SHLB & Benton Urge NTIA to Defer to States In Defining Anchors Under BEAD
Washington, D.C. (August 11, 2025) – The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband (SHLB) Coalition and the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society have submitted a letter to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) urging the agency to provide states with broad deference and expansive flexibility to determine which locations qualify as a community anchor institution (CAI) under the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program.
SHLB and Benton argue that such broad deference and expansive flexibility will conform NTIA’s policies to the intent of the IIJA and ensure that BEAD projects more completely respond to the direct and sometimes unique needs of the community and enhance the efficiency of broadband deployment in all underserved and underserved areas.
In the letter, the organizations write:
“We urge NTIA to defer to states’ expertise and knowledge of their communities when making decisions about what locations fit the definition of ‘community anchor institution’. Congress recognized that states are best situated to solve the connectivity challenges facing their communities.”
The letter responds to new NTIA FAQs issued in June and July that narrowly interpret what locations qualify as a ‘community support organization’, limiting eligibility to organizations that currently provide publicly accessible Internet service and digital skills training in government-owned facilities. Today’s letter explains that this restrictive definition could disqualify critical community anchor institutions, including houses of worship, senior centers, youth development organizations, and job training centers, many of which already serve as digital lifelines in their communities but may no longer be eligible for BEAD funding.
The letter urges NTIA to defer to state expertise when designating community anchor institutions, arguing that state and local leaders are best positioned to understand where people gather, seek help, and connect online.
Read SHLB's and Benton’s full letter to NTIA here.
Media Availability
SHLB’s Executive Director, Joey Wender, is available for interviews to discuss SHLB’s letter, the importance of inclusive CAI definitions, and what’s at stake for unserved and underserved communities across the country.
For more information, visit www.shlb.org or follow @SHLBcoalition on LinkedIn, Facebook, or X.
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About SHLB: The SHLB Coalition is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) advocacy organization that supports open, affordable, high-quality broadband connections for anchor institutions and their surrounding communities. The SHLB Coalition is based in Washington, D.C., and has a diverse membership of commercial and non-commercial organizations across the United States. To learn more, visit www.shlb.org.
About Benton: The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society is a 44-year-old nonprofit working to make sure everyone in the United States can use and benefit from high-quality, affordable broadband. Westrengthen local, state, and national leadership by providing the timely information and analysis, practical guidance, and advocacy needed to articulate and implement a broadband for all agenda. To learn more, visit www.benton.org.