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Digital Equity Act

Congress’s 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included $2.75 billion for the Digital Equity Act (DEA), which, until its termination on May 9, 2025, was the largest investment in digital inclusion efforts. Together with the other broadband provisions in the law, the DEA was an essential part of the most systemic approach to closing the digital divide in US history. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) oversees all aspects of the administration of the Digital Equity Act Grants.
Save the Digital Equity Act

On May 8, 2025, the President canceled the Digital Equity Act (DEA) via a social media post, claiming it to be unconstitutional. The following day, May 9, 2025, the Administration terminated the DEA grants, contacting all grantees with termination notices. Later, NTIA sent emails to applicants who had not yet been notified of their application’s status, noting that “All Digital Equity Competitive and Digital Equity Capacity grant awards have been terminated, except for grants to Native Entities, which are pending further legal review.”

NDIA has created a suite of resources and tools to advocate for the reinstatement of the DEA and raise awareness of its importance.

Advocacy Resources

Click the button on the right to access all NDIA resources related to the Digital Equity Act.

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Protecting Digital Equity Act Funds

This document equips you to speak with your local, state, and federal policymakers about the DEA. It provides background information about the DEA, its current status, and talking points that include specific impacts and why digital inclusion programs matter.

Download the Template
Policymaker Phone Call Template for Advocating for Digital Equity Act Funds

This template guides you through a phone call with policymakers at any level of government—local, state, or federal. It provides a framework for clearly communicating the need for DEA programs and advocating for specific actions.

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One-Pagers: Protecting DEA by State/Territory

These one-pagers, available for all U.S. states and territories, will equip you to discuss and advocate for the protection of DEA in your specific state or territory. Each one-pager includes background information on DEA, the minimum amount of DEA funding each state/territory would have received, and data highlighting who in your state is most impacted by the digital divide.

Download Your One-Pager
Template Email/Letter to Member of Congress re. Digital Equity Act

This template is designed to help you write an email or letter to policymakers at any level of government. It provides a framework for clearly communicating the need for digital inclusion and advocating for the Digital Equity Act (DEA) programs to be implemented as intended.

View Template
Finding Your Federal, State, and Local Elected Officials

This document provides instructions for identifying your current federal, state, and local elected officials.

Find Your Representative
DEA Allocations by State/Territory

This document outlines the total federal funding allocation to states and territories under the Digital Equity Act as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

View Funding Allocation
Why the Digital Equity Act Matters

The DEA’s impact will complement and extend the impact of the Federal broadband deployment programs like the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program by funding critical initiatives and programs the necessary digital devices, and the skills to fully participate in the digital economy. The programs and projects DEA will fund will uniquely serve the various populations specific needs to get and stay connected so that educational and employment opportunities are enhanced, there is more robust access to healthcare, and improving broad access to healthcare, communities are resilient and able to withstand disasters, and residents are protected from online scams and fraud among many other benefits.

Congress appropriated $2.75 billion for DEA, establishing two programs split into three grants.

1. The State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, which was split into two grants:

      • Planning grants (State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program) provided $60M in funding to help states, Territories, and the District of Columbia develop comprehensive digital equity plans, which were required for states to be eligible for the capacity grants.
      • Capacity grants (The State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program) provide $1.44B in funding to States, Territories, the District of Columbia, and Tribal Entities to implement their digital equity plans. The grants were designed to support states in addressing the unique digital inclusion needs they identified in their state using strategies and initiatives tailored to their communities.

2. The Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program: 

The Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program would have awarded grants to eligible entities, including, but not limited to, local governments, nonprofits, and community anchor institutions. Congress appropriated $1.25 billion for this program, which aimed to build long-term capacity for bridging the digital divide across communities nationwide.