WASHINGTON – The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced today it has awarded the Ione Band of Miwok Indians $459,000 through the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to investing in rural infrastructure and affordable high-speed internet for all.

The Ione Band of Miwok Indians will use the grant to fund a study to develop a comprehensive high-speed internet infrastructure deployment plan encompassing Tribal Lands in rural Amador County, California.

“Our Tribal communities badly need better connectivity to thrive in the modern digital economy. This grant demonstrates President Biden’s commitment to supporting and expanding Internet access for Tribal Nations,” said Alan Davidson, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information. “The Ione Band of Miwok Indians’ plan to connect their critical wellness, housing, and community centers is a testament to how high-speed internet service can uplift entire communities.”

The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program is part of President Biden’s Internet for All initiative, which makes $980 million available from the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, for grants to eligible Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian entities for broadband deployment, digital inclusion, workforce development, telehealth, and distance learning.

NTIA has now made a total of 44 awards totaling more than $91,698,361.67 million in funding through the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program. These awards are part of the Biden Administration’s commitment to nation-to-nation engagement and an effort to connect everyone in America, including American Indians and Alaskan Natives, with affordable, reliable, high-speed internet.

NTIA received more than 300 applications during the application window, which closed on Sept. 1, 2021. The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program will continue to announce additional awards on a rolling basis as they move through NTIA’s review process.

President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, provides a historic $65 billion investment to expand high-speed internet in communities across the U.S. NTIA recently launched a series of new high-speed internet grant programs funded by the law that will build high-speed internet infrastructure across the country, create more low-cost high-speed internet service options, and address the digital equity and inclusion needs in our communities.

For more information on the Biden-Harris Administration’s high-speed internet programs, please visit InternetforAll.gov [5].