OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington State Department of Commerce announced Monday a $15.99 increase in federal funding to implement the Digital Equity Plan.
National Telecommunications and Information Administration funding will enable states to implement strategies to expand broadband access and digital literacy.
The grant comes less than two months after Gov. Jay Inslee appointed Aaron Wheeler to lead the Washington State Broadband Authority.
Wheeler celebrated the new funding opportunity and affirmed his office's goal to reduce the digital divide across the Evergreen State.
“This is an important milestone for our state. Closing the digital divide is not just about technology, it’s about creating opportunity for everyone,” Wheeler said.
The federal government's approved digital equity plan focuses on low-income people, people with disabilities, and Indigenous peoples as areas for improvement in Washington's current digital access environment.
According to the Department of Commerce, 82 percent of white Washingtonians subscribe to broadband, compared to just 74 percent of American Indians and 79 percent of African Americans.
The Digital Equity Plan emphasizes the need for government agencies to work directly with community leaders to overcome barriers to digital access.
Federal funding for the project comes from the massive $2.75 billion National Digital Equity Grant Program, which the Biden administration has touted as a key component of the president's larger infrastructure plan.
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