Regional Outlook on Affordability

In our bi-state region–and across the country–many low-income households struggle to afford their internet service. Each month, they must choose which expenses to pay and are often forced to pick rent, utilities and other critical expenses over the internet. They may rack up late fees, making an already too-high bill even higher–and get disconnected for nonpayment, leaving them without this service that is essential in today’s digital economy. 

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is a subsidy program provided by the FCC, and with its (up to) $30/month discount, it has not only lowered the internet bills of eligible low-income households, it has influenced some internet service providers to offer plans that are 100% covered by the discount, making internet service free for those who can select such a plan. 

Notably, the ACP prevents credit checks, upselling and requiring contracts and requires that ISPs refrain from disconnecting service for 90 days. And if a household does end up getting disconnected, they do not need to pay off their balance to restore service.

But, none of this helps if a household is unaware of or unable to sign up for the ACP. Our evidence shows that awareness of this program is very low in our region among both low-income households and community-based organizations. Therefore, we are building on our work over the last two years through the Internet Access Support Program, which has provided up to $225 for past-due bills and an internet subsidy up to $75/month for six months for about 1,200 households in the KC metro, by deploying a number of tactics to increase ACP awareness and enrollment. We also continue to bolster a comprehensive coalition of organizations familiar with serving diverse, low-income households and are experienced in helping their clients connect to other community resources like the ACP.

Mid-America ACP Outreach Program 

In 2023, KC Digital Drive was awarded a $486,613 grant from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) along with $200,000 in private matching funds to increase signups for the existing federal Affordable Connectivity Program. These funds are being used to conduct community engagement activities and a public awareness campaign through June 2024. This work will happen on both sides of the KC metro area, and in targeted rural areas across the states of Kansas and Missouri.

**All grant funded outreach activities are forced to comply with a wind-down order issued by the FCC effective February 7, 2024.**

Campaign Enrollment Assistance and Outreach Activity Partners 

1. Black Family Technology Awareness Association
2. Catholic Charities of NE KS
3. Clay County Public Health
4. Cross-Lines Community Outreach
5. Della Lamb
6. El Centro
7. Goodwill (MoKan)
8. Great Jobs KC/KC Scholars
9. Guadalupe Center
10. Hispanic Economic Development Corporation
11. Idealect
12. Jewish Family Services
13. Jewish Vocational Services
14. Johnson County Community College
15. Johnson County Library
16. Journey to New Life
17. Kansas City Indian Center
18. Kansas City Public Library
19. Kansas School for the Deaf and Blind
20. KC Shepherd’s Center
21. Latinx Education Collaborative
22. Liberty Community Services Division
23. Literacy KC
24. Local Investment Commission (LINC)
25. Mattie Rhodes
26. Parkville Living Center
27. PCs for People
28. Phoenix Family
29. Reconciliation Services
30. reStart Inc.
31. Segura Marketing
32. The Toolbox KC
33. Winder & Associates 
34. Women’s Employment Network (WEN)
35. Workforce Partnership

Tools and resources 

• ACP Wind-down:  FCC News Release | FCC Order | Fact Sheet | FAQs
• KCDD ACP Sign-Up Manual 
• Share your ACP activities to include in local monthly reports and newsletters
• Download the Greater Kansas City ACP Enrollment Reports by month – prepared by KC Digital Drive. Reports feature YTD numbers as well as all time cumulative enrollment data; information is assembled when new data is released from USAC.
  • Oct 2022 – published on 12/1/22
  • Nov 2022 – published on 1/4/23 
  • Jan 2023 – published on 2/7/23
  • Mar 2023 – published 4/26/2023
  • Apr 2023 – published on 5/22/2023
  • May 2023 – published on 6/28/23
  • June 2023 – published on 7/26/23
  • July 2023 – published on 8/25/23
  • August 2023 – published on 9/25/23
  • September 2023 – published on 10/25/23
  • October 2023 – published on 11/17/23
  • November 2023 – published on 12/19/23
  • December 2023 – published on 1/17/24
  • January 2024 – published on 2/26/24
  • February 2024 – published on 3/28/24
• Check out our Internet Access Support Program (IASP) to learn more about additional assistance we can provide and subsidies that may be available