CPUC Awards Digital Divide Grants to Support Schools and Community-Based Organizations
SAN FRANCISCO – The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today approved four grants totaling almost $200,000 from its Digital Divide Grant Program to help close the digital divide in low-income urban and rural communities across California.
The Digital Divide Grant Program funds community technology programs that expand broadband access, provide digital literacy training, and support equitable technology adoption.
The CPUC approved funding for the following projects:
- Montague Charter Academy (Pacoima): $99,500 to provide 125 LTE-enabled Chromebooks with licenses to underserved students, including those who are homeless and in foster care.
- California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF): $24,000 for its School2Home program at Cesar E. Chavez Middle School, offering tablets, Chromebooks, and training to students and parents in a high-poverty rural district.
- Cyber-Seniors: $49,931.51 to launch the Connected Communities program with BridgeLA, offering technology training at 40 sites for 300 seniors, many of whom live in disadvantaged neighborhoods.
- Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE): $26,000 to host Family Tech Summits in Fresno and Tulare counties, providing digital literacy workshops and access to devices for more than 300 underserved families.
Program Background
The Digital Divide Grant Program is funded through revenues generated by lease agreements for wireless telecommunications facilities located on state-owned property. The CPUC awards grants annually, up to $200,000, to community-based organizations and schools that provide holistic digital inclusion solutions ranging from broadband connections and hardware to digital literacy training and teacher support.
The program prioritizes projects serving low-income communities, with criteria requiring schools to have at least 50 percent free or reduced-price meal participation and community-based organizations to demonstrate a track record of digital inclusion work.
Next Steps
Grant recipients are required to submit progress and completion reports to ensure accountability and project outcomes. Reports will document milestones, expenses, and community impacts, with the first progress report due Dec. 1, 2025 and final completion reports due June 1, 2026.
More Information
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About the California Public Utilities Commission
The CPUC regulates services and utilities, protects consumers, safeguards the environment, and assures Californians access to safe and reliable utility infrastructure and services. Visit www.cpuc.ca.gov for more information.