Now is the time to donate.

The Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition is dedicated to bringing high-speed Internet to the schools, libraries and hospitals in every community across America. By joining the SHLB Honors Club, you help pupils, patients, patrons and parents connect to the future. SHLB's advocacy is now more important than ever, but we need your help.
 

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Top 6 Reasons to Donate

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1. We have an important mission.
 
  • SHLB seeks to solve the Digital Divide by focusing on the critical role that schools, libraries, health providers, and other anchor institutions play in serving the needs of communities.  Our Mission is to promote open, affordable, high-quality broadband for anchor institutions and their surrounding communities. 
  • Traditional broadband providers divide the market between business and residential.  The SHLB Coalition ensures that the interests of anchor institutions – the “third leg of the stool” for healthy communities – are also recognized and valued.

Learn about our recent policy advocacy.

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2. We are effective.
 
  • We have good relationships with policy-makers on both sides of the aisle at the FCC, NTIA, Executive Branch, and on Capitol Hill.  FCC Chairman Pai attended our Board dinner in 2017.  Past Conference speakers have included Senator Angus King, Senator Ed Markey, and Commissioners Clyburn and Rosenworcel.
  • Our members and staff have years of experience and great expertise in broadband programs and policies.  As a staff attorney on Capitol Hill, the SHLB Executive Director helped draft the 1996 Telecom Act.
  • We have successfully promoted E-rate reform, secured more funding for the Rural Health Care program, and supported more unlicensed spectrum.  Most recently, SHLB helped to prevent hundreds of E-rate applications from being denied over a technicality.
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3. We plan to participate in several key issues in the coming year.
 
  • The FCC is currently considering how to allocate new licenses for Educational Broadband Service (EBS), how to reform the Rural Health Care program, broadband mapping, and how to make more unlicensed spectrum available.  Early next year, the FCC will also be considering E-rate reform, and the US Congress is likely to take up broadband infrastructure legislation.   
  • There is an urgent need for strong public interest representation in these debates.  Our policy agenda for 2018 is available here.
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4. We are passionate, realistic, and independent.
 
  • We fight for what we believe.  We take a forward-looking and pro-active approach to how our broadband policies can embrace new technologies.  Sometimes this puts us at odds with traditional thinking, but we prefer to support good ideas that serve the needs of anchor institutions rather than remain locked into defending the status quo.
  • SHLB takes a problem-solving market-based approach.  We work with our members and we collaborate with outside parties to develop realistic, fact-based policy solutions. 
  • We have a balanced membership.  We are not captive of any particular sector or political party.
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5. We are building an institution.
 
  • The SHLB Coalition began in 2009 as an ad hoc group of like-minded organizations and individuals who shared ideas on conference calls.  SHLB had no employees, only a part-time contractor.
  • In 2013, we incorporated, obtained 501c3 status, named a Board of Directors, and hired our first employee.
  • We added six new Board members in 2018 (including a former FCC Commissioner).  We now have 13 Board members, an office in Dupont Circle, and 3 employees.
  • Our Strategic Plan calls for us to grow to 300 members and 5-6 staff by the year 2021.
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6. We need your help.
 

  • Our Gates Foundation funding expires at the end of 2018.  

  • To become self-sufficient, we launched a membership campaign in 2017 that has increased the number of dues-paying members from 50 to almost 150.  We have also invested in expanding our Annual Conference. 

  • At our current growth rate, we expect to be fully self-sustaining by 2020, but we need transitional funding to get us to that point.

  • Honors Club funding will enable us to expand staff, conduct research, and increase our effectiveness in solving the Digital Divide and addressing the Homework Gap.

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Recent Policy Success & Research

  • Due to SHLB's advocacy, the FCC increased funding for the Rural Health Care (RHC) program by $171 million.
  • Also due to SHLB's advocacy, the FCC launched a proceeding to issue wireless Educational Broadband Service licenses in rural markets.
  • The FCC instructed USAC not to deny any E-rate applications over confusion resulting from the drop-down menu thanks in part to SHLB's letter on the application difficulties.
  
 
  • Due to SHLB's advocacy, two-thirds of E-rate fiber applications were approved in FY 2017.
  • The SHLB Coalition released a study estimating the costs of connecting all remaining anchor institutions to fiber at less than $20 Billion.

Testimonials

 

     
 

Promoting open, affordable, high-quality broadband for anchor institutions and their communities

Read Full Mission >>>

  
     

 

Our Supporters

The SHLB Coalition is incredibly grateful to the following individuals and organizations, all of whom make our work possible through their donations over the last year.

Platinum Donors

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society
SDC Capital Partners, LLC

Gold Donors

Blair Levin
Dan Kettwich
Funds For Learning
Glen Echo Group
NTCA - The Rural Broadband Association
Tom and Carol Wheeler
Voqal

Silver Donors

Beverly Sutherland
Broadband Law Group
Broadband Legal Strategies
Deborah Sovereign
E-Rate Central
Infinity Communications & Consulting
Janice Meyers
Jeff Reiman, in memory of Tom Reiman
JJ McGrath
Larry Irving
Law Office of Rachelle Chong
Michael Flood
William and Karen England Foundation

2021 Giving Tuesday Supporters

 

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