El Centro Hispano, Life Skills for Youth receive $3 million for digital literacy initiatives
Two Arkansas nonprofits, El Centro Hispano and Life Skills for Youth, have been awarded more than $3 million in federal funding to expand digital access and literacy programs in Arkansas.
This funding, recommended by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), is part of the highly competitive $1.25 billion Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program, created under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The Connection Hub, a two-year pilot program designed to support Arkansas-based 501(c)3 organizations in developing their capacity to secure federal grant funding, helped secure the funding.
El Centro Hispano and Life Skills for Youth are part of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance’s (NDIA) proposal. NDIA’s proposal was among 24 selected nationwide, receiving a portion of more than $250 million to support digital skills and inclusion projects across the country.
El Centro Hispano, which serves Spanish-speaking communities across 10 Arkansas counties, will provide wrap-around services through digital navigators.
“We are grateful for partners like The Connection Hub who believe in our vision and support our efforts to provide vital digital resources for underserved populations,” said Gina Gomez, executive director of El Centro Hispano. “Hispanic and immigrant communities rely on our organization to connect them to educational and health services in Spanish. This project will offer digital literacy and device distribution to close the gap that often divides our community from quality resources.”
Life Skills for Youth, which is focused on communities in southwest Little Rock and surrounding areas, will also offer digital support to its constituents.
“Access to technology and digital skills is essential for personal and community growth,” said Coach Clark, executive director of Life Skills for Youth. “With this support, we can provide the resources and training our community needs to succeed.”
Both organizations will match the federal funding with support pledged by private philanthropy.
“We are thrilled that our longtime grantees, Life Skills for Youth and El Centro Hispano, have secured more than $3 million to partner with NDIA to bridge the digital divide in Arkansas,” said Dr. Sherece West-Scantlebury, president and CEO of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation. “This transformative grant will expand access to affordable technology and digital skills, empowering more Arkansans to fully participate in opportunities for better health, employment, and community connection.”
The Connection Hub, a Walton Family Foundation-funded initiative, provides technical assistance to nonprofits at no cost.
“The Connection Hub is thrilled to have supported El Centro Hispano and Life Skills for Youth in becoming part of NDIA’s groundbreaking Digital Navigator+ Program,” said Abby Hughes Holsclaw, Connection Hub President. “By offering direct, no-cost assistance to nonprofits focused on early childhood health, food insecurity, and economic mobility, we aim to amplify their impact in communities across Arkansas.”