Key facts
- The Trump administration will reinstate the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program.
- A court ruled that race and ethnicity cannot be used as criteria for awarding broadband grants.
- The program will still consider factors such as income, age, and disability.
- Applications for the reinstated grant program are expected to open in December.
- The Digital Equity Act originally provided $2.75 billion for broadband access initiatives.
- The NDIA, an advocacy group, sued the administration over the program's termination.
The Trump administration has agreed to reinstate the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program, a $1.25 billion initiative aimed at closing broadband access gaps, following a court ruling. The administration had previously announced its intention to end the program, citing it as unconstitutional and racist.
A US District Court judge ruled that while the Digital Equity Act itself is not entirely unconstitutional, the provision allowing for the allocation of funds based on race or ethnicity is. Consequently, the government can no longer use race as a criterion for awarding these grants. However, the program can still consider factors such as income, age, and disability.
The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA), an advocacy group that was set to receive $25.7 million in grant funding before the program's termination, sued the administration. The NDIA has called the revival of the program a "massive win" but expressed disappointment that racial and ethnic minorities can no longer be specifically targeted as a covered population.
The Digital Equity Act, enacted in 2021, originally authorized $2.75 billion for three grant programs. The Biden administration had begun distributing funds, but the Trump administration's decision to end the program led to the lawsuit. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is now preparing a new Notice of Funding Opportunity, with applications expected to open in December. The NDIA is currently evaluating the proposed timeline and details before deciding whether to reapply for funding.