Charter Targets Digital Education With Grant Program

Charter Communications last week introduced its Spectrum Digital Education Grant Program, an initiative designed to support nonprofit organizations that educate community members on the benefits of broadband.

The aim of the Spectrum Digital Education Grant Program is to provide digital education in the communities Charter serves via financial grants, PSAs, workshops and webinars to local nonprofit organizations, the company said.

Charter said Spectrum Digital Education grants will be awarded to nonprofit organizations that have programs focused on families and seniors who have historically been underrepresented in broadband services. To be eligible for a grant, the organization must serve communities located in a Spectrum market and must be a U.S. nonprofit organization with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.

Charter said there’s no cap on the number of grants awarded, though grant awards generally will not exceed $50,000, and that the grants are supported by an initial $1 million commitment from Charter.

Charter said applications will be available for download and accepted starting June 30, 2017, and will close on August 11 at 11:59 p.m. ET.  Grant recipients will be notified by October 2017.

"In an increasingly technology-driven world, the importance of digital education and access to adequate digital resources cannot be overstated,” Rahman Khan, VP of corporate social responsibility at Charter, said in a statement. “The Spectrum Digital Education Grant Program allows Charter to partner with community organizations across the country to help bridge the divide and provide communities in need with the tools to grow and prosper in the digital age.”