Oregon is home to nine federally recognized Tribal Nations, which historically are underserved communities with respect to broadband infrastructure and connectivity.
With diverse geography across our state spanning mountains, forests, rivers and desert, prohibitive costs, spotty coverage and unique considerations of each Tribe, the promise of digital equity and “Internet for all” has lagged the most among Oregon’s tribal communities.
Link Oregon is deeply committed to the principle of Tribal Sovereignty and views serving the needs of this group as a critical success measure of digital equity in Oregon. Since our inception, we have partnered with the University of Oregon, Oregon State University, the Network Startup Resource Center as well as representatives from several Tribes and the ATNI (Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians) to convene four Oregon Tribal Broadband Summits, providing a forum for Tribal leaders to discuss their unique needs, challenges and emerging federal funding opportunities.
Link Oregon was one of the sponsors of the Tribal Broadband Bootcamp hosted by the University of Oregon in 2022. The Tribal Broadband Bootcamp (TBB) is a 3-day intensive learning experience focused on building and running