On Thursday, June 8, 2023, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, will host an invitation-only virtual workshop on digital equity. Members of State Digital Equity Planning Grant Administering Entities from Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, New England and Mid-Atlantic states who have been designated to prepare digital equity plans to apply for grants under the Digital Equity Act are invited to attend.
The New York Fed will preview high-level trends in broadband access, speed, and affordability across these regions as related to covered populations defined by the Digital Equity Act, based on analysis of public data on internet speed and cost. After that presentation, groups of attendees will be invited to share what they've learned as they design and implement digital equity plans.
The Digital Equity Act, passed as part of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, aims to support not only building digital connections in areas where broadband or other internet connections are currently limited, but ensuring that historically marginalized communities have affordable broadband access, internet-connected devices (such as laptops, phones or computers) for their unique needs, access to education on digital technology, tech support and apps and online resources to help users participate.
As part of the law, Administering Entities can apply for a share of the $60 million in planning grants available to states, territories, and Tribal or Native entities to develop State Digital Equity Plans. Under the Act, a grant program will award an additional $1.44 billion total over five fiscal years to states, territories, and Tribal or Native entities to implement their digital equity plans.
This event will be recorded; the recording will be made available afterwards.
June 8, 2023
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm EDT
Virtual-only event, via WebEx
Media
Attendance is by invitation only. For more information, contact Ellen Simon, at Ellen.Simon@ny.frb.org.
