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Charter awards $1.1mn to nonprofit organisations through spectrum digital education grant programme

Charter Communications, Inc. announced that it is awarding $1.1 million (€1.03 million) to 46 nonprofit organisations through its spectrum digital education grant programme. With this recent round of grants, Charter has committed more than $9 million (€8.46 million) total to the initiative, which supports broadband technology programmes, education and training in unserved and underserved communities throughout Charter’s service area.

“The importance of expanding access to essential broadband technologies, education and training is profound in our increasingly digital world. Through the 2023 Spectrum Digital Education grant programme, Charter is partnering with valued nonprofits that share our commitment to create better opportunities for the communities we serve.” says Rahman Khan, group vice president of community impact, Charter.

Meet 2023 recipients

This year, 21 nonprofits were awarded a spectrum digital education grant, including Serving Older Adults of Southeast Wisconsin in Milwaukee, which provides access to technology training and devices for seniors; Compudopt, which offers free technology access and education to under-resourced local residents in and around Dallas, Texas area; and Black Connect in Wesley Chapel, Florida, which is dedicated to eliminating racial wealth gap facing Black Americans by increasing the number and growth rate of black-owned businesses. Additional 2023 recipients include Kramden Institute in Durham, North Carolina, which has been awarded five grants through spectrum digital education totaling $170,000 (€159792.35).

With this latest round of funding, Kramden Institute will partner with housing authorities and community organizations to deliver basic computer skills education and free, refurbished computers to participants. Hispanic Federation is an eight-time recipient, having been awarded $275,000 (€258487.63) through the programme, and will use the additional funding to launch a mobile spectrum learning hub to provide workforce training to low-income Latino residents and farmworkers in the Wimauma, Florida area.

“Our reliance on digital tools to connect us to the world around us is growing by the day, whether at work or in our daily lives. Through our partnership with Charter’s Spectrum Digital Education programme, we’re making sure Latino families don’t get left behind and receive the training they need to strengthen their twenty-first century skills and thrive in our increasingly digital world.” says Frankie Miranda, president and CEO, Hispanic Federation.

Charter’s commitment: $9 Million (€8.46 million) and counting

Since the 2017 introduction of spectrum digital education, Charter has awarded 261 grants to 143 partners. As of September 2023, the programme has helped to fund more than 30,000 digital education classes, distribute over 13,000 devices including laptops and support creation of 157 tech labs.

From nearly 250 eligible applications received, 46 nonprofit organisations across 14 states were selected. The 2023 spectrum digital education grant recipients are:

California

–          Great Harvest Community Centre
–          Hope through Housing Foundation
–          Martha’s Village & Kitchen
–          Pasadena Senior Centre
–          San Diego Futures Foundation

Florida

–          Black Connect
–          Heart of Florida United Way
–          Seniors in Service of Tampa Bay, Inc.

Hawaii

–          EA Ecoversity
–          Mapunawai, Inc.
–          Project Hawai’i, Inc.
–          Waipahu Community School for Adults

Kentucky

–          Louisville Urban League

Missouri

–          SOTV Creators
–          St. Louis Arc
–          Wesley House Association

Montana

–          Greater Missoula Family YMCA

New York

–          BRIC Arts Media
–          Greenwich House, Inc.
–          Hispanic Federation, Inc.
–          NYC Computer Lab Initiative
–          Interfaith Works of Central New York
–          The STEM Alliance
–          Public Housing Community Fund
–          VIA: Visually Impaired Advancement

North Carolina

–          E2D – Eliminate the Digital Divide
–          Kramden Institute
–          Urban League of Central Carolinas, Inc.

Ohio

–          After-School All-Stars Ohio
–          Akron Urban League
–          Central Community House
–          Seeds of Literacy
–          United Way of Greater Cincinnati
–          Urban League of Greater Cleveland
–          Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio

South Carolina

–          Senior Citizens Association in Florence County

Tennessee

–          Boys & Girls Clubs in Tennessee
–          United Ways of Tennessee

Texas

–          Austin Area Urban League
–          Compudopt
–          Girls Inc of San Antonio
–          Latinitas

Virginia

–          LGBT Technology Institute

Wisconsin

–          100 Black Men of Madison, Inc.
–          Digital Bridge
–          Serving Older Adults of Southeast Wisconsin

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