State Funding Supports Digital Literacy, Devices, Connectivity, and Digital Health Tools for More Than 110,000 New Yorkers

Empire State Development (ESD) today announced $7.4 million in awards to 13 organizations across New York State through the ConnectALL Office. The funding advances the capacity of increasing high-quality resources for digital skills, education and access to reach and engage more than 110,000 New Yorkers across the state. Grants include $6.4 million for 10 nonprofit organizations and public institutions serving communities from the North Country to New York City, and $40,000 for a technical assistance partnership with the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe. These awards will advance digital literacy, expand access to devices, strengthen digital health participation, improve online safety, and ensure that state agencies are delivering accessible digital services to residents.

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “These targeted investments ensure that communities across every region of New York have the support they need to participate in today's digital economy. ConnectALL continues to drive innovative, community-centered solutions that expand digital literacy, strengthen state services, and support our Tribal and First Nations partners. Governor Hochul’s leadership has made it possible to sustain this work, even in the absence of federal funding, and today’s awards reflect New York’s unwavering commitment to New Yorkers so everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”

Digital Equity Program Grants - $7,431,884

• Adirondack Health Institute, Inc. (North Country) - $750,000: Deploy digital navigators, assets, and personalized digital literacy training for underserved rural residents, including telehealth support, serving Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties.
• Bay Ridge Center, Inc. (New York City) - $289,850: Reduce digital equity barriers for underserved older adults in Kings County through programs offering introduction to technology and internet, improved digital literacy and safety with services in Arabic, English, Mandarin, and Spanish, and support for home-based internet subscriptions.
• Buffalo City School District Adult Education Division (Western NY) - $736,587: Provide digital literacy and cybersecurity training to Buffalo Public Schools students and the broader Buffalo community, while establishing a device lending library, implementing a refurbished device policy, and delivering comprehensive staff training.
• Fifth Avenue Committee, Inc. (Capital Region, Long Island, Mid-Hudson, New York City) - $514,694: Expand digital literacy instruction programs by equipping partner organizations and educators with digital literacy tools, training, and curriculum in English and Spanish.
• Housing Works, Inc. (New York City) - $749,998: Expand evidence-based model employing bilingual community health workers and digital tools to improve disease self-management and health literacy, reducing inequities in digital health access.
• Literacy West NY, Inc. (Finger Lakes, Western NY) - $644,230: Bring mobile computer labs, digital navigators, and digital literacy training to rural areas in Genesee, Livingston, Wyoming, Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Chautauqua counties to help residents connect with education, jobs, healthcare, and government services.
• Sunset Park Health Council, Inc. (New York City) - $666,711: Advance digital health equity in South Brooklyn through a partnership with Family Health Centers at NYU Langone, Brooklyn Public Library, and Fifth Avenue Committee to improve patient digital experiences and expand community-facing digital literacy opportunities.
• Syracuse Northeast Community Center, Inc. (Central NY) - $750,000: Offer digital literacy instruction, support access to affordable broadband, make connections with essential services, and promote the region’s digital empowerment in collaboration with the Central New York Digital Inclusion Coalition.
• United Way of the Greater Capital Region, Inc. (Capital Region) - $539,813: Expand access to devices, improve accessibility, and provide digital literacy education across the Greater Capital Region through a participatory regranting program led by the Digital Equity Coalition for the Capital Region.
• Westchester Library System (Mid-Hudson) - $750,000: Recruit, train, and deploy digital navigators in libraries and community-based organizations throughout the Mid-Hudson region, develop a training hub with digital literacy workshops and information sessions, and promote digital literacy services to increase patron participation.
• State University of New York (SUNY) Office of Higher Education in Prisons - $500,000: In collaboration with the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, to create a higher education micro-credential program across 14 SUNY campuses serving 24 prisons, teaching digital skills, digital literacies, and career planning to incarcerated individuals and formerly incarcerated persons upon release into the community.
• Digital and Media Services Center, Office of General Services - $500,000: Develop and apply a unified accessibility audit framework to help state agencies understand, evaluate, and prioritize digital accessibility.
• Mohawk Networks - $40,000: Contract a grant writer to support the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe.

Expanding New York's Digital Infrastructure

Governor Hochul has made expanding broadband access a cornerstone of her administration's efforts to create a more equitable and affordable New York. Through the ConnectALL initiative, New York State is investing more than $1 billion to transform the state's digital infrastructure, enhance competition among providers, and ensure that every New Yorker has access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet. To date, ConnectALL has overseen the successful launch and implementation of several programs to advance broadband access, including:

• The Municipal Infrastructure Program has awarded more than $285 million to support construction of open access municipal broadband networks across the state. The program, primarily funded by the U.S. Department of the Treasury under the American Rescue Plan’s Capital Projects fund, facilitates a variety of models of municipal broadband and public-private partnerships to provide New Yorkers with affordable, high-quality service options. The Beta ConnectALL Projects Dashboard provides details on projects funded by the Municipal Infrastructure Program.
• The Digital Equity Program is a plan to invest $50 million to close the digital divide. The Plan outlines New York’s statewide strategy to increase its capacity to improve digital literacy and digital job readiness skills, facilitate access to affordable internet and devices, enhance digital privacy and safety, and make government services more accessible through the internet.
• The Affordable Housing Connectivity Program will bring new broadband infrastructure to homes in affordable and public housing leveraging a $100 million federal investment from the U.S. Treasury Department’s Capital Projects Fund. The Beta ConnectALL Projects Dashboard provides details on projects funded by the Affordable Housing Connectivity Program.
• The ConnectALL Deployment Program will provide funding for internet service providers to reach unserved and underserved locations, drawing on an allocation of $644.6 million in federal funding as described in the ConnectALL Broadband Deployment Initial Proposal. The Requests for Applications for the Deployment Program ended in July, and ConnectALL is awaiting federal approval of its Final Proposal for these funds.
• The Connectivity Innovation Program advances innovation and new broadband solutions, business models, and technologies in order to increase private sector investment and entrepreneurship; drive equity and innovation in the broadband marketplace; and reinforce a thriving research, development, and manufacturing ecosystem to support connectivity innovation in New York.  ConnectALL is currently accepting applications through two Requests for Applications under the Connectivity Innovation Program: the Fiber Optic Deployment Solutions Request for Applications closed on November 24, 2025, and the Business Model Request for Applications closes on January 9, 2026.
• The Excelsior Broadband Network is a new statewide public broadband network. The first component of this project will be a new fiber line running the full length of the New York Thruway which will connect public broadband assets across the state and improve access to consistent high-speed internet and reliable cell phone service for communities across the state.
• The Mobile Service Connectivity initiative will work with local stakeholders, state agencies, and industry to develop regional plans to expand cellular coverage across the state. The program will identify top opportunities to expand coverage and provide funding to deploy innovative, scalable solutions that can address gaps in wireless cellular coverage.

State Senator Kristen Gonzalez said, “As the federal government continues to dilute our digital security I’m proud that New York is investing $7.4 million to advance digital equity. Expanding access to devices, improving online safety, and supporting individuals involved in the criminal justice system with digital skills are the work we need to be doing now. I look forward to continuing to partner with my colleagues in the legislature, other stakeholders, and the Governor to ensure we decrease the digital divide while protecting our residents.”

Assemblymember Steve Otis said, “This is an especially exciting announcement considering that New York State has stepped in with state funds to replace federal dollars unexpectedly blocked after Congress had already authorized funding for these digital capacity grants. As an advocate for needed digital equity and inclusion programs, I applaud Governor Hochul and our ConnectALL office for identifying and making state funds available to replace the blocked federal funding.”

About Empire State Development

Empire State Development is New York's chief economic development agency, and promotes business growth, job creation, and greater economic opportunity throughout the state. With offices in each of the state's 10 regions, ESD oversees the Regional Economic Development Councils, supports broadband equity through the ConnectALL office, and is growing the workforce of tomorrow through the Office of Strategic Workforce Development. The agency engages with emerging and next generation industries like clean energy and semiconductor manufacturing looking to grow in New York State, operates a network of assistance centers to help small businesses grow and succeed, and promotes the state's world class tourism destinations through I LOVE NY. For more information, please visit esd.ny.gov, and connect with ESD on LinkedIn, Facebook and X.

Contact: 
ESD Press Office | [email protected] | (800) 260-7313
Emily Mijatovic | [email protected] | (212) 803-3692