Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) secured $10,700,000 through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Digital Equity Competitive Grant program to help Clark County promote digital literacy and enhance internet skills. The grant dollars will be available to County departments and partner organizations to support digital literacy programs, fund career skills and technology training for small businesses, and offer low-cost internet and computer equipment. This grant program was based on the Digital Equity Act which Cortez Masto championed and helped ensure was included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
“I am proud to see a program that I advocated for provide funding to boost digital literacy, skills, and technology access for Nevadans in Clark County,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This grant will help small business owners and young adults starting their careers thrive in the digital world. I will continue fighting to create economic opportunities for all Nevadans and to ensure that the Silver State’s workforce is prepared for the modern economy.”
Created and funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Digital Equity Act Cortez Masto supported provides $2.75 billion through two formula-based and competitive grant programs administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to promote digital inclusion and equity for communities that lack the skills, technologies, and support needed to take advantage of broadband connections. Grants can be used to accelerate the adoption of broadband through digital literacy training, workforce development, programs to increase access technological devices, and other digital inclusion measures.
Through her Innovation State Initiative, Senator Cortez Masto has led in the Senate to improve broadband access and strengthen Nevada’s economy. In recent years, she has helped deliver more than $600 million in future broadband expansion for statewide and Nevada’s Tribal communities, including in and around Lovelock and in Spring Creek, Elko County. In 2020, she passed her bipartisan ACCESS BROADBAND Act to ensure Nevadans in underserved urban and rural communities have easier access to federal broadband programs.
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