Illinois to Launch Next Phases of Connect Illinois, Waits on NTIA

Sep. 27, 2024 - The Illinois broadband office has received approval from the state’s Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to release two funding notices aimed at closing the state’s digital divide.

Illinois was approved to engage with the fourth round of the Connect Illinois grant program, which is backed by the Biden Administration’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program. The state continues to wait for approval of its BEAD proposal from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, part of the U.S. Commerce Department.

Illinois says that the Connect Illinois program is the largest state broadband funding program in the United States, with more than $400 million in funds to support expanded broadband access to the state’s unserved and underserved communities.

The Illinois broadband office was also approved to receive funding through the Illinois Digital Capacity Equity Grant. 

Both grant programs are slated to launch some time this fall.

As Illinois prepared to receive funding through the BEAD program, its broadband office noted that the states of Louisiana, West Virginia, and Nevada - among the first states to begin their subgrantee selection process - offered important insights.

In the lead up to the state’s own BEAD subgrantee selection process, its broadband office planned to host weekly informational webinars for providers to learn about the details and policies that went into the program.

According to the Illinois Office of Broadband, discussions on infrastructure conflict mitigation and alternative technologies provided good strategies for the implementation and modernization of broadband infrastructure

The state’s broadband office also met with Illinois' new Digital Equity Federal Program Officer, Ras Smith, who aimed to support the implementation of Illinois’ newly approved digital equity grants.