Learn more about the economic importance of broadband internet and study ways to close the digital divide.
Updating Results
Bank leaders spent time with leaders in Anne Arundel County in mid-July and Caroline, Talbot and Dorchester counties in mid-August.
The newly established Affordable Connectivity Program subsidizes broadband subscription for low-income households. It may better reach targeted households by learning from other federal benefit programs.
Small towns have an opportunity to address challenges from health care to transportation, but there are barriers to accessing funding.
Numerous factors — including population growth, education, housing, transportation, child care, health, and broadband availability — are shaping the differences in employment outcomes between rural and urban communities.
Kelly Bowers, economic development director for Hertford County, N.C., discusses the challenges and opportunities facing her community. She highlights the importance of collaboration across state lines and the need for infrastructure such as broadband and affordable housing to support growth.
Congress allocated $65 billion for broadband in the IIJA, but bridging the digital divide will require cooperation among federal, state and local actors.
