NTIA awards $276 million to expand internet access in tribal communities

Tribal communities in 14 states are slated to receive more than $276 million in federal funding to expand access to high-speed Internet. 

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will distribute the grant awards to 44 tribal entities. The funding is being made available through the $3 billion Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program.  

The funding will support both broadband infrastructure deployment and internet adoption projects, the NTIA said.  

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The grants will ensure that residents of tribal lands have internet necessary to take advantage of digital opportunities for work, education, health care and other essential services, the NTIA said. 

“There is no one-size-fits-all approach to achieving meaningful, universal internet access. That’s especially true on tribal lands,” Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson said. “Each grant we announce today reflects a tribe’s own novel approach to bridging the digital divide in their community.” 

Awards will be issued following budget review and processing. 

Projects receiving funding include: 

• $28.4 million to the Colorado River Indian Tribes of the Colorado River Indian Reservation in Arizona and California. The infrastructure deployment project will provide access to high-speed internet to approximately 1,700 households via fiber to residents of the tribe’s tribal lands. 

• $2.5 million to the Osage Nation in Oklahoma. The project will provide technology-focused training, access to computing equipment and assistance with understanding and using broadband service. 

• $2.3 million to the Catawba Indian Nation in South Carolina. The project expects to enhance digital infrastructure and support for Catawba citizens over the next four years by providing broadband connectivity, digital inclusion resources, telehealth services, remote education, and workforce development. 

• $2.1 million to Riverside San Bernardino County Indian Health, Inc. (RSBCIHI). The project will establish and expand telemedicine services within RSBCIHI to improve healthcare access for underserved and remote tribal communities. 

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