America President
The Biden-Harris Administration has announced $73 million in Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grants to help more Americans connect to affordable high-speed internet through the Affordable Connectivity Programme (ACP). The ACP provides eligible households with up to $30 off their monthly internet bills, and a one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet.
According to the Administration, over 16.75 million households are already benefiting from the programme, saving over $500 million per month. However, many Americans still lack access to reliable high-speed internet, particularly those in rural communities, communities of color, and older Americans. The new funding aims to address this inequity by providing financial support to partner organizations nationwide to serve as trusted community messengers for the ACP and to pursue innovative outreach strategies to reach historically underserved communities.
The Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grants will include $66 million for the Affordable Connectivity Outreach Programme to drive awareness and enrollment in the ACP. The remaining $7 million will support two additional one-year pilot programs to raise awareness of the program and assist consumers in applying. These programs will test a variety of methods to reach out to federal housing communities and work with trusted third parties to assist consumers in applying for the ACP.
The Affordable Connectivity Programme is part of the Biden Administration’s Internet for All Initiative, which seeks to ensure that all Americans have access to reliable and affordable high-speed internet. To date, the Administration has committed $65 billion in funding for broadband infrastructure as part of the Investing in America Agenda. Americans interested in signing up for the ACP can visit www.getinternet.gov.
