NTIA Awards Maine $5.7 Million for Digital Equity

Dec. 7, 2024 – Federal officials in the U.S. Commerce Department announced Friday that the state of Maine was approved for more than $5.7 million to support its digital equity program.

The state’s funding will come from the State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, which made $1.44 billion in federal funding available for states to jump-start digital equity projects. The State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program is one of three digital equity grant programs created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.

Maine’s approval was announced in a Friday press release by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration in the Commerce Department.

Digital equity funding came from the first funding round of NTIA’s digital equity program, which disbursed more than $800 million in digital equity funding for states, territories and tribal governments.

Maine’s digital equity plans describe how the state will assist residents with digital skills and device purchases to help them access and use the internet.