Regional Nonprofits Focus on Connecting Individuals to Affordable Broadband and Devices

The KC Regional COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund recently awarded approximately $800,000 to organizations in the metro area to address internet access, devices and training. The Mid-America Regional Council acted as an agent on behalf of its Advisory Board to facilitate the application and fund disbursement through the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation. 

Grantees from the 9-county region include: 

  1. aSTEAM Village
  2. Catholic Charities of NE Kansas
  3. ECKAN – East Central KS Economic Opportunity Corp. 
  4. El Centro
  5. Essential Families
  6. Front Porch Alliance
  7. Goodwill of Western MO & Eastern KS 
  8. Groundwork NRG
  9. Guadalupe Centers
  10. Hispanic Economic Development Corp.
  11. JCCC – Adult Education
  12. Jewish Vocational Service
  13. Kansas City, KS Public Library
  14. KC Digital Drive*
  15. Kansas City Public Library
  16. Kearney Enrichment Council
  17. Latinx Education Collaborative
  18. Mattie Rhodes
  19. Metropolitan Lutheran Ministry
  20. My Father’s House Community Services
  21. Northland Shepherd’s Center
  22. Osawatomie Public Library
  23. Parkville Living Center
  24. PCs for People
  25. The Toolbox
  26. Urban TEC

*KC Digital Drive received a grant of $40,000 to be used as matching funds for its regional FCC-funded Mid-America ACP Outreach Campaign, allocating the match to over $150,000 designated to fund local outreach partners for conducting specific ACP awareness and enrollment assistance activities over the campaign’s 12-month term. Along with expansion of the KC Goes Tech program, these funds will provide direct support and capacity building to at least 25 more additional organizations.

Further Reading

Conversation on the Future of the ACP with FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez

The following is a recap of a conversation between KC Digital Drive Executive Director Aaron Deacon and FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez at the US Ignite communities call on July 11, 2024. View a recording of the conversation here.  The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) was a federal internet subsidy program that provided qualifying households with up […]

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Assistive Technology Demo Site Comes to LAMP Campus

Missouri Assistive Technology designates the LAMP Campus computer lab as a demonstration site for adaptive assistive technology for computer access. The new demo site creates an expanded and more inclusive use of tech to help Kansas City’s community organizations meet their clients where they are, and to be able to explore new ways to improve their digital life through assistive tech.

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Empowering Youth Innovation: Bridging the Digital Divide through Social Change

This gap, which separates those with access to technology and digital skills from those without, not only limits opportunities but also exacerbates existing inequalities.  Startland Education, an organization dedicated to fostering entrepreneurial skills among youth, invited me to participate as a guest speaker during their Social Change Interns program’s prototype testing phase. As a Digital […]

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