2026-27 Digital Divide Grant Program Round 4

2026-27 Digital Divide Grant Program Round 4 is sponsored by Public Utilities Commission. The Digital Divide Grant Program will award one grant of $100,000 for rural and urban public schools and two grants of up to $50,000 each for non-profit Community Based Organizations (CBO). The grants will fund digital projects that serve beneficiary public schools/districts and non-profit Community Organizations.

Projects may address gaps in broadband networks, affordability, access to personal devices and digital skills training. The Digital Divide Grant Program (DDGP) will provide three grants for a total of $200,000. The DDGP is funded by fees collected from leases of state-owned property to wireless telecommunications service providers, pursuant to Government Code Section 14666.

8. Eligible projects will serve a beneficiary public school or district located in an urban or rural low-income small school district and two non-profit Community Organizations. Projects may address physical gaps in local broadband networks, affordability, access to personal devices and digital skills training.

Projects must provide a holistic solution. Grant recipients must be a non-profit community-based organization (CBO) with a demonstrated record of work in addressing the digital divide. For public schools or districts, the CBO will partner with an eligible public school or district to deploy the project.

The beneficiary of the project will be the partner school or district. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will evaluate and score applications and award grants for up to three projects using the competitive process described in CPUC Administrative Letter No.33. Eligible non-profit CBOs may submit applications for grant funding.

Applicants must have demonstrated record of successful and satisfactory work deploying community technology projects and/or projects to bridge the digital divide. Applicants must have an agreement with a beneficiary school or district to execute a proposed project. In the first stage of review, panelists will evaluate the baseline requirements to determine if the CBO's application can progress to the second stage of review.

The baseline requirements include: The application must be complete and submitted timely. The applicant is a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The applicant must be in good standing with the California Franchise Tax Board.

The applicant must submit at least three letters of recommendation. The applicant must have a written agreement with the beneficiary public school or district to execute a proposed project. The applicant must submit at least two letters of endorsement per the beneficiary public school or district supporting the project.

One letter is required from the beneficiary public school or district office and one letter from the beneficiary's school Parent Teachers Association. The beneficiary public school or district must be located within the boundaries of an urban or rural small school district as identified by the California Department of Education.

The beneficiary public school or district must have a Free or Reduced Price Meal (FRPM) of at least 50 percent. In the second evaluation stage, panelists will review the remaining applications to assign scores on each of the following categories: Scope of Work, Experience, Budget and Overall. The application window is open from July 1, 2026, and will close on October 30, 2026.

For more information on the DDGP, CBO eligibility criteria, the application process, schedules and forms, please go to: www. cpuc. ca.

gov/ddgp.

Digital Divide Grant Program Digital Divide Grant Program Digital Divide Grant Program Public Utilities Code Section 280. 5, enacted in 2003 by AB 855 (Firebaugh, Chapter 820, Statutes of 2003), established the Digital Divide Grant Program. It requires the Commission to award grants to fund digital divide programs.

The Digital Divide Grant Program is funded by a percentage of fees collected from the lease of certain state-owned property to wireless telecommunications service providers for wireless telecommunications facilities, pursuant to Govt. Code Section 14666. 8.

On September 18, 2020, the Commission initiated Rulemaking 20-09-001 (the “Broadband for All” proceeding) to set the strategic direction and implement changes necessary to expeditiously deploy reliable, fast, and affordable broadband. Phase One of the proceeding concluded on October 25, 2021, resulting in Decision 21-10-020.

The decision delegated to the Communications Division staff the authority to approve grants from the Digital Divide Account that meet the criteria set forth in Ordering Paragraph 7 and Pub. Util. Code § 280.

5. Resolution T-17770 . Administration of the Digital Divide Grant Program, Application Process, Selection.

On June 11, 2026, the CPUC has approved Resolution T- 17921 , in which three projects will receive funding through the Digital Divide Account as part of the Digital Divide Grant Program. The resolution also adopted a ministerial review process for future qualifying applications. If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail us at DigitalDivideGrantProgram@cpuc.

ca. gov . Digital Divide Grant Program Digital Divide Grant Program Pilot- August 10, 2023 The Digital Divide Grant Program provided four grants of up to $250,000 each to help fund projects aimed at combating the digital divide.

Eligible projects served a beneficiary school located in an urban or rural low-income small school district. The beneficiary school must have a free lunch participation rate of at least 50 percent. Projects may address physical gaps in local broadband networks, affordability, access to personal devices, and digital skills training.

Projects must provide a holistic solution, including but not limited to student home broadband connection, student required hardware (e.g., laptop, notebook and/or hotspots), student curriculum focused on the use of technology, software to enable distance learning for student and teacher, and training for teachers in the use of technology for distance learning.

Grant recipients must be a non-profit community-based organization (CBO) with a demonstrated record of work to addressing the digital divide. The CBO will collaborate with a partner public school or district to deploy the project, with the public school or district being the beneficiary of the project.

August 10, 2023: CPUC Awards Nearly $1 Million in Grants To Help Close Digital Divide at Schools in Low-Income Urban and Rural Areas (CPUC Press Release) Outside the Lens. $250,000 Monarch School, San Diego. San Pasqual Academy, San Diego.

Wonderland College Prep Academy Delano, Delano. Wonderland College Prep Academy Lost Hills, Lost Hills. Small School District Association.

$249,650. Owens Valley Elementary, Independence. Owens Valley High, Independence.

Surprise Valley High School, Cedarville. Surprise Valley Elementary, Cedarville. Digital Divide Grant Program Round 2- Pilot to Permanent The Digital Divide Grant Program, on December 5, 2024, became a permanent program for eligible Community Technology Programs.

Resolution T-17842 moves the moves the program from a pilot program to a permanent program and announced a new application cycle. For a list of potentially eligible schools please see the DDGP Eligible Schools List . The total grant amount available is $200,000 yearly, on an ongoing basis until funds are exhausted or otherwise discontinued.

This Resolution authorizes up to: $100,000 to projects for low-income rural and urban schools, and up to two $50,000 awards to projects for Community-Based Organizations (CBOs). The source of the funding is the Digital Divide Account. The grants are aimed at reducing the digital divide in schools and communities located in low-income urban and rural areas by providing necessary resources and access to digital technology.

The projects aim to deliver holistic solutions through digital literacy training, take-home devices, and broadband connections. Detailed application instructions are attached to resolution T-17842 at Appendix A and are also available for download at the DDGP webpage at http://www. cpuc.

ca. gov/ddgp. A CBO will submit its completed application, including all required documents, by email to: DigitalDivideGrantProgram@cpuc.

ca. gov . 2025 DDGP Application Deadline Extension Application Deadline Extension - The CPUC began accepting applications on December 12, 2024, with an established deadline for final submission of DDGP applications by February 12, 2025.

Due to the number of applications received and the remaining available funds, CPUC finds it reasonable to extend the 2025 DDGP application deadline to May 30, 2025. These changes only apply to 2025 DDGP applications; the timeline for future grants will follow the resolutions that approve those grants.

Revised Application Timeline: Resolution setting forth the DDGP adopted Application period begins Staff review and scoring of grant applications completed Awardees announced via Notice of Draft Resolution Notice of Award provided upon adoption of Final Resolution September 18,2025: CPUC Awards Digital Divide Grants to Support Schools and Community-Based Organization. (CPUC Press Release) Cyber Seniors. $49,931.

51 Serves 300 seniors in Los Angeles, Ca. We’re deeply grateful for this grant, which allows Cyber-Seniors to partner with BridgeLA to bring the Connected Communities program to life across the city of Los Angeles.

Together, we’ll provide seniors (many living on fixed incomes or with disabilities) the opportunity to gain confidence with technology, connect with loved ones, and access essential online resources that improve their daily lives. Parents In Quality Education. $26,000 Serving 300 students in Fresno and the Central Valley, Ca.

With CPUC’s support, the Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) will help hundreds of Central Valley families gain the digital tools and skills they need to thrive. This investment brings us closer to a future where every family, regardless of ZIP code or income, can access learning, opportunity, and connection through technology. Center for Emerging Technology.

$24,000 Serving 307 students at Ceasar Chavez Middle School in Planada, Ca. CETF, through the CPUC Digital Divide Grant and its School2Home program, will provide digital devices, online literacy resources, and capacity-building support to newcomer sixth-grade students who face unique language and literacy challenges.

The funding also will support teachers and parents in using technology to strengthen communication, digital literacy, and family engagement at Cesar E. Chavez Middle School in Planada, California. Montague Charter Academy for Arts and Sciences.

$99,500 Serving 125 students in Pacoima, Ca. Receiving this grant is a transformative opportunity for our school, empowering us to provide LTG-enabled computers to underserved and academically struggling students. This vital support not only enhances learning outcomes but also uplifts our entire community by bridging the digital divide and fostering educational equity for those who need it most.

Digital Divide Grant Program Round 3 The Digital Divide Grant Program via Resolution T-17892, on October 9, 2025, authorized round three of the Digital Divide Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2025-2026 with up to $200,000 appropriations from Digital Divide Account. Resolution T-17921, voted on June 11, 2026, approved funding for three grantees.

Resolution T-17892 - Resolution opening the DDGP application cycle Resolution T-17921 - Resolution approving three DDGP grantees This Resolution approves three grants totaling $199,659. 00 from the Digital Divide Account nested within the California Teleconnect Fund Administrative Committee Fund to advance access to broadband service in low-income urban and rural areas.

The program will award $99,659 to Human-I-T (HIT) for a project serving low-income schools, and $50,000 each to the United We Lead Foundation (UWLF) and the Education and Leadership Foundation (ELF), for projects led by Community-Based Organizations (CBOs).

The grants are aimed at reducing the digital divide in schools and communities located in low-income urban and rural areas by providing necessary resources and access to digital technology. The projects aim to deliver holistic solutions through digital literacy training, take-home devices, and broadband connections. For additional information, please send an email to: DigitalDivideGrantProgram@cpuc.

ca. gov .

T-17892 Application Cycle and Report Submission Timeline: Application Cycle Timeline Resolution setting forth the DDGP adopted Application period begins Staff review and scoring of grant applications completed Awardees announced via Notice of Draft Resolution Notice of Award provided upon adoption of Final Resolution Approved Grantee Project Timelines Approved Grantee Project Progress Report Due Date Approved Grantee Project Completion Report Due Date Digital Divide Grant Program Round 4 The Digital Divide Grant Program via Administrative Letter 33 , on July 1, 2026 authorized round four of the Digital Divide Grant Program for Fiscal Year 202 6 -202 7 with up to $200,000 appropriations from Digital Divide Account.

Administrative Letter 33 – Announcement opening the DDGP application cycle. Includes the application (Appendix A-D). Please see the list of eligible schools for round 4: DDGP Eligible Schools List 2026.

For additional information, please send an email to: DigitalDivideGrantProgram@cpuc. ca. gov .

Application Cycle and Report Submission Timeline: Application Cycle Timeline Application period begins Staff review and scoring of grant applications completed Awardees announced through an Administrative Letter Approved Grantee Project Timelines Approved Grantee Project Progress Report Due Date Approved Grantee Project Completion Report Due Date Owens Valley School Press Conference Highlighting DDGP's Success Monarch, SPA, & East County Community School Student Training & Art Exhibition Wonderful College Prep Academy Student Training & Exhibition Thrive & Suprise Valley Joint Unified School District DDGP Webinar Coming Soon!

Topics include who can apply, the application process and deadlines. Please use this link to register prior to the webinar: TBA Look forward to seeing you. Digital Divide Grant Program webinar flyer: TBA The Digital Divide Grant Program Round 4 The Digital Divide Grant Program Round 4 Informational Flyer Application period from July 1, 2026, to October 30, 2026, has officially opened.

Please see the list of eligible schools for round 4: DDGP Eligible Schools List 2026.