CHARLESTON — A $9 million federal grant awarded to the West Virginia Department of Economic Development to support digital equity efforts was quietly terminated in May, with no explanation offered by the agency.
The $9,011,588 grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration was intended to fund initiatives outlined in the state’s digital equity plan. According to the federal Digital Opportunity Grant Explorer, the grant was terminated on May 9. It lists $8,791,067.90 in total savings, leaving a $220,520.10 difference unaccounted for.
The grant was funded through the $2.75 billion Digital Equity Act, passed in 2021 as part of the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The act was designed to help close the digital divide by expanding internet access for disadvantaged populations, including low-income households, veterans, seniors in rural areas, and students without computers.
The grant, which began December 1, 2024, was scheduled to run through November 30, 2029.
