The Lake County Board authorized an application for a $12 million grant Tuesday to help address a digital gap for some residents in the county.
The funds would come from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program, which promotes digital inclusion and equitable access to technology. An answer to the application is expected by April 2025.
In December of 2023, the Special Committee on Broadband and the County Board adopted the Lake County Broadband and Digital Equity Action Plan, outlining short-, medium- and long-term projects aimed at increasing internet access in the county.
According to the plan, the lowest rates of internet adoption are concentrated in communities facing compounding socioeconomic challenges. Areas in and near Waukegan, North Chicago and Zion, have high levels of internet availability, but households face barriers to access.
During Tuesday’s meeting, board member Jennifer Clark, District 15, recognized the week of Oct. 7 as Digital Inclusion Week, highlighting those challenges and barriers.
According to Clark, 19,400 Lake County residents don’t have broadband, 35,800 residents don’t have computers or laptops, and an estimated 72,000 households were eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program, a federal subsidy that ended earlier this year. The ACP provided free or low-cost internet services to low-income residents with a $30 per month subsidy.
A county news release said inclusion efforts address three main areas; affordability, access and digital skill training. The release said the board had recognized, “the significant need for digital equity in Lake County” through the creation of the Digital Equity Action Plan in December, and called on state leaders to take action.
“As Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding becomes available, digital inclusion leaders across the country are calling on their state leaders to prioritize state digital equity plans and budgets to bridge the digital divide,” the release said.
Funds for asylum-seeker services
The board also approved the appropriation of $1.1 million in grant funds to help existing services for asylum-seekers in Lake County.
Tuesday’s resolution accepted the Supporting Municipalities for Asylum Seeker Services funds from the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus.
From the total, $924,000 will go to Mano a Mano Family Resource Center; $184,404 to North Suburban Legal Aid, and the county will receive $21,536 to administer the program.
The County Board had submitted a grant request in August to the SMASS program, funded through the Illinois State Department of Human Services. Lake County was one of 11 recipients across the state, with $9.5 million given out.
The funds have to be used for one of five categories of services; shelter and transitional housing support, food, wraparound services, legal assistance, or health and wellness.
According to the MMC website, an asylum-seeker is defined as an individual who crossed the Mexico/U.S. border on or after Aug. 1, 2022, with the intent to stay permanently, and who doesn’t have any permanent or interim U.S. legal status.
