NTIA Approves $37 Million in Digital Equity Funds for Two States

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29, 2024 – Commerce Department officials announced this week that two more states were approved for access to over $37 million for digital equity programs.

Funding for Georgia and Indiana to implement their digital equity plans will come from the federally funded $1.44 billion State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program. Georgia is slated to receive $22 million while Indiana is set to receive $15 million.

The awards were announced on Friday by the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Funding for the grant program came from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.

The states’ respective digital equity plans outline how they will provide technology and skills to residents in order to help them access and use the internet.

The funding came from the first funding round of NTIA’s digital equity program, which allocated more than $800 million for states, territories and tribal entities.