Technology and Digital Equity
Last Updated: April 8, 2025
Grants being cut or changed
In 2025, funding for programs aimed at bridging the digital divide has been sharply reduced. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has halted new awards for the Digital Equity Act programs, and many pending broadband adoption and digital literacy grants have been frozen or rescinded. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is also phasing out subsidies for school and library broadband services under the Emergency Connectivity Fund.
Eliminations or restructuring
Digital equity programs that supported device access, technical training for seniors, digital skills for job seekers, and multilingual tech assistance have been eliminated or rolled into broader education or workforce block grants. The Biden-era goal of achieving universal broadband adoption has been deprioritized in favor of “market-led” infrastructure approaches.
On hold or court challenges
Several digital inclusion coalitions are challenging the rollback of previously awarded NTIA and FCC grants. Lawsuits argue that mid-cycle clawbacks violate administrative procedures and could disproportionately harm rural and underserved communities. Advocacy groups are also pushing Congress to restore targeted funding for marginalized populations most impacted by the digital divide.
Timeline
Funding changes began in early 2025. Some organizations were notified in February that their grants were suspended or canceled. If the proposed FY2026 budget is passed without changes, additional programs and planning funds will be permanently discontinued starting in October 2025.
State-level impact
Kentucky and West Virginia have large rural populations that benefited from digital literacy grants and low-income broadband support, much of which is now gone. North Carolina and Ohio had pilot programs pairing internet access with job training and community development, many of which have been paused. Pennsylvania’s school districts are bracing for fewer technology subsidies, and South Carolina and Tennessee have delayed public Wi-Fi and device access expansions due to funding uncertainty.
Sources
NTIA. (2025, March 14). Status of Digital Equity Act implementation. https://ntia.gov/newsroom/digital-equity-update-2025
FCC. (2025, March 18). Emergency Connectivity Fund wind-down. https://www.fcc.gov/news-events/press-releases/ecf-funding-end-2025
National Digital Inclusion Alliance. (2025, March 25). Lawsuit filed over canceled broadband grants. https://www.digitalinclusion.org/news/2025-legal-action-ntia
NPR. (2025, March 28). Rural groups lose access to digital equity programs. https://www.npr.org/2025/03/28/digital-equity-grants-cutbacks
