Passed as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in 2021, the Digital Equity Act provided $2.75 billion for state and local entities — including public schools and colleges — to help underserved people secure devices and skills to access and benefit from the Internet.
Information specific to the Digital Equity Act is no longer available on the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) website, but a summary document downloaded prior to its removal shows that the law defines underserved people, or “covered populations,” as:
- members of households with an income at or below 150 percent of the poverty level
- people who primarily reside in rural areas
- people with disabilities
- veterans
- incarcerated people in state or local facilities
- members of racial or ethnic minority groups
- people ages 60 and older
- English learners who have low levels of literacy
As of press time, the White House had not issued a formal statement on the termination of the Digital Equity Act. But Trump’s Truth Social post states that he and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick “agree that the Biden/Harris so-called ‘Digital Equity Act’ is totally UNCONSTITUTIONAL.”
“No more woke handouts based on race!” Trump wrote in the post. “The Digital Equity Program is a RACIST and ILLEGAL $2.5 BILLION DOLLAR giveaway. I am ending this IMMEDIATELY, and saving Taxpayers BILLIONS OF DOLLARS!”
WHAT THE DIGITAL EQUITY ACT DID
The Digital Equity Act had three funding pots: $60 million for states to develop digital equity plans to ensure their residents had access to wireless broadband and digital services, $1.44 billion for states to implement those plans, and $1.25 billion for a competitive grant program that would address any gaps in existing state digital equity plans.
According to a November 2024 update on the NTIA blog, the first pot of $60 million for state planning has already been spent. The blog reported that every state and territory created and adopted an NTIA-approved digital equity plan. Whether the government will try to claw back any of these state planning funds remains to be seen.
The second pot of funding, meant to help states implement their digital equity plans through 2026, became available in March 2024, the blog stated, and NTIA had announced more than $338 million in approved applications as of November 2024.
The blog further reported that most of the third pot of money, for the competitive grant program, was released in July 2024, “making nearly $1 billion available to city and county governments, Native entities, nonprofits, community anchor institutions, local educational agencies, and workforce development organizations.”
“The [competitive grant] funds will support programs that ensure communities have access to devices and skills regardless of their background or circumstances,” the blog post said. “NTIA received more than 700 applications requesting more than $6.5 billion, demonstrating the resounding need for digital equity projects across America.”
The nonprofit Benton Institute for Broadband and Society reported Wednesday that NTIA had so far approved 66 competitive grant program awards.
SPECIFIC INITIATIVES
As of press time, the White House had not released details about specific Digital Equity Act grants that have been terminated. But combing through the NTIA-approved digital equity plan of any state or territory shows what will no longer be funded by the act if its elimination stands.
For example, education-related objectives from Indiana’s 144-page digital equity plan include working with local schools for the deaf and blind to help students access non-standard devices, working with schools to provide more assistive technology for students with disabilities, and collaborating with local employers “to develop and support high school classes that teach employable digital skills.”
A news release Monday from the Maine Connectivity Authority outlined $35 million in Digital Equity Act grants terminated by NTIA last week. The release stated that the grants were awarded in December 2024 and January 2025 to fund a statewide device donation and refurbishment campaign, an educational platform for technical assistance, digital skills training and telehealth access, among other initiatives.
Kristina Egan, executive director of the Greater Portland Council of Governments, said the sudden loss of federal funding for these programs will have a negative impact on Maine and its residents.
“These programs are not abstract policy initiatives — they are lifelines for thousands of Maine residents who depend on digital access for education, health care, employment and basic education,” Egan said in a public statement. “The digital divide is not just a technological challenge — it’s a fundamental issue of access and opportunity. Maine cannot afford to take steps backward.”
POTENTIAL IMPACT
In separate emails to Government Technology today, education and technology leaders weighed in on what the elimination of Digital Equity Act funds means for students, teachers and the nation as a whole.
Amy Loyd, CEO of the nonprofit All4Ed and former assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, said President Trump’s termination of the Digital Equity Act will “cut funding for programs that help real people simply because he doesn’t like the word 'equity.'”
“This law was passed with strong bipartisan support. It benefits both red and blue states,” Loyd wrote. “Had the president reviewed the law more closely, he would have noticed that the populations it aims to support aren’t just defined solely by race. They include veterans, people living in rural areas and families earning less than 150 percent of the federal poverty line.”
Julia Fallon, executive director of the nonprofit State Educational Technology Directors Association, said the decision to end the Digital Equity Act will “jeopardize years of strategic planning and community-driven work to ensure all Americans have the tools and support needed to fully participate in modern life.”
“The impact on K-12 students and educators will be significant,” Fallon wrote. “This isn’t just about Internet access; it’s about opportunity. Ending these programs deepens the divide for students who rely on public investment to learn, connect and succeed.”
Steven Langford, chief information officer at Beaverton School District in Oregon, agreed with Fallon, adding that the loss of Digital Equity Act funds will make learning more difficult for students in underserved areas.
“Students rely on Internet access outside of the school day to complete their assignments and continue their learning,” Langford wrote. “Removing support for school systems to address student access to technology will mean that for some students, their ability to continue learning and get support will be diminished.”
Joseph Wender, executive director of the nonprofit Schools, Health and Libraries Broadband Coalition, said this funding was meant to help people in need, including students and teachers, “fully participate in our digital society.”
“Without this funding, less people, especially in rural and underserved areas, will be able to access education, apply for jobs and seek medical care,” Wender wrote. “We should be investing more in digital opportunity — not less — if we want the U.S. to remain a leader in education and innovation.”
