Brady PieperTennessee is investing over $100 million to bridge the state’s digital divide and enhance economic, workforce and healthcare opportunities for its residents.
The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) is announcing $101.6 million in funding to support statewide broadband internet expansion and digital literacy education programs.
The funding will support local governments, community centers, internet service providers and organizations through four grant programs managed by TNECD’s Broadband Office. They include the Connected Community Facilities initiative, the Last Mile Grant Program, Broadband Ready Communities Program and the Digital Skills, Employment, and Workforce Development.
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Through these programs, Tennessee will embark on the next steps of the state’s Vision for Digital Opportunity Plan, which commits to connect all Tennesseans to reliable, high-speed internet by 2028 and ensure residents have access to digital skills training, high-quality tech jobs, healthcare resources and education.
This round of TNECD grants will take on projects that improve public access to internet services and expand different aspects of Tennessee’s broadband expansion — encompassing physical broadband deployment, community outreach, digital skills coaching and workforce training initiatives.
The first initiative, Connected Community Facilities (CCF) Grant Program, will deliver the largest allocation of grants, $49.4 million, for local governments to reinvigorate community buildings as icons for digital access. Covering a 10% cost match, these CCF projects will develop a variety of physical construction initiatives designed to improve public access to digital resources.
The CCF funding will support local governments and community centers, such as schools and libraries, in renovating existing facilities and constructing new buildings to better serve broadband access. Housed under one roof, these rehabilitated or newly constructed buildings will include public access to virtual health monitoring, virtual education, digital workforce development, and broadband services.
The largest CCF grantees and awards are listed below:
- The City of Kingsport – $2 million for Sullivan and Hawkins counties.
- Giles County of Tennessee – $2 million for Giles, Lawrence, Lincoln and Marshall counties.
- McNairy County – $2 million for itself.
- Sequatchie County – $2 million for Sequatchie and Bledsoe counties.
- Town of Whiteville – $2 million for Hardeman county.
- TAF Rural Expansion Foundation – $1.98 million for Unicoi, Carter, Greene, Cocke, Hawkins and Washington counties.
The Broadband Office will distribute $16.1 million in grants to 29 organizations through the Digital Skills, Employment and Workforce Development (DSEW) initiative. TNECD will commit a maximum award of $1 million through the program with grantees expected to cover a 10% match.
Organizations awarded grants under this initiative will develop a variety of training and educational programs designed to enhance digital skills for the modern working field. TNECD anticipates the programs will improve residents’ access to high-paying digital jobs while providing individuals the skills necessary to succeed in the digital economy.
Highest-awarded DSEW grantees:
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis – $1 million for Shelby county.
- Dynamo Studios – $999,360 for Hamilton county.
- Ivy Academy Chattanooga – $991,827 for Hamilton county.
- Persevere, Inc – $990,640 for Davidson, Hamilton, Shelby, Claiborne, Carroll and Dickson counties.
- Gestalt Community Schools – $989,604 for Shelby county.
The final grant initiative, Broadband Ready Communities (BRC) program, will provide $1.6 million in funding to 19 local governments to develop community resources. These governments will implement community-based digital skills training and offer technology and digital adoption resources for the public.
Some of the highest-awarded BRC grantees:
- City of Knoxville – $100,000.
- City of Sparta – $100,000.
- City of Clinton – $100,000.
- Bedford County Government – $100,000.
For projects in all four programs, TNECD expects completion by Dec. 31, 2026. Representing the state’s collaborative funding approach to broadband expansion and education, grantees are expected to contribute approximately $25.1 million in matching funding, combined.
A full list of all awardees for all four programs can be found on TNECD’s approval of proposal announcement.
Photo by Startup Stock Photos
