USVI's Digital Equity Grant — Approved, Funded, Then Terminated Mid-Rollout

In 2023 the U.S. Virgin Islands received a $150,000 planning grant from the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to draft a Digital Equity Act plan, which NTIA formally accepted on 26 June 2024.
In January 2025, NTIA approved a $2.1 million Digital Equity Capacity Grant for the territory, funding STEM and digital-literacy programmes for low-income youth, an IT-certification incentive scheme, and English-language digital courses for residents facing language barriers.
On 9 May 2025, the federal government terminated this grant nationwide — including the U.S. Virgin Islands' award — citing the use of "impermissible and unconstitutional racial preferences." The programme was cancelled mid-implementation, before enrolment or outcome data were published.
Separately, the U.S. Virgin Islands holds an estimated $27.1 million Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) infrastructure award, managed by the territory's Office of Management and Budget, which was unaffected by the termination and continues to fund territory-wide broadband buildout.

Read the full analysis: https://www.internetforall.gov/news-media/biden-harris-administration-announces-21-million-usvi-increase-digital-inclusion-efforts