From Broadband USA (NTIA)…

NTIA recently announced the availability of $288 million in grant funding for the deployment of broadband infrastructure. Grants will be awarded to covered partnerships between a state, or political subdivisions of a state, and providers of fixed broadband service.

NTIA’s Broadband Infrastructure Program was established by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. In the priority order defined by the Act, NTIA will accept applications for projects that are designed to:

1. Provide broadband service to the greatest number of households in an eligible service area;
2. Provide broadband service in an eligible service area that is wholly within any area other than a county, city, or town with more than 50,000 inhabitants and the urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to a city or town of more than 50,000 inhabitants;
3. Be the most cost-effective, prioritizing such projects in areas that are the most rural;
4. Provide broadband service with a download speed of at least 100 Mbps and an upload speed of at least 20 Mbps;
5. Meet the requirements of this NOFO.

More information about the program, including requirements for grant applications, can be found in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. NTIA is also holding a series of webinars to further inform the public about the program. The upcoming Broadband Infrastructure webinars will be held on June 9 and 10.