Closing The Digital Divide with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)
In November 2021, President Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) into law. This piece of legislation, to be administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), encompasses a $65 billion investment meant to help close the digital divide by ensuring that everyone in the United States – including all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and territories – has access to affordable, reliable, and high-speed broadband internet access.
The IIJA’s total $65 billion allotment of funds is further divided through four separate funding programs:
-
The Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment Program (BEAD)
-
The Digital Equity Programs
-
The Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program
-
The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program
The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program
The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program allocates $42.45 billion for broadband deployment, mapping, and adoption projects. Each state, along with Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, will receive an initial allocation of $100 million to support planning efforts, including building capacity in state broadband offices and outreach with local communities.
Each state has submitted an initial 5-year action plan, informed by collaboration with local and regional entities, detailing the intended use of their initial allotment. As indicated by FCC broadband maps, the remaining funding will be distributed based on a formula considering the number of unserved and high-cost locations in the state. Priority for funding is given to unserved areas (below 25/3 Mbps), followed by underserved areas (below 100/20 Mbps), and then serving Community Anchor Institutions – also known as CAIs (1/1 Gbps).
That said, while nobody knows how the process of reconciling the FCC’s maps with state-assembled maps of eligible locations will “shake out,” the feeling is that very quickly funding awards will shift from connecting unserved/underserved communities to connecting CAIs. This is partly what makes RI so unique – many states will likely not get too far into connecting CAIs because they have proportionally far more unserved/underserved locations to address first.
The Digital Equity Act Programs
The Digital Equity Act Programs dedicate $2.75 billion to establish three grant programs promoting digital inclusion and equity. The goal of these programs is to ensure that individuals and communities have the skills, technology, and capacity needed to benefit fully from the digital economy. Targeted populations include low-income households, aging populations, incarcerated individuals, veterans, individuals with disabilities, those with language barriers, racial and ethnic minorities, and rural inhabitants. Additionally, a major goal for Rhode Island stakeholders is to not make this a one-time effort, but instead to establish sustainable frameworks of on-going Digital Equity support.
-
State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program: A $60 million formula grant program for states and territories to develop digital equity plans.
-
State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program: A $1.44 billion formula grant program distributed over 5 years to implement digital equity projects and support plan implementation.
-
Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program: A $1.25 billion discretionary grant program distributed over 5 years for implementing digital equity projects. Eligible applicants include specific political subdivisions, tribal governments, nonprofit entities, community anchor institutions, local educational agencies, and workforce development programs.
The Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program
The Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program allocated $1 billion toward the construction, improvement, or acquisition of middle mile infrastructure with the goal of expanding and extending middle mile infrastructure to reduce the cost of connecting unserved and underserved areas to the internet backbone. Eligible applicants included states, political subdivisions, tribal governments, technology companies, utilities, telecommunications entities, nonprofit organizations, and regional planning councils.
This portion of the funding has been fully allocated, and since Rhode Island does not have nearly as much rural space as other states, this was not a focal point of the action plan. Additionally, Rhode Island was able to fulfill a lot of the state’s middle mile needs with the funding granted through the Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BTOP) and a large-scale buildout that took place in 2010-2013.
The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program
The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program allocates an additional $2 billion to support tribal governments in broadband deployment on tribal lands. Funds can also be used for telehealth, distance learning, broadband affordability, and digital inclusion initiatives.
The Narragansett Tribe here in Rhode Island received $2.5million in broadband funding through other initiatives to help increase connectivity through all means except fiber optics. BEAD funding could help the tribe to improve their speeds and give them ownership over the fiber.
According to Tribal Business News, “Because BEAD funds flow directly to state governments, those governments must now begin the process of selecting intrastate projects and proposals for funding. An important part of that process is reaching out and receiving comment and consultation from tribes, according to BEAD Program Director Evan Feinman.” This is an area where OSHEAN is eager to help further bridge the digital divide.
The Digital Landscape of the Ocean State
In some parts of the country, especially in the south and midwest, there are large swaths of unconnected rural areas where residents and businesses cannot access broadband internet.
Rhode Island, however, does not necessarily face the same challenges that may exist in rural Texas, for example. Here in the Ocean State, broadband is accessible just about everywhere. Because of this, the traditional concept of “middle mile” infrastructure is not necessarily as relevant in Rhode Island as in other regions. Instead, the challenge lies in ensuring that broadband is not only affordable, but that Rhode Islanders have the digital literacy skills needed to utilize connectivity to its full potential. This is where the Digital Equity work is so important.
Closing The Digital Divide in Rhode Island
Rhode Island’s Digital Equity Plan, spearheaded by the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation and the ConnectRI initiative, exemplifies the state’s commitment to digital inclusion. In conjunction with ConnectRI, Skills for Rhode Island’s Future (Skills RI) surveyed Rhode Islanders to find out where they were hitting roadblocks with internet accessibility. For those who indicated that broadband access was not readily available, affordability, language barriers, and lack of digital literacy were highlighted as key challenges.
Since deploying broadband in rural and unconnected areas is not a pressing concern in Rhode Island, the State’s plan emphasizes three goals: a dedication to widespread digital literacy, access to devices, and affordable, reliable broadband connectivity. The intention is to increase access for low-income households and improving digital literacy across all age groups throughout the state, ensuring that the needs of individual Rhode Islanders will be met while also improving the economic, educational, and health landscape across the state.
Covered Populations and Barriers to Digital Equity in Rhode Island
Rhode Island’s Digital Equity Plan identifies several population groups facing barriers to digital equity, including:
-
low-income households,
-
minorities,
-
older individuals,
-
individuals with disabilities, and
-
those with limited English proficiency.
To address these disparities, Rhode Island’s initiatives prioritize targeted interventions tailored to the needs of these populations. Through our non-profit membership these groups most likely make up a significant portion of OSHEAN’s user base.
Implementation Strategies and Objectives
In response to these challenges, Rhode Island has devised comprehensive implementation strategies and objectives. These include expanding digital skills training programs, increasing ac