We want to make sure you’re aware of a benefit that may be available to families of students in your district: a monthly discount on Internet services (plus other perks) via the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program.
Put simply, anyone whose child is eligible for a free and/or reduced price school lunch program or school breakfast program, including at U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools, may also be eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program. (There are other ways to become eligible, but this is the one pertinent to this discussion.)
As noted on the FCC website, “The Affordable Connectivity Program is an FCC benefit program that helps ensure households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare and more.
The benefit provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands.
Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price.”
Especially with the holidays approaching, eligible families may welcome the opportunity to save at least $30/month or $360/year on Internet, as well as $100 on a laptop, desktop computer or tablet. In addition to bringing some cheer to the holidays, letting eligible families know about the Affordable Connectivity Program may help you begin to build some goodwill prior to the start of budget discussions.
The FCC even makes it easy for you to communicate the program, with a variety of materials including a toolkit containing downloadable flyers, social media messages, infographics, and more. After communicating the program, your part is done.
Any eligible individual interested in the benefit can apply online, via mail or via a participating internet company (click here for instructions). There’s even a tool to help applicants learn about participating companies in their area – click here. Many Internet Service Provider websites include a tool to help determine eligibility for the Affordable Connectivity Program and to apply.
We’re always looking for ways to enhance the value we deliver to our clients (and prospects) and hope this information will prove valuable to you and your district. As with any new program, it’s always a good idea to run it by your legal council before proceeding.
In the meantime, if you need any help with accounting, tax, audit, or advisory services, please know RBT CPAs is always here for you. To learn more, give us a call today.
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