Illinois Office of Broadband

Created in September 2019, the Office of Broadband is housed within the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. As a primary charge, the office is responsible for administering the Connect Illinois  broadband infrastructure grant program. In addition, the office has developed related programming – such as in the areas of community and regional planning, local capacity building, and digital equity and inclusion.

Beyond the administration of grants and programming, the office has forged strategic collaboration throughout Illinois, including but not limited to those with:  Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, Heartland Forward; PCs for People; University of Illinois Extension; and Illinois Innovation Network. In addition, the office works closely with other state agencies, in particular the Department of Innovation & Technology, the Department of Transportation, and the State Board of Education.

Finally, the office serves as a one-stop shop for all things broadband. From infrastructure to utilization, public funding to private deployment, the office strives to be a useful resource to individual consumers, local communities, various state agencies, and broadband providers alike. Just as broadband connects seemingly distinct aspects of our lives or otherwise siloed areas of government, the office of broadband seeks to make meaningful connections – including through thoughtful public-private partnership, innovative cross-sector collaboration, and increased efficiency within state agency and across all levels of government.