News
The CEO of Compudopt, a non-profit working to bridge digital divides, harbors serious concerns about the direction of recent developments.
By: Brad Randall, Broadband Communities
Recent developments in Washington have left Megan Steckly, the CEO of a national non-profit named Compudopt, “genuinely concerned” about the future of federal funding.
Steckly’s organization, which she names as the largest non-profit in the country with a complete digital access solution, relies heavily on federal funding.
According to Steckly, who spoke to BBCMag.com recently at Connected America in Dallas, approximately $28 million out of Compudopt’s $62 million operating budget comes from federal funding.
Over 111,000 computers distributed
Compudopt, founded in 2007, offers programs that “serve to eliminate limited access to computers,” according to the organization’s website.
Additionally, the non-profit describes their programs as aiming to foster growth in technical and digital literacy skills. The programs also strive to provide no or low-cost high-speed internet options to support young people, Compudopt’s website states.
In total, Computdopt has distributed over 111,000 computers, connected over 30,000 households, and served more than 180,000 students, according to the non-profit’s statistics.
Last week at Connected America, in an appearance on the Beyond the Cable podcast, Steckly said her organization has spent years staffing up in preparation of broadband rollouts like the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program.
With recent scrutiny on federal funding programs, however, Steckly said timelines feel extended for broadband projects.
“It feels like the timeline is going to be forever,” she said. “So that’s one of our first concerns.”
Steckly’s comments came days after President Donald Trump’s Secretary of Commerce announced the beginning of a “rigorous review” of the BEAD Program.
That announcement, made earlier this month on the Department of Commerce’s website, explained that the commerce department will be looking for “ways to cut government red tape that slows down infrastructure construction.”
He also said his review intends to result in “ripping out the Biden Administration’s pointless requirements.”
“In 2021, Congress created the BEAD Program to expand Americans’ access to high-speed internet,” Lutnick wrote. “But, years later, because of the prior administration’s woke mandates, favoritism towards certain technologies, and burdensome regulations, the program has not connected a single person to the internet and is in dire need of a readjustment.”
‘It’s impacting the size of their gifts’
Steckly, meanwhile, said her organization is also worried that uncertainty around the future of federal broadband funding could negatively impact philanthropy, with corporate partners becoming more averse to risk spending.
“It’s impacting the size of their gifts, in some respects,” she said. “And then, of course, philanthropy as it relates to foundations are deeply impacted by market fluctuations.”
She said philanthropy is also not the answer to fill “a giant federal hole.”
Additionally, Steckly said emphasis around language changes surrounding the promotion of concepts like digital equity has caused some level of disruption.
“For our members, it’s creating a lot of fear,” she said. “It creates harm within organizations and erodes trust.”
According to Steckly, for non-profits and corporations to be successful they must operate with trust.
“And so, if, within the organizations, we’re suddenly feeling like we are having to be closed mouth about how we speak about something, or that community members might feel less safe and engaging with us, that erodes the trust,” Steckly said.
“It will impact, directly, the number of people that receive services,” she warned, alluding to a trickle-down effect within individual communities.
To hear Steckly’s comments in full, listen to Part 1 of Beyond the Cable from Connected America on Apple Podacsts.
Spotify listeners can hear Steckly’s comments by clicking here.
To get content like this delivered to your inbox, subscribe to the Broadband Communities newsletter.
Learn more about Broadband Communities Summit 2025 in Houston.
