The Department of Commerce’s NTIA https://ntia.doc.gov has awarded 19 grants totaling nearly $77 million as part of the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program.
The grants are being awarded in ten states including Alaska, Arizona, California Connecticut, Louisiana, Michigan, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and Washington.
The awards will fund internet use and adoption projects to improve healthcare, workforce development, education, housing, and social services in tribal communities.
Several brief descriptions for specific grant awards includes:
- The Alaska Federation of Natives in Alaska received $35,102,141 to help a consortium consisting of 73 Alaska Native Tribal governments, ANCs, and tribal organizations to reduce barriers to broadband usage among Native Alaskans. This will be accomplished by providing broadband enabled devices, subsidizing broadband and implementing digit and workforce training, and improving healthcare access by equipping Alaska tribal health partners with equipment and training needed to offer telehealth services.
- The Gila River Indian Community in Gila River Arizona received $4,477,345 to improve access to and use of internet services among Pima and Maricopa Tribal members. Internet network expansion will assist in telehealth expansion, distance learning opportunities, affordable internet service, economic growth, and digital inclusion efforts where internet access has grown as a result of COVID.
- Pauma Band of Luiseno Indians in Pauma Valley CA. received $498,389 to reduce barriers to internet usage among tribal members. The findings explore solutions and programs related to internet affordability, distance learning, telehealth, and telework. The project will purchase laptops and tablets and distribute them to a limited number of tribal members to use for teleworking, telemedicine, and remote learning
NTIA is preparing to launch series of new high speed internet grant programs that will build internet infrastructure across the country, create more low cost internet service options, and address the digital equity and inclusion needs in communities.