US Restores Digital Equity Grant Program, But Court Strikes Racial Eligibility
A court ruling has forced the US to restore a competitive broadband grant program, though racial and ethnic minorities will no longer be a designated beneficiary group. Applications are expected to open in December.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is moving forward with a new round of funding for the Digital Equity Act's competitive grant program, with applications slated to begin in December, according to a joint status report. The development follows a court decision that partially revived the initiative after the Trump administration had dismantled it.
As a result of the ruling, the program will no longer include "individuals who are members of a racial or ethnic minority group" as a covered population. Other eligible groups remain: low-income households, seniors aged 60 and older, incarcerated individuals (excluding those in federal facilities), veterans, people with disabilities, those facing language barriers, and rural residents.
The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA), which had sued over the program's cancellation, is still evaluating the government's proposed timeline. The group has asked the court for an additional two weeks to determine whether it can reach an agreement with the administration on the path forward.
NDIA Executive Director Angela Siefer said it is too early to say whether her organization will apply for a grant once the application window opens. She noted that the NDIA's proposal under the Biden administration was carefully prepared and would have served 30,000 people across rural, urban, and tribal communities. "Our vision is for everyone to have the opportunity to use technology to live, learn, work, and thrive," she said, adding that the government should also restore state grants, which she said are ready to be implemented.
The Digital Equity Act was passed alongside the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, which provides funding to states to support internet infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas. While the Trump administration did not eliminate BEAD entirely, it delayed the grants, cut broadband deployment spending to roughly $21 billion, removed requirements for low prices and net neutrality compliance, and increased funding for Starlink. The administration has not announced what it will do with the remaining funds.
