CPUC Awards $1.2M in Digital Literacy and Broadband Grants
The California Public Utilities Commission approved $1.2 million in digital literacy and broadband grants during an agency meeting Thursday. The grants, backed by the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) and CASF Broadband Public Housing Account, will support 10 initiatives. Building Skills Partnership received $211,895 to expand its digital literacy and AI program. Digital Equity West received $793,081 to launch eight digital literacy projects across Los Angeles County. EveryoneOn received $175,564 for its digital connections program throughout Los Angeles. The projects are expected to provide training to 1,831 people in underserved communities, said a news release.
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Through the CASF Broadband Public Housing Account, four entities received funding to deploy wireless point-to-multi-point infrastructure with speeds of at least 100/20 Mbps throughout Alameda, Los Angeles, Orange, Sacramento, San Diego and Santa Clara counties. The CPUC said service provided to these residents will be free "for a minimum of five years." Kern County's Housing Authority received $112,500 for its Village Congregational Community project in Arvin. New Horizons received $44,400 for 60 households in Watsonville, $49,900 for 16 households in Watsonville and $17,250 for five households in Santa Cruz.
In addition to the grants, the CPUC released an updated interactive broadband map. It now shows end-of-year broadband availability and adoption data from 2023. The map includes availability at the 100/20 Mbps level and adoption rates at this speed.