What’s New in Digital Equity: NDIA’s Map of Coalitions

This week in “What’s New in Digital Equity” — our weekly look at government digital equity and broadband news — we have a number of interesting items, which you can jump to with the links below:

• NDIA's Map of Coalitions
• Broadband Legislation Roundup
• North Carolina Launches Grant Program
• Broadband Apprenticeship Program Created in Ohio
• Repurposing Lighting Infrastructure for Connectivity
  

NDIA’S MAP OF COALITIONS

The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) has published an interactive map of 85 digital equity coalitions at the statewide, regional and local levels, along with visualizations to help stakeholders that are working to expand connectivity more easily connect with one another to share information.

The tools were created leveraging information from a fall 2024 survey, building on a webpage the organization created to centralize information about these coalitions.

Users can search specific addresses on the interactive map of place-based coalitions.

Of the 85 coalitions that completed the survey, 37 represent localities, 28 represent regional geographies, and 22 represent entire states. (Individual coalition numbers total 87 when added, suggesting some may represent or serve more than one area.) Three of the state-level coalitions are in Arizona. The state with the most coalitions is New York, with 10, followed by California with eight and Maine with seven.

Sixty-five of the coalitions have been formed since 2020, demonstrating significant growth in digital equity work since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

NDIA plans to reopen its survey later this year, after analysis of initial findings is completed, to continually gather information and update these tools as the information evolves. The full survey results and additional tools will be published when analysis is completed. This is not a comprehensive count of every such coalition in the country, NDIA noted in a blog, but rather, of those that completed the survey.

BROADBAND LEGISLATION ROUNDUP

Several pieces of legislation related to broadband have been introduced at the federal level.

The Bridging the Broadband Gap Act was introduced April 9, which would amend the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to allow recipients of Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program funding to provide broadband vouchers to households in specific locations. The program, established by Congress, is currently on hold for federal review.

The bipartisan, bicameral Proper Leadership to Align Networks (PLAN) for Broadband Act was introduced in the House on April 10, not for the first time, with the goal of developing a national strategy for digital equity. The PLAN Act passed the Senate Commerce Committee on March 12.

The Coastal Broadband Deployment Act was reintroduced on April 10, aiming to accelerate the deployment of projects that are located within a floodplain.

The Stopping the Theft and Destruction of Broadband Act was introduced April 10; the legislation would impose penalties for damage or theft of broadband lines. The bill resembles state legislation recently signed by Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, reclassifying telecommunications and broadband infrastructure as critical infrastructure to deter tampering.

NORTH CAROLINA LAUNCHES GRANT PROGRAM

In state news, two grant programs in North Carolina will support continued efforts to get constituents online.

First, the state’s $17 million Digital Opportunity grant program will expand access to digital devices, technical support, digital skills training, and online safety programming. The program will be administered by the N.C. Department of Information Technology’s (NCDIT) Office of Digital Opportunity. Program applicants can apply to one of two tracks: 1) digital skills, digital navigation and online safety; or 2) computer ownership capacity building and sustainability. More information about the program and application eligibility can be found on its website.

Second, more than $41 million was announced for projects through the Completing Access to Broadband program, building on $31 million announced earlier this month. More information about the latter program can be found through the NCDIT Division of Broadband and Digital Opportunity website.

BROADBAND APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM CREATED IN OHIO

Broadband expansion efforts can create jobs for state workforces, and Ohio has invested in exactly that, as previously seen through an effort to expand the number of fiber-optic technicians in the state to support network deployment work.

Now, there’s a new pre-apprenticeship program launched by Ohio’s Youngstown State University (YSU) in partnership with the Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program, and powered by the Wireless Infrastructure Association.

“Pre-apprenticeship programs are a proven way to create accessible career paths within high-demand fields such as the broadband industry,” Lindsey Ekstrand, YSU’s director of workforce education programs, said in a statement.

Enrollment for the program is now open.

REPURPOSING LIGHTING INFRASTRUCTURE FOR CONNECTIVITY

A unique pilot opportunity was launched this week by US Ignite in partnership with Signify; it aims to demonstrate for selected communities how traditional lighting infrastructure can be transformed into reliable, high-bandwidth communication infrastructure.

Communities selected for the Brightening Smart Communities with Innovation Pilot Program will be able to tailor the pilot focus to their local needs. Each pilot will run for up to six months, aiming to accelerate smart city innovation in a way that saves costs and prevents disruption.

“This pilot launch marks a new era of connectivity, where every light pole becomes a gateway to opportunity,” Kristene Canady, vice president, business development, Signify BrightSites said in a statement.

Communities must apply by May 16 to be considered. More information can be found on the program website.