Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives
Office of MinorityBroadband Initiatives
Overview
Through the Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives (OMBI), the National Telecommunications and Information Administration directly addresses the lack of high-speed Internet access and adoption at our nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU), and other institutions, and their surrounding communities. OMBI was established as directed by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (CAA 2021) in December 2020.
The CAA 2021 directs OMBI to work closely with community anchor institutions (CAI), private industry, state, local and tribal governments, and various stakeholders to expand broadband deployment, digital opportunities, and to help further economic development for low-income communities, senior citizens, and veterans. The Office also provides technical assistance, recommendations, and research on how to leverage investments in broadband infrastructure on behalf of HBCUs and TCUs. OMBI’s programmatic focus areas include (1) broadband workforce readiness and talent pathways and (2) digital learning infrastructure and network modernization.
Currently, OMBI administers the Connecting Minority Communities (CMC) Pilot Program, a $268 million grant program to HBCUs, TCUs, and other institutions to address access to high-speed Internet service. Through this program, OMBI awarded funding to 93 higher education institutions to purchase Internet access services or any eligible equipment, or to hire and train technology personnel.
Director: Dr. Dominique Harrison
Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives 2022 Report
The Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives 2022 Report details the work of NTIA Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives (OMBI) in expanding access and identifying barriers to high-speed internet service for students, faculty, and staff at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HCBU), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU), and Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) and within anchor communities.
Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives FY2023 Annual Report
The Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives FY2023 Annual Report provides context to OMBI’s mission to expand high-speed Internet access for anchor institutions and their underserved, minority communities. It also spotlights OMBI's pivotal role in advocating for and monitoring progress towards this objective.
Related content
Department of Commerce’s NTIA to Begin Accepting Applications for $268 Million Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program
WASHINGTON – The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today released a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program, which will direct $268 million for expanding broadband access and connectivity to eligible Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges or Universities (TCUs), minority-serving institutions (MSIs), and consortia led by an HBCU, TCU, or MSI that also include a minority business en
Department of Commerce’s NTIA Releases Final Rule for $268 Million Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program
WASHINGTON – The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today released the Final Rule for the Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program, which will direct $268 million for expanding broadband to eligible historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges or Universities (TCUs), and minority-serving institutions (MSIs).
MBI Helps HBCUs and TCUs Navigate Distance Learning Regulations
NTIA’s Minority Broadband Initiative (MBI), in partnership with the United States Distance Learning Association and the Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education, recently held a teleconference to brief Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) on new Department of Education distance learning regulations due to be implemented July 1, 2021.
Participants included 256 representatives of 63 HBCUs and 24 TCUs, including distance learning coordinators, chief academic officers, chief information officers and faculty. In addition, the presidents of several institutions attended the teleconference.
The Western Association of Schools and Colleges also described how the accreditation process is adapting to challenges facing schools during the pandemic. A representative from the Center for Higher Education Transformation stressed that these changes should be made consistently and that our regulatory system should help promote innovation in higher education rather than make it more difficult.
You can watch the teleconference in its entirety. For more information about the MBI, or to learn more about NTIA, follow us on Twitter @NTIAgov or visit our website at www.ntia.gov.