Florida Announces $13 Million for Broadband Devices
The money will allow community centers to loan devices like laptops and routers.
WASHINGTON, January 4, 2024 – Florida announced on Wednesday $13 million in grant funding for devices through its Digital Connectivity Technology Program.
Counties, municipalities, non-profits, and organizations serving high-poverty areas can apply for grants until March 4. The funds can be used to make devices like laptops and routers available for loan at local community centers, or to equip those community centers with connectivity equipment and devices.
The money comes from the Treasury Department’s Capital Projects Fund, a $10 billion pandemic response that provides states money for expanding broadband infrastructure and other connectivity projects. About $9 billion of that has been awarded so far.
Florida received an additional $247 million in CPF funds for its Broadband Infrastructure Program, which the state awarded in July. Those projects are expected to get broadband 59,000 homes, businesses, farms, and community centers.
CPF rules require new infrastructure funded by the program to deliver speeds of at least 100 * 100 Megabits per second (Mbps), but most projects funded by the state are expected to provide up to 1 * 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps).
The state will hold a webinar on the Digital Connectivity Technology Program’s application process on January 10.
