Kitsap County is working to help build awareness about the Affordable Connectivity Program, a Federal Communications Commission offering that helps ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare and more.

The ACP provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying tribal lands, a county news release states. The benefit also provides a discount of up to $100 per household toward a one-time purchase of a computer, laptop or tablet if the household contributes more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase through a participating broadband provider.

A household is eligible for the ACP if the its income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or if a member of the household meets at least one of the following criteria:

● Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year.

● Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider’s existing low-income internet program.

● Participates in one of these assistance programs: Free and Reduced-Price School Lunch or School Breakfast Program, including U.S. Department of Agriculture Community Eligibility Provision schools; SNAP; Medicaid; Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8); Project-Based Rental Assistance; Public Housing; Supplemental Security Income; WIC; Veterans Pension or Survivor Benefits; or Lifeline.

● Participates in one of these assistance programs and lives on qualifying tribal lands: Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance; Tribal TANF; Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations; Tribal Head Start; or Affordable Housing Programs for American Indians, Alaska Natives or Native Hawaiians.

Eligible households can enroll by going to AffordableConnectivity.gov to submit an online application or print a mail-in application, or by contacting their preferred participating broadband provider and selecting a plan.