- Seattle Invests in Tech Access
- $26M for North Carolina Broadband
- Appalachian Broadband Legislation Passes U.S. House
- AI Drives Wireless Network Demand
- Impact of Fiber in Flagstaff, Ariz.
- Federal Initiative for AI Literacy
SEATTLE INVESTS IN TECH ACCESS
The city of Seattle has announced the 2026 recipients of its Technology Matching Fund (TMF) grants. The TMF program is a partnership between the city and community organizations, through which funding is distributed annually to support technology access. The 2026 grants total $455,000, and Comcast and T-Mobile contributed.
Grants of up to $45,000 each will support the work of 11 nonprofits, each of which will match at least 25 percent of their request through money, volunteer time or other contributions. The projects will serve people in 20 different language groups. Recipients include Ada Developers Academy, the Chinese Information and Service Center, and Per Scholas Seattle.
“These programs are reaching community members where they are — both in their neighborhoods and in their native languages — to deliver essential digital skills and training,” Seattle City Council President Joy Hollingsworth said in a statement.
The Seattle Department of Neighborhoods partnered with Seattle IT to create a pilot for this year’s TMF to expand community outreach. Fifty-three organizations submitted applications for TMF grants this year, and those that were not selected are encouraged to apply again in the 2027 cycle.
A recent city report on its digital divide found that only 42 percent of those living in poverty report having basic digital skills, compared to 78 percent of all Seattle residents. The city has been working to bridge digital inequities through initiatives like the Old Tech Drive and tech support for small businesses.
$26M FOR NORTH CAROLINA BROADBAND
In state news, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein has announced nearly $26 million in awards through the state’s Stop-Gap Solutions program, which leverages American Rescue Plan Act funds to expand high-speed Internet infrastructure to eligible unserved and underserved households, businesses, community anchor institutions and state facilities. The program aims to bring connectivity to hard-to-reach areas with broadband line extensions, complementing other state deployment efforts.
The program launched in December 2025. The state must commit program funds by Dec. 31, 2026.
Teena Piccione, the outgoing Department of Information Technology secretary and state CIO, said in a statement the program allows the state to move with “urgency and precision.”
Awards were made to 14 broadband providers — including Cherokee Cablevision Inc., ERC Broadband LLC and Skyrunner Inc. — to support projects across the state.
APPALACHIAN BROADBAND LEGISLATION PASSES U.S. HOUSE
House Resolution 2474, the Expanding Appalachia’s Broadband Access Act, cleared the U.S. House of Representatives this week.
The legislation directs the U.S. Government Accountability Office to conduct a study on satellite capabilities that will be used by the Appalachian Regional Commission, measuring their ability to meet rural businesses’ needs. The bill, if passed, would require evaluation of economic development in areas using satellites for broadband services, and would analyze the cost-effectiveness of their implementations.
The resolution was first introduced in March 2025, and approved by the U.S. House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in January. The bill now moves to the U.S. Senate.
AI DRIVES WIRELESS NETWORK DEMAND
AI currently accounts for more than 4 percent of U.S. wireless traffic, according to a new report from the Wireless Infrastructure Association (WIA); this signifies nearly $3 billion in annual wireless network operational and capital investment costs. That number is expected to rise, but already, 74 percent of U.S. adults now use AI apps or services.
“AI doesn’t exist in a vacuum — it depends on fast, reliable, wireless connectivity,” Patrick Halley, WIA president and CEO, said in a statement, calling for infrastructure and spectrum policies that aim to meet future needs.
FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty has previously spoken about this issue, too, noting that AI’s future relies on the strength of existing networks. One report dubbed fiber broadband as “the only technology capable of supporting the backhaul requirements of AI data centers.”
IMPACT OF FIBER IN FLAGSTAFF, ARIZ.
The Fiber Broadband Association has released a study exploring the economic impact of a public-private partnership between the city of Flagstaff, Ariz., and Wecom Fiber.
This partnership is expected to inject more than $100 million into the local economy over five years — and save the city an estimated $18 million.
The city leveraged existing city-owned conduit and $2 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to attract supplemental private investment and deploy citywide fiber infrastructure.
The report also revealed that 208 miles of fiber will be deployed within city limits, and fiber will pass more than 30,000 locations; 815 additional miles are planned across Coconino County.
This work is expected to create other economic benefits, too, like increased property values and expanded remote work access. There are already plans for $50 million in private investment in the Flagstaff region.
FEDERAL INITIATIVE FOR AI LITERACY
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has launched a new AI literacy course that is free for U.S. workers to access by texting “READY” to 20202. The initiative’s text-based design is intended to make it more accessible.
Today, AI skills are an integral part of digital literacy.
The federal initiative was developed through a public-private partnership between DOL and a company called Arist.
The initiative focuses on several key content areas: understanding AI principles, exploring uses, directing the tools effectively, evaluating outputs and using the technology responsibly.
DOL has been taking action to support the workforce with AI literacy by releasing an AI Literacy Framework and providing guidance to states.
