Digital Opportunity Foundation Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
Introduced
Summary
A private nonprofit to expand digital inclusion and broadband adoption. This bill would create the Foundation for Digital Opportunity to raise funds, award grants and prizes, convene stakeholders, train personnel, and support federal broadband programs such as the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program and the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program.
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- Families and households: Grants and programs would promote digital literacy, telehealth, distance learning, and easier online access to government benefits so more people can use broadband services.
- Tribal and rural communities: The Foundation could support Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program grants, coordinate with BEAD and the Universal Service Fund, and step in to fund Tribal grants if appropriations fall short.
- Local institutions and small businesses: It may fund libraries, schools, community anchor institutions, run training and convenings, and create for‑profit subsidiaries or impact investment funds to back startups, incubators, and local economic development.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Grants for local digital literacy
If enacted, the Foundation would award competitive grants for information technology capacity, digital literacy, and digital adoption in local communities. Grant winners would be chosen by merit, impact on inclusion, geographic diversity, cost-effectiveness, and other strategic-plan factors. The Foundation would be required to tell community groups about funding opportunities and promote grantee work. The Foundation could fund a Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program grant only if there were not enough appropriations to pay that grant.
Investment funds and startup support
This bill would let the Foundation create one or more for-profit subsidiaries, including an impact investment fund. Those entities could fund startups, run incubators, and partner with economic development groups or small business investors. The Foundation could transfer funds to the Department of Commerce under federal research limits. The Commerce Secretary could provide facilities or support if it helps department programs.
Set up Digital Opportunity Foundation
This bill would require a committee to form and incorporate a nonprofit called the Foundation for Digital Opportunity. The committee must be set up within 90 days and finish its work within about 180 days. The Foundation would have a board with federal officials as nonvoting members and at least 15 appointed members from academia, industry, nonprofits, community groups, and government. The board would try to get and keep tax-exempt status and follow term and travel rules for board members.
Transparency and federal interaction rules
If enacted, the Foundation would need a strategic plan within one year and public reports within a year of setup and every two years after. The Foundation must have annual audits and make records available to the Secretary and the Comptroller General, and the Comptroller General must evaluate the Foundation every five years. The bill would bar Foundation board members, staff, and program participants from exercising administrative control over federal employees. It would also say the Anti-Deficiency Act does not apply to federal officers carrying out Foundation activities with Foundation funds.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
NM • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA]
MA • D
Sponsored 5/20/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov