Benton Institute for Broadband & Society has an opportunity for the right folks…

Through the Marjorie & Charles Benton Opportunity Fund, we aim to support a new generation of broadband scholars, practitioners, and advocates. We welcome applications from people working on broadband access, adoption, equity, and use. For instance, you may be working on issues of infrastructure or digital inclusion, but are interested in dedicating some of your time to policy-focused research and writing. Or you may be a doctoral candidate ready to begin fieldwork and collect data on the impact of broadband access on health or education outcomes. We are interested in supporting a range of projects that can better inform our current or emerging broadband policy debates, either through critical research about the future of the internet in our communities or the development of best practices and tools to advance our field’s work. Proposed projects can yield either practice or research-focused publications or multimedia content. Some potential topics include:
● How are grassroots organizations and coalitions working to advance digital equity?
● How can we best measure and map the availability and quality of broadband?
● What state and local policy levers can influence broadband availability and adoption?
● How does improved access to broadband impact local economies and communities?
● What resources and information do state legislators or government agencies need to ensure universal broadband access and adoption? This is by no means an exhaustive list and you should feel free to propose other ideas of critical importance to our field. We especially welcome applications that focus on historically marginalized communities. Fellowships will range from $5,000-$20,000, with a tenure ranging from 6 months to 2 years.

Deadline is October 15.