Nevada County learned last Tuesday that it is receiving a $25,000 grant from the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) to help low-income residents get discounted Internet service. The money will be used for outreach to let eligible residents know about the federal Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides $30 per month toward Internet service and a one-time payment of up to $100 for a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer. The California Emerging Technology Fund estimates there are about 14,000 households in Nevada County that qualify but have not received the discounts.
The fund previously awarded Nevada County $50,000 to complete an environmental impact review for expanded broadband service. Sunne Wright McPeak, president and chief executive officer of CETF, said her organization awarded both grants in response to the county’s outstanding leadership in broadband expansion.
Supervisor Heidi Hall praised county staff for its work pushing this critical issue forward. “Today has been a day of recognizing how innovative we are, and I hope we can continue,” Hall said. She praised Stephen Monaghan, the county’s director of Information and General Services Agency, for being ready to go when the Board of Supervisors decided to make broadband expansion a priority and McPeak for recognizing and rewarding his leadership. “I’m so proud of this county,” Hall said.
Residents have a chance to enroll in the Affordable Connectivity Program on Saturday, July 29th from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm at the Madelyn Helling Library, 980 Helling Way, Nevada City.
To learn more about Nevada County’s strategy to improve broadband service, visit www.NevadaCountyCA.gov/Broadband.