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The Idaho Commission for Libraries (ICfL) is pleased to announce the Connecting Communities Digital Access Grant, an initiative designed to bridge the digital divide that limits many Idaho residents from accessing essential technology resources.

The Connecting Communities Digital Access Grant provides laptops and accessories to eligible entities across Idaho to enhance digital inclusion, equity, and literacy efforts. Subgrantees will connect with groups or individuals who will benefit from increased access to internet-enabled devices and digital literacy training. Additionally, participating subgrantees have the option to establish or expand partnerships with community organizations to identify their communities’ unique digital access needs and use technology to target those needs.

Further, subgrantees must work with individuals from any of the eight covered populations, as identified in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. These individuals include – households with incomes below 150% of the poverty level, seniors, incarcerated individuals, veterans, individuals with disabilities, those facing language barriers, members of racial and ethnic minority groups, and residents of rural areas.

Program Goals:

  1. Enhance Digital Inclusion: Increase broadband adoption, digital skills, cybersecurity awareness, and access to technical support and devices among the covered populations.
  2. Strengthen Institutional Capacity: Build the capacity of subgrantees to better serve their communities through staff participation in an ICfL learning cohort focused on digital inclusion and equity.
  3. Foster Community Engagement: Support grantees and covered populations in achieving objectives related to civic and social engagement, economic and workforce development, education, health, and the delivery of essential services.

Digital Access Objectives:

  1. Equip Idahoans with the knowledge to compare internet service plans effectively.
  2. Increase the number of incarcerated individuals attaining digital skills certifications.
  3. Boost overall confidence in digital skills among participants.
  4. Mitigate apprehension associated with internet use.
  5. Enhance confidence in cybersecurity practices.
  6. Reduce the number of Idahoans experiencing device malfunction without resolution.
  7. Ensure digital navigators effectively serve 7,000 clients annually.
  8. Maintain a high level of customer satisfaction for digital navigation services.
  9. Increase ownership of digital devices among target populations.
  10. Provide access to new or refurbished devices to enhance digital inclusion.

Through the Connecting Communities Digital Access Grant, the ICfL is committed to fostering an equitable digital landscape for all Idahoans, ensuring that technological advancements are accessible to every member of our community.

All applicants must be located in and perform work in Idaho. Who can apply:

  1. The State, a political subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of the State, an Indian Tribe located in the State, an Alaska Native entity located in the State, or a Native Hawaiian organization located in the State.
  2. A community anchor institution, other than a school, that is located in the State (see key definitions below).
  3. A local educational agency that is located in the State (see key definitions below).
  4. An entity located in the State that carries out a workforce development program.
  5. A foundation, corporation, institution, association, or coalition that is a not-for-profit entity; providing services in the State; and not a school.
  6. A multi-branch library system must submit a single application.
  7. An agency of the State that is responsible for administering or supervising adult education and literacy activities in the State.
  8. A public or multi-family housing authority that is located in the State; or
  9. A partnership between any of the entities described above.

To apply for this grant, the organization must obtain a non-proprietary Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number from the federal System of Award Management (SAM). The UEI is a requirement for grantees receiving federal funds administered by the ICfL and replaces the requirement for a DUNS number. Obtaining a UEI is free but can take a week to several months if your entity is not already in the SAM system. Please see the SAM website for more information: https://sam.gov/content/home.

Subgrantees may apply for up to 50 laptops and accessories in ten-unit intervals to provide members of the public training in cybersecurity, internet use, computer use, and basic technology use. Subgrantees are encouraged to work with a community partner, or partners, to identify their communities’ unique digital access needs and use the computers to target those needs. Grant awards will support a 1.5-year period dedicated to activities aimed at increasing or improving digital access for Idaho residents, in line with the needs identified in the Digital Access for All Idahoans Plan. Projects awarded by these grants should prioritize benefits for the populations specified in this application.

  • Digital Equity: The term “digital equity” means the condition in which individuals and communities have the information technology capacity that is needed for full participation in the society and economy of the United States.
  • Digital Inclusion: The term “digital inclusion” means the activities that are necessary to ensure that all individuals in the United States have access to, and the use of, affordable information and communication technologies, such as—
    • Reliable fixed and wireless broadband internet service;
    • Internet-enabled devices that meet the needs of the user; and
    • Applications and online content designed to enable and encourage self-sufficiency, participation, and collaboration.
    • This includes:
      • Obtaining access to digital literacy training:
      • The provision of quality technical support; and
      • Obtaining basic awareness of measures to ensure online privacy and cybersecurity.
  • Digital Literacy: The term “digital literacy” means the skills associated with using technology to enable users to find, evaluate, organize, create, and communicate information.
  • Covered Populations: The term “Covered Populations” means:
    • Individuals who live in covered households;
    • Aging individuals;
    • Incarcerated individuals (as defined by the State or Territory), other than individuals who are incarcerated in a federal correctional facility;
    • Veterans;
    • Individuals with disabilities;
    • Individuals who are members of a racial or ethnic minority group;
    • Individuals who primarily reside in a rural area; and
    • Individuals with a language barrier, including individuals who are English learners and/or have low levels of literacy.
  • Aging Individual: The term “aging individual” means an individual who is 60 years of age or older.
  • Community Anchor Institution: The term “community anchor institution” means a public school, a public or multi-family housing authority, a library, a medical or healthcare provider, a community college or other institution of higher education, a State or Territory library agency, and any other nonprofit or governmental community support organization.
  • Covered Household: The term “covered household” means a household in which the income for the most recently completed year is not more than 150 percent of an amount equal to the poverty level, as determined by using criteria of poverty established by the Bureau of the Census.
  • Individuals with disabilities: The term “disability” means, with respect to an individual, (a) a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual; (b) a record of such impairment; or (c) being regarded as having such an impairment.
  • A local educational agency: Generally, a local educational agency means a public board of education or other public authority legally constituted within a state for either administrative control or direction of, or to perform a service function for, public elementary schools or secondary schools in a city, county, township, school district, or other political subdivision of a State, or for a combination of school districts or counties as are recognized in a State as an administrative agency for its public elementary schools or secondary schools.
  • Individuals who primarily reside in a rural area: The term “rural area” means any area other than (a) a city or town that has a population of greater than 50,000 inhabitants; (b) any urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to a city or town that has a population of greater than 50,000 inhabitants; and (c) in the case of a grant, a city, town, or incorporated area that has a population of greater than 20,000 inhabitants.
  • Veterans: The term “veteran” means a person who served in the active military, naval, air, or space service, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable.

Subrecipients must complete the following activities during the grant period:

  1. At least one staff member will participate in a learning cohort with the Idaho Commission for Libraries (ICfL) and other participating subgrantees throughout the project period, attending a minimum of three out of six Zoom learning sessions.
  2. The ICfL will provide laptops, and subgrantees will be responsible for training covered populations on laptop use, internet access, general technology, and cybersecurity. ICfL will supply links to training resources as a starting point. Upon completing the training, participants will keep their devices.

Suggested Activities: The subgrantee is encouraged to:

  1. Develop or strengthen an existing partnership with at least one community partner, such as a volunteer organization, service organization, senior center, club, cultural organization, or local department of labor or health, including veteran’s organizations. It is essential to select a partner that serves the covered populations.

  1. Laptops are intended for use by the subgrantee to provide digital literacy training on topics such as laptop usage, internet navigation, cybersecurity, and general technology skills.
  2. Upon completing the training, participants from the covered populations will keep their laptops and accessories.

Subgrantees may not use the laptops as general-purpose computers for public access or staff use.

Recipients agree to:

  1. Submit interim reports at six month intervals. Reports will be due July 31 and January 31 of each year the award is active. Reports will include a progress report along with any specific information required by our funding partner, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Reports should reflect activity during the previous 6 month period.
  2. Submit the final report within 30 days following the end of the grant period.
  3. Collect program data required by the ICfL or our funding partner, the NTIA. Submit information with quarterly and final reports. In addition to narrative and financial questions, applicants will be required to provide the following information in the reports:
    1. Number of covered population(s) served;
    2. Number of people served within each covered population;
    3. Total number of people served;
    4. Number of programs implemented by type;
    5. Anecdotal/personal testimony demonstrating the positive impact of the program;
    6. Quantifiable evidence of progress toward the measurable objectives identified in the Digital Access for All Idahoans Plan;
    7. Impact on the State goals regarding:
      1. Economic and workforce development outcomes;
      2. Educational outcomes;
      3. Health outcomes;
      4. Civic and social engagement; and
      5. Delivery of essential services.

Grant recipients must retain grant records for a period of five years following the end of the award period. Records include the grant application/agreement, award letter, correspondence, and reports. Recipients agree to provide access to grant records at any time during the grant period for an audit, inspection, or other investigation by the ICfL, its representative, the NTIA, or Government Accountability Office – for the purpose of audit, inspection, or any other investigation. This includes providing timely access to personnel for the purpose of interview and discussion related to grant documents.

The grant period will commence on the award date and conclude 18 months thereafter. The subgrant process will be competitive and necessitate a comprehensive application. Devices will be disbursed upfront, and the total number of grants awarded will be determined by the requested device amounts from selected grantees.

Connecting Communities Rubric

IMPORTANT! In the Project Information section, when starting an application, please enter ‘Award Requested’ as $.01. While this is a non-monetary award and no dollar amount is being requested, a value must be entered to mark the form as complete. The application questions form will allow users to indicate the number of devices they are requesting.

  • What accessories come with the devices?
    • The laptops will come with a backpack, a mouse, and a headset.
  • Will there be software or filtering built in?
    • The laptops will be shipped straight from the manufacturer and won’t have any preloaded software.
    • Microsoft and Google have free individual use options for their software programs. TechSoup offers Microsoft discounts for nonprofits and libraries.
  • How long is the grant period?
    • The grant period will be 1.5 years from the award date. Two interim reports and one final report will be due during the award period.
  • Do grantees need letters of support from partners?
    • No, grantees do not need letters of support. They must provide basic information about any partners they include in their application. Though partnerships are optional for this program, including partners increases the rubric’s score.
  • Are desktops an option for Connecting Communities?
    • No, Connecting Communities only includes laptops and accessories, including a backpack, a mouse, and a headset.
  • What are the specs for the laptops?
    • Laptops will be i5-1335U (10 Core), 16GB Memory, 512GB Solid State Drive, 15.6-inch screen, and a 5-year warranty. Please note that these may change slightly.
  • If my organization applies to multiple programs, is it possible we will receive an award for one program and not the other?
    • Yes, it is possible. However, the ICfL will work with applicants to reduce the likelihood of that scenario. If organizations are applying for multiple programs that build off one another – for example, using monetary grant funds to distribute Connecting Communities devices – the ICfL will review applicants holistically. The ICfL team may request application adjustments so applicants can receive both grants.
  • Will this grant be offered again?
    • Yes, the ICfL plans to offer this grant again over the coming years. If you have any comments or suggestions, please reach out to digitalskills@libraries.idaho.gov so we can continue to improve.

This grant is administered by the Idaho Commission for Libraries and was made possible in part by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Recipients agree to acknowledge these funding sources in signage, brochures, websites, press releases, public events, etc., funded by this grant. The assigned federal Assistance Listing Number for this award is 11.032. The Federal Award Identification Number (FAIN) for the award to the State of Idaho is 16-31-DS038.

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Chelsea Summerlin

Chelsea Summerlin

Digital Inclusion Consultant
Email / 208-639-4175
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Jamie Thill

Grants Officer
Email / 208-639-4153
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This program is brought to you by the Idaho Commission for Libraries and is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. To report waste, fraud, and abuse, you can call the Division of Human Resources toll-free number (800) 554-5627.