Comments for Digital Equity Grants due May 1, 2023

Comments for Digital Equity Grants due May 1, 2023

Community Connect grant due


For more information, see https://tribalresourcecenter.net/funding/community-connect-grants-2/

 

Community Connect Grants

This grant is for eligible applicants that will provide, on a “community -oriented connectivity” basis, broadband service that fosters economic growth and delivers enhanced educational, health care, and public safety benefits. The award range is $100,000 to $5 Million. It is unserved threshold is 25/3 mbps. The Broadband grant speed 100/20 mbps. Requirement for Community access facility is a part of the grant.


For more information, go to:

https://www.rd.usda.gov/community-connect

To apply, go to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=346989

Comments for Digital Equity Grants due May 1, 2023

NTIA has recently launched a request for comments on two Bipartisan Infrastructure Law grant programs to be administered by NTIA:

These comments will inform how NTIA designs a program that works to achieve this national and community driven opportunity for change. 


Submit written comments on or before 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on May 1, 2023.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit public comments on this action, identified by Regulations.gov docket number NTIA-2023-0002, by any of the following means:

1. Using the federal e-Rulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov (our preferred method). The docket established for this opportunity to comment can be found at www.Regulations.gov, NTIA-2023-0002. Click the “Comment Now!” icon, complete the required fields, and enter or attach your comments.

2. Sending email to digitalequity@ntia.gov. Include the docket number NTIA-2023-0002 in the subject line of the message.

O3. Mailing a printed submission to National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Room 4878, Washington, DC 20230, Attention: Digital Equity RFC.

For more information, see:

https://www.internetforall.gov

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/03/02/2023-04242/digital-equity-act-of-2021-request-for-comments

Funding opportunities organized list

This interactive funding resource by the American Indian Policy Institute showcases available broadband funding:

https://aipi.asu.edu/sites/default/files/pdf_of_tribal_broadband_funding_dashboard.pdf

Broadband USA Federal Funding Interactive Guide

BroadbandUSA’s Federal Funding site connects you to funding opportunities that support broadband planning, digital inclusion, and deployment projects. The site allows you to filter programs by Agency/Department, Eligible Recipients, and/or Program Purpose by using the filter options on the left.

https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/sites/default/files/2022-07/FY22-BroadbandUSA-Federal-Funding-Interactive-Guide_1.pdf#page78

Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program

BEAD is now accepting Letters of Intent and Initial Planning Fund Applications for broadband deployment, mapping, and adoption projects. Funding priorities for the program are sequential with the first funding priority for providing broadband to unserved areas (those below 25/3 Mbps), followed by underserved areas (those below 100/20 Mbps), and then serving community anchor institutions (1/1 Gbps). Each state, DC, and Puerto Rico (PR) will receive an initial allocation of $100 million - and $100 million will be divided equally among the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands - to support planning efforts including building capacity in state broadband offices and outreach and coordination with local communities.

https://grants.ntia.gov/grantsPortal/s/funding-program/a0g3d00000018ObAAI/broadband-equity-access-and-deployment-bead-program

Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund (LATCF) Extended to April 28

Congress reserved $500 million of funding for eligible Tribal governments under the Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund. Specifically, the American Rescue Plan directs the Secretary to reserve $250 million to allocate and pay to eligible Tribal governments for each of fiscal years 2022 and 2023, taking into account economic conditions of each eligible Tribe.

The purpose of the LATCF program is to serve as a general revenue enhancement program. Many eligible Tribal governments have historically experienced fluctuations in their revenues, and this program is designed, in part, to supplement existing federal programs that augment and stabilize revenues for these communities. In providing support to these communities, allocations under this program consider the economic conditions of recipients.

Under this program, recipients have broad discretion on uses of funds, similar to the ways in which they may use funds generated from their own local revenue sources. Specifically, recipients may use these funds on any governmental purpose other than a lobbying activity. Recipients may maintain or expand public services – such as health, educational, housing, and public safety services – to their communities with these funds. Recipients may also invest in infrastructure – from roads and bridges to water infrastructure – to facilitate economic development, improve health outcomes, or transition their communities to clean energy. Recipients may also invest in restoring and bolstering government capacity, such as increasing the size of their government workforce or investing in improvements in service delivery, like technology infrastructure and data analysis resources, that will improve delivery of services to their communities for years to come.

For more information, click here.

Click here to submit your application.

The following provides a step by step walk through f the application:

Federal Broadband Funding Opportunities

This chart shows and categorizes federal broadband grants:

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/featured-content/files/federal_broadband_funding_guide.pdf

The Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund (LATCF) Due February 28, 2022

The Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund (LATCF) is ARPA funding that has provided $500 million for Tribal government for LATCF, specifically $250 million for Tribal governments for each of fiscal years 2022 and 2023. This program has a broad set of eligible uses (governmental purposes) . Tribes have until February 28th to submit for the funding.

For more information and to request funding please see:

https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/coronavirus/assistance-for-state-local-and-tribal-governments/local-assistance-and-tribal-consistency-fund

Rural Development Broadband ReConnect Program

The ReConnect Loan and Grant Program offers loans and grants to provide funds for the costs of construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to provide broadband service in eligible rural areas. For more information please see:

https://www.usda.gov/reconnect

Community Connect Grants

Rural areas that lack broadband service as defined in the most recent funding announcement are eligible.

The grants can be used for:

• The construction, acquisition, or leasing of facilities, spectrum, land or buildings used to deploy broadband service for:
° all residential and business
customers located within the Proposed Funded Service Area
° all participating essential
community facilities (such as public schools, fire stations, public libraries, and public safety stations)
• The cost of providing broadband service free of charge to the essential community facilities for 2 years
• Up to 10 percent of the grant may be used for the improvement, expansion, construction, or acquisition of a community center that provides online access to the public

For more information see:

https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/fact-sheet/508_RD_FS_RUS_CommunityConnect.pdf

For additional details see:

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-XVII/part-1739

National Tribal Broadband Grant (NTBG)

The National Tribal Broadband Grant (NTBG), which funds broadband development or expansion, is now accepting applications through October 17, 2022.

USDA Resource guide for American Indians and Alaska natives 2022

The USDA Resource guide for American Indians and Alaska natives 2022 resource guide provides funding resources for a variety of tribal community projects. Broadband and telecommunications funding can be found on page 28 (section 4.2.)

Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund

The Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund provides flexible support for eligible revenue sharing counties and eligible Tribal governments to meet their jurisdiction’s needs. Specifically, the statute directs that recipients may use funds for any governmental purpose other than a lobbying activity.

As a general matter, recipients may treat these funds in a similar manner to how they treat funds generated from their own revenue. Programs, services, and capital expenditures that are traditionally undertaken by a government are considered to fulfill a “governmental purpose.” For Tribal governments, investing in activities undertaken by Tribal enterprises, such as operating or capital expenditures for businesses that are owned or controlled by a Tribal government, are considered a governmental purpose. Recipients should refer to the Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund guidance for more information on eligible and ineligible uses.

All funds are available to recipients until expended or returned to Treasury.

For more information and to apply, click here.

Unlock Connectivity Grant

Althea announces the "Unlock Connectivity Grant 2022" for a creative approach to connectivity in challenging areas using KeyLTE, a flexible LTE Core solution. This grant will provide up to $15,000 worth of LTE radios and equipment, with supplementary design and planning services provided at no additional cost.

For more information, click here.

Local Agency Technical Assistance (LATA) Grant Applications (California only)

The CPUC has released Local Agency Technical Assistance (LATA) Grant Applications.

The CPUC established the LATA Grant Program for eligible pre-construction work, including environmental studies and clearance, facilitating broadband network projects to areas in need. 

The Grant Applications are being accepted by the CPUC from eligible Local Agencies on a continuous basis with no set Grant deadline.

For more information, click here.

Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, provides $42.45 billion to expand high-speed internet access by funding planning, infrastructure deployment and adoption programs in all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

For more information, click here.

DIGITAL EQUITY PLANNING GRANT PROGRAM: Application Guidance

Here you can find an application overview on the Digital Equity Planning Grant, as well as Letter of Intent (LOI) templets to be used by tribes(pages 28-29):

NDN Collective Community Action Fund

The NDN CAF grants will support efforts that include community organizing, amplification of community voices, and utilize a wide variety of tactics imperative to shifting the political and financial systems that are impacting our communities.

Areas of emphasis may include: climate justice and racial equity efforts, challenging the extractive industry, accelerating the just energy transition in Indigenous communities, healing justice work within the movement, training the next generation of community organizers, and specific Landback efforts that connect, coordinate, resource and amplify the movement and communities that are fighting for Landback; the reclamation and return of Indigenous lands to Indigenous hands.  Direct expenses may include funding for travel, supplies, equipment, consultants, contractual services and staff that support various forms of NVDA (non-violent direct action), i.e.;  marches, camps, boycotts, prayer vigils as a form of resistance, organizing or protest to affect change.  Action may also include community-based response to climate events such as flooding, fires, earthquakes.

The average grant award is $15,000 but can range up to $30,000. 

Grant Applications can be submitted on an ongoing basis between April and October by clicking here.