The National Telecommunications and Information Administration recently recommended to award Phoenix an $11.8 million Digital Equity Competitive Grant​ to help bring internet access to low-income families.

The city’s housing, human services and library departments collaborated to address the community’s digital equity needs.

The Phoenix Housing Department’s digital literacy training “will help residents navigate the internet for education, healthcare, employment and social connectivity,” according to a city release.

The grant will fund the establishment of a community Wi-Fi network in the Edison-Eastlake Choice Neighborhoods Community, ensuring connectivity for 1,165 households, the release stated.  

The human services department will use a portion of the grant to provide broadband training and devices to enhance workforce participation, senior telehealth training and virtual reality tools used to improve seniors’ social engagement.  

The library department will distribute 700 5G mobile hotspots to underserved communities, further enhancing digital access, officials said.

Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said the grant will help “bridge the digital divide and equip our community with the skills and resources needed to thrive in the digital age.”