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ORDER OF THE NEW HAVEN BOARD OF ALDERS AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF NEW HAVEN TO APPLY FOR AND ACCEPT A GRANT FROM THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION NOT TO EXCEED $277,617.00 TO SUPPORT EQUITABLE ACCESS TO BROADBAND INTERNET IN NEW HAVEN THROUGH THE AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM
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WHEREAS, a lack of high speed internet access for many low-income households within the City of New Haven (the “City”) has a negative impact on such households and serves to widen inequalities of opportunity between residents of the City; and
WHEREAS, such negative impact was most recently seen during the COVID-19 pandemic as children from low-income households struggled with access to remote learning; and
WHEREAS, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 appropriated $14.2 billion for the Affordable Connectivity Program (the “ACP”), which provides qualifying low-income households with discounts on broadband service and connected devices, and expressly authorizes Federal Communications Commission (the “FCC”) outreach in support of the ACP, including the provision of grants by the FCC to the FCC outreach partners; and
WHEREAS, approximately sixty (60%) percent of qualifying low-income households in the City are not signed up for the ACP and increasing participation in the ACP among qualifying households within the City is a cornerstone of the City’s approach to enhancing equitable accessible to high-speed for all residents of the City; and
WHEREAS, the FCC has established the ACP Outreach Grant Program to provide eligible governmental and non-governmental entities with the funding and resources needed to increase awareness of and participation in the ACP among those eligible households most in need of affordable connectivity; and
WHEREAS, the City, acting through its Economic Development Administration and New Haven Free Public Library, proposes to partner with Concepts for Adaptive Learning (“CfAL”) and Elm City Communities (“ECC”) to create a two-year long program of outreach and sign-up events for the ACP, with a focus on low income, elderly, BIPOC and veteran communities; and
WHEREAS, the City would be the lead applicant for a $277,617.00 grant application from the ACP Outreach Grant Program and would act as a pass through agency for partner organization CfAL; and
WHEREAS, assistance from the ACP Outreach Grant Program would fund the hiring and training of part time staff by CfAL and the City of New Haven through the NHFPL which part-time shall support the outreach and sign-up event programs to be held largely at NHFPL and ECC venues, and would also fund outreach and marketing strategies coordinated by the City to publicize the availability of the ACP.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED that:
1). that the filing of an application by the City for financial assistance from the FCC through the ACP Outreach Grant Program, in order to fund the ACP Outreach and Sign-Up Event Program to be coordinated by the City in partnership with CfAL, the NHFPL and ECC in an amount not to exceed Two Hundred Seventy Seven Thousand Six Hundred Seventeen Dollars and Zero Cents ($277,617.00) is hereby approved and that Justin Elicker, Mayor of the City, is hereby authorized and directed to execute and file such application with the FCC, to provide such additional information as may be required, to execute such other documents as may be required in the application process, to execute a Grant/Assistance Agreement with the FCC (an “Agreement”) for such financial assistance (if such an Agreement is offered) in the amount of $277,617.00 or such lesser amount (if any) as may be offered by the FCC (which Agreement may include an indemnification of the FCC and/or the US government and/or other appropriate agencies of the US government), to execute any amendments, rescissions, and revisions thereto, and to act as the authorized representative of the City with respect to all other matters pertaining to such application,
2). that Justin Elicker, Mayor of the City, is hereby authorized and directed to enter into a memorandum of agreement with CfAL and such other documentation as may be reasonably necessary or desirable in order to effect the intent of this Resolution, so as the City may act as a pass-through entity and transfer monies not to exceed One Hundred Forty Thousand Eight Hundred Eighty Six Dollars and Zero Cents ($140,886.00) to CfAL to support the execution of the ACP Outreach and Sign-Up Event program,
3). that Justin Elicker, Mayor of the City, is hereby authorized and directed to distribute the remaining One Hundred Thirty Six Thousand Seven Hundred Thirty One Dollars and Zero cents ($136,731.00) as may be reasonably necessary or desirable in order to effect the intent of this Resolution concerning the operations of the ACP Outreach and Sign-Up Event program.