Maryland’s new Office of Statewide Broadband has distributed its first round of grants totaling $30 million to counties and organizations in support of projects to expand internet connectivity and affordability.
The OSB was established following the passage of a recent piece of state legislation aimed at closing Maryland’s digital divide, or the gap between residents who have access to affordable high-speed internet and those who don’t. The legislation, known as the Digital Connectivity Act of 2021, called for the creation of the OSB and funding mechanisms to support local-level efforts to bridge the divide.
Initial funding of $300 million was allocated by the state to the OSB to support the goal of getting the more than 500,000 households statewide without reliable internet access connected by 2027.
