Hawaii has received a $72 million grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP).
The grant was awarded to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL), a state organization that works to rehabilitate “native Hawaiians by returning them to the land.” The Hawaiian homesteading program run by DHHL includes management of more than 200,000 acres of land statewide with the specific purpose of developing and delivering homesteading.
Combined with an additional NTIA grant awarded earlier this year, the DHHL will have a total of $89 million to expand broadband internet access to thousands of underserved households on Hawaiian home lands. Funding will be used to support new telecommunications infrastructure, workforce development programs, and digital equity initiatives for DHHL lessees.
“This new federal funding will mean communities on Hawaiian home lands will have better, more reliable high-speed internet at home, helping more people access education, health care, and employment resources online,” said Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, who serves as chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and helped secure funding for the grant.
Grant funds will be dispersed over a four-year period, with projects rolling out through 2028. In addition to infrastructure projects, the TBCP grant will also support:
- Workforce Development Programs – training and skills development to support digital jobs and career opportunities.
- Digital Equity and Education Initiatives – resources and programs aimed at increasing digital literacy and ensuring that DHHL lessees have the skills necessary to bridge the digital divide.
- Community Centers – establishing centers on Hawaiian home lands where residents can access digital education resources and public internet.
“The TBCP grant will enable DHHL to bring high-speed internet, digital education programs, and new community centers to our homesteads across the pae ʻāina,” said DHHL Director Kali Watson. “It’s more than just connectivity; it’s about opening doors to opportunity, through education, employment, and access to healthcare and other essential services. Mahalo to our federal partners at NTIA for supporting this vision.”
