1st in the country NTIA Grants and more GUMBO Awards Aimed at Closing the Digital Divide Announced by Louisiana Governor

Louisiana – Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards joined federal, state, and local elected officials, as well as community leaders, for the inaugural Broadband Solutions Summit on August 31, 2022, to announce that over $35 million will be distributed to bring affordable high-speed internet to nearly 15,000 locations over the next 18-24 months. This second round of awards from the state’s broadband initiative, Granting Unserved Municipalities Broadband Opportunities (GUMBO), will have an impact on two new parishes (Vernon and LaSalle).

At the event, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that Louisiana is the first state in the country to receive two grant awards funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which will help expand internet service statewide: a $2,000,000 Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program planning grant and a $941,542.28 State Digital Equity Planning Grant.

“In 2019, we set a goal to close Louisiana’s digital divide by 2029, and this announcement is another step in the right direction,” said Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards. “I am so grateful for the progress we are making thanks to help from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. Some of us take access to broadband for granted, but there are still many people who do not have a reliable or affordable connection, especially in the rural parts of our state. If we can connect those communities, we will improve health outcomes, grow our economy, increase access to educational opportunities, and enhance quality of life for so many people.”

“We are grateful that NTIA has quickly approved our plans to draw down the first funds in the country for BEAD and Digital Equity to develop not only the 1st 5-year strategic plan for the state but also the first digital equity plan” said Veneeth Iyengar, ConnectLa Executive Director. “The approach we are going to take to address access, affordability, literacy and the lack of devices will be highly innovative and move Louisiana’s economy forward.”

Louisiana Governor Edwards announced the first wave of GUMBO grants in July as part of a $130 million American Rescue Plan initiative to offer broadband to more than 66,000 households and small businesses through Internet Service Providers in 50 parishes. GUMBO was used to submit applications for the first part of the program. To read more, go here.