Illinois officials and community leaders are voicing strong opposition after the Trump Administration, through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), abruptly terminated the Digital Equity Capacity Program in mid-May. The move halts more than $23.7 million in planned federal grants that would have expanded digital access and skills for thousands of Illinois households.
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) was in the process of implementing the Digital Equity Capacity Grant, designed to provide residents across the state with the skills, resources, and tools needed to use high-speed internet and fully participate in the modern economy. The loss of funding, officials say, will disproportionately affect rural areas, veterans, seniors, lower-income families, and students in communities already facing barriers to internet access and digital literacy.
“The internet is a key to our economy. In Illinois, we need to make sure our many rural areas have the tools they need to access the internet and the doorways it opens for jobs, education, and telemedicine,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Instead of enabling more people to participate in our economy, Donald Trump is turning his back on rural America, veterans, seniors, and other communities who deserve the opportunity to use the internet to access basic services and help grow our economy.”
The Digital Equity Capacity Grant was part of a broader initiative funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which aimed to help local governments and organizations distribute electronic devices, provide training, and expand digital skills to more than 10 million Illinoisians who have historically experienced lower rates of computer and internet access1.
Without these resources, officials warn, many residents will struggle to access jobs, education, healthcare, and essential services.
“Because of the Trump Administration’s spiteful crusade to gut critical government programs, Illinoisans will lose the internet access that allows them to speak with their doctor, complete homework assignments, or pay their bills. The President seems to forget that there are real people who are harmed by his reckless declarations, and the termination of the Digital Equity Capacity Grant is just the latest example,” said U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL). “While the President continues to slash programs that serve Illinoisans, the Illinois delegation and I will continue to push back and stand up for our constituents.”
Demand for digital equity assistance in Illinois is high: DCEO received more than 260 applications from local institutions seeking to improve internet access, computer availability, and digital skills. In preparation for the federal program, Illinois had already invested in the Digital Equity Capacity Kickstarter (DECK) program, which enabled dozens of partner organizations to host over 4,300 digital skills training classes, participate in more than 900 community outreach events, and distribute more than 1,400 devices between December 2023 and April 2025.
DCEO and its partners have been preparing to implement the Digital Equity Capacity Program since the passage of the Digital Equity Act in 2021. The Illinois State Digital Equity Plan (SDEP), shaped by input from over 1,250 residents at more than 50 listening sessions, identified at least 1.3 million residents in 540,000 households with low digital literacy skills.
