The Federal Communications Commision is an agency of the U.S. government that regulates communications through radio, satellite, cable, and other mediums. This gives it jurisdiction over broadband in the U.S., and therefore the FCC is an important player in addressing the digital divide. They have in the past given grants to both for ISPs and independent communities to help build last mile connections, and they are in charge of broadband legislation that affects every community.
In March 2020, Congress passed the Broadband Data Act, which will require the FCC to update their broadband coverage maps, and force them to take granular accurate data, and create challenging standards for their maps to meet. This is incredibly important, as a lot of grants are based on FCC data. Mapping shows which areas are underserved, and it is a well known fact that most coverage maps overreport speeds and availability.
The U.S. government has also awarded $19.2 million to help states fund rural broadband projects. Biden promised to invest more into rural broadband, so grants as large as this may be coming in the future.
