Kansas will receive almost $5.7M to expand broadband access. The funds are part of the designated $65 billion as outlined in the federal bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or Internet for All Initiative. Kansas Department of Commerce’s Office of Broadband Development will hold events to engage with stakeholders around the state beginning in January to develop a Statewide Digital Equity Plan. Special attention will be paid to groups and communities that are disproportionately impacted by digital inequity.

OBD will use the funds in a variety of ways. Almost $5 million will be used to deploy the Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program that is part of the Internet for All Initiative. The remaining $692,000 will be used to deploy the first phase of NTIA’s Digital Equity Act.