#makingairwaves

It has been over 4 months since the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to overhaul the Educational Broadband Service (EBS) spectrum band (2.5 GHz) and prepare it for commercial auction. As EBS licensees, Voqal strongly opposed the Commission’s decision because it was an enormous missed opportunity not only to strengthen educational benefits, but also to

The newly-renamed Benton Institute for Broadband & Society has released a new report titled Broadband for America’s Future: A Vision for the 2020s. The report, authored by Benton senior fellow, Jonathan Sallet, is a magnum opus of broadband policy for the forthcoming decade. Jon Sallet, along with Adrienne Farris, recently appeared on the Community Broadband

Voqal’s Education Opportunity Project seeks to measurably reduce educational opportunity gaps by providing capital and strategic advice to entrepreneurs and organizations working to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged populations. As part of a new feature aimed at promoting the work of these forward-thinking, changemakers, we are regularly highlighting one of these organizations on the #makingairwaves

Back in September, Blair Levin and Larry Downes authored a much-talked-about opinion piece that made a bold claim: America’s Cities – not its rural areas – are the real cause for concern when it comes to the digital divide. Their main argument is that while many believe rural broadband access is the reason for the

Voices for Racial Justice advances racial, cultural, social and economic justice in Minnesota through organizer and leadership training, strategic convenings and campaigns, and research and policy tools. Thanks in part to support from Voqal, Voices for Racial Justice is working to build a movement for racial justice in rural Minnesota. Voices for Racial Justice hosts

Last week, EducationSuperHighway declared “mission accomplished” with regard to the K-12 connectivity gap. It is important to understand exactly what they are claiming. Back in 2014, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved significant E-Rate changes. E-Rate is one of the four Universal Service Fund (USF) subsidy programs and is designed to connect schools and libraries

“No nation is so great that the world can afford to let it continue to be deliberately unjust, cruel and unfair toward its own citizens.” – W.E.B. DuBois In this month’s grantmaking spotlight, Voqal’s program manager for grants and fellowships, Mary Coleman, reminds us of the importance of addressing racial inequity in our work. On

Voqal’s Education Opportunity Project (EOP) supports a wide array of organizations and projects that address issues pertaining to the multifaceted educational opportunity gap in the United States. Last year, Voqal supported a project spearheaded by an innovative startup ideas lab, Capita, to take a future-forward look at what foundations are necessary to ensure that young

CIRC Action Fund works to build a strong and thriving Colorado where all residents are treated with dignity and respect and have equal access to a fair and just quality of life and the opportunity to live united with family members. It advocates for fair, humane and workable public policies and seeks to increase the

TakeAction Minnesota is a statewide network of people working to realize racial and economic equity across Minnesota. It does this by connecting people and organizations to each other, turning someone’s individual desire for change – to pass a more progressive policy or law, to improve an institution or to change a harmful idea or perception