

Cindy Aden, program chair at the University of Washington Information School, led the planning workshop and urged attendees to identify new audiences and measurable outcomes to guide SHLB’s next phase of advocacy.