Business

California Emerging Technology Fund Awards $20,000 Grants to 36 Local Governments

Last week, the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) launched a program awarding grants worth $20,000 to 36 jurisdictions in the state to participate in the Local Government Best Practices Check List Project. Under the program, local governments can use $20,000 in grants to help close the digital divide in their communities.

Published

2 years ago

September 22, 2024

Oakland Post

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Under the program, local governments can use $20,000 in grants to help close the digital divide in their communities. The counties and cities are encouraged to distribute affordable internet service plans and available digital literacy training resources in digitally disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Sunne Wright McPeak, president, and chief executive officer of CETF, expressed gratitude to its partners for promoting digital inclusion in efforts to achieve digital equity statewide.

“There is so much power and innovation that emerges when we join forces to deploy high-speed Internet infrastructure and get all residents online — especially the most digitally disadvantaged residents in low-income communities,” said McPeak.

The collaborative Digital Equity Leadership Grants aim to expand the adoption of the policies and practices to accelerate progress to reduce the digital divide across the state. The grant program was created as part of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the CETF and the telecommunications company T-Mobile. The network company committed to public benefits in affiliation with its acquisition of Sprint in 2020. The partnership included a $5 million contribution from T-Mobile for the grant program and CETF committed over $1.1 million to the local government project.

The 36 local governments awarded $20,000 grants include are: City and County of San Francisco; City of American Canyon; City of Artesia; City of Bell Gardens; City of Bellflower; City of Brawley; City of Cathedral City; City of Citrus Heights; City of Inglewood; City of Isleton; City of Long Beach; City of Los Angeles; City of Maywood; City of Moorpark; City of Ontario; City of Palmdale; City of Placerville; City of Rosemead; City of San Diego; City of San Luis Obispo; City of Sand City; City of Santa Paula; City of South El Monte; City of West Sacramento; County of Del Norte; County of Inyo; County of Marin; County of Mono; County of Napa; County of Nevada; County of Plumas; County of San Benito; County of Sierra; County of Sonoma; Town of San Anselmo; and County of Yuba.

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Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

Published

1 week ago

March 22, 2026

Oakland Post

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Advice

Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

2 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC