Digital Equity Act Competitive Grant Program Set to Return
There’s big news for the digital inclusion field: the Digital Equity Act (DEA) Competitive Grant Program is on track to return.
The DEA, part of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, originally provided $2.75 billion to advance digital equity nationwide. In May 2025, the administration terminated the DEA grant programs, putting billions in planned digital inclusion investments on hold, including the $1.25 billion Competitive Grant Program.
The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) challenged the cancellation in federal court, arguing that the administration could not eliminate a program created and funded by Congress. In July 2026, the court agreed, ruling that the Competitive Grant Program could not be terminated. The ruling did, however, remove one provision identifying minority and ethnic populations as a covered population under the program.
As a result, the $1.25 billion Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program is expected to be reinstated. This does not restore the entire Digital Equity Act or its other grant programs. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has indicated that a new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is expected in December, giving organizations time to prepare.
At digitalLIFT, we’re excited about the opportunity to help communities turn this funding into meaningful digital inclusion programs. If your organization is interested in partnering with digitalLIFT to prepare for the upcoming funding opportunity or strengthen your digital inclusion work, we’d love to hear from you.
Save 25% on the “Online Communications” Workshop 3-Pack: Through September 17th Only
Your community needs help navigating the online world, and this bundle gives you everything you need to teach it, starting tomorrow.
Get all three workshops for $168.75 (regularly $225): a 25% discount, automatically applied at checkout through September 17th. No discount code needed.
- Email Management: Teaches participants how to organize their inbox, reduce spam, and stay safe from email scams.
- Social Media & Online Dating: Introduce learners to today’s most popular social and dating apps, with a focus on building confidence and staying safe online.
- WhatsApp: This workshop curriculum introduces learners to WhatsApp.
Everything is ready to go. Each workshop comes with presenter slides and a learner booklet, fully developed, so there’s no prep work on your end. Download today, and you could be teaching your first session tomorrow.
Why act now: The 25% discount on this 3-pack ends September 17th. If online communication skills are on your program calendar this fall, this is the moment to lock in the savings.
Celebrating Our Texas Digital Navigators
We’re proud to see digitalLIFT’s work in Texas featured in two recent news stories highlighting the importance of digital skills and support for older adults.
The Texas Tribune explores what Texas can learn from Japan’s investment in technology for older adults, while The Daily Yonder highlights how a Central Texas library is helping close the digital divide.
Together, these stories showcase what’s possible when trusted community organizations, libraries, and trained digital navigators come together to help older adults build confidence and use technology to access healthcare, stay connected, and navigate everyday life.
Thank You, NCOA: Advancing Digital Safety and Confidence for Older Adults
At digitalLIFT, we believe that everyone deserves the knowledge and confidence to navigate today’s digital world safely. Thanks to the generous support of the National Council on Aging (NCOA), we were able to help older adults build essential cybersecurity skills and receive personalized technology support that empowers them to stay connected.
Through this grant, our team successfully delivered four Cybersecurity Basics workshops, reaching 56 older adult learners in the Bay Area.
The workshops combined the high-quality AT&T Digital Literacy Resources with digitalLIFT’s own Internet Safety curriculum, giving participants practical strategies to recognize scams, create strong passwords, protect personal information, and safely use technology in their daily lives.
“I really enjoyed the workshop and having access to expert teachers. I was able to alert a friend that she had her account compromised after noticing the irregular emails from her. I feel much more comfortable now and can more easily change my privacy settings. Thank you.”
— Anna, workshop participant
Thank you, NCOA, for making this work possible.
Protecting Digital Equity, Advancing Community Power
Community engagement is at the heart of effective advocacy. As digital inclusion practitioners, we bring trusted relationships, local knowledge, and firsthand stories to conversations with policymakers, media, and other decision-makers.
The recent NDIA v. Trump ruling protected $1.75 billion in Digital Equity Act Competitive Grant Program funding, while also underscoring the work still needed to ensure digital equity reaches every community.
As we continue advocating for the Digital Equity Act, Universal Service Fund, and BEAD, the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) Outreach Toolkit can help. These practical resources help practitioners communicate clearly, share community stories, engage policymakers, and connect local impact to national policy conversations.
Explore all the NDIA Advocacy Tools, and turn community experience into advocacy that informs policy and advances digital equity
Each month, we’re featuring stories, insights, and successes from digital inclusion leaders across the country. Each story highlights real-world strategies, lessons learned, and innovative approaches to closing the digital divide.
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