Category Archives: Funding

The Farm Bill doesn’t advance from Senate Agriculture Committee, which means no advance for broadband provisions

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Broadband Breakfast reports…

The fate of millions of dollars in rural broadband funding remains unresolved as Congress heads into its August recess.

The Senate Agriculture Committee failed Thursday to advance the Agricultural Act of 2026, the chamber’s version of a long-delayed farm bill. The stalled bill includes language that would codify and consolidate the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect broadband program, which has distributed $5.5 billion in rural broadband funding since 2018, but has never operated on a permanent statutory basis.

The Senate draft, released in June by the office of Committee Chairman John Boozman, R-Ark., and revised again in late July, would authorize up to $100 million a year for ReConnect through 2031, targeting underserved areas where 90 percent of households lack access to broadband service offering speeds of 25 Megabits per second (Mbps) download and 3 Mbps upload.

There’s hope for some iteration of the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program

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Benton Institute for Broadband and Society reports on the federal funding that supported the adoption side of the BEAD access goal…

Cities, counties, nonprofits, libraries, community colleges, and workforce organizations waiting to learn whether the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program is coming back now have a glimmer of hope, albeit a soft one. In a joint status report filed in a federal court on August 3, 2026, the Department of Commerce said it “presently targets a December 2026 opening date for the Competitive Grant Program application.” The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the Commerce agency that runs the program, is “currently preparing a new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO),” the document that announces a federal grant competition, sets the rules, and opens the application window.

Three things in that sentence matter to anyone who applied in 2024 or plans to apply next time. The date is a target, not a court-ordered deadline. The NOFO will be new, not a revival of the 2024 process. And nothing in the filing addresses what happens to the more than 700 applications NTIA already has in hand.

The article goes on to give a brief history of the funds and suggest the next chapter…

In the days and weeks ahead, stakeholders might want to keep the following in mind.

August 17, 2026. The next joint status report, which should reveal whether NDIA accepts a stay, and whether the parties will brief mootness.

The Federal Register. The Department of Commerce attributes part of its timeline to Paperwork Reduction Act notice periods. A notice from NTIA seeking comment on the application package would be public confirmation that the NOFO is moving. The law also allows for emergency processing and reliance on existing clearances, so the absence of a notice would not by itself mean the December target has slipped, but its appearance would be the first independent evidence that it hasn’t.

The four-year clock. Grants under this program must be expended within four years of award, with a fifth year available only for measurement and evaluation. An application window opening in December 2026 means awards land, at the earliest, well into 20272—more than five years after the Digital Equity Act became law.

Some electric cooperatives lose interest in BEAD due to pole attachment rule changes

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Telecompetitor reports…

Pole attachment requirements added late in the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program rollout have become a sticking point for electric cooperatives, already pushing some out of the program. In an interview with Telecompetitor, NRECA CEO Jim Matheson said the BEAD provision marks a sharp break from decades of federal policy and is one reason several cooperatives have decided the program is no longer worth pursuing.

Under the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA’s) revised terms, an electric cooperative that accepts BEAD funding for any part of its territory becomes subject to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) pole attachment rates across its entire service area, not only the funded portion.

Electric cooperatives have long been exempt from FCC pole attachment regulation under Section 224 of the Communications Act, which caps the rates pole owners may charge companies that string broadband lines and sets deadlines for processing attachment requests. Cooperatives set their rates locally, and Congress preserved the exemption in recognition of the sparsely populated, hard-to-serve areas co-ops typically cover.

MN Office of Broadband Development announces first signed BEAD deal

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I mentioned this yesterday in the OBD Updates, but I’m glad to highlight it again today, because it’s pretty big news. Broadband Breakfast reports…

Minnesota has notched a milestone: the state’s first signed BEAD deal.

The state’s Office of Broadband Development announced an executed contract and approved environmental review for East Central Energy’s fiber project expected to connect 3,750 locations between Minneapolis and Duluth.

Office of Broadband Development Update July 29 2026: East Central Energy (ECE)

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From the Office of Broadband Development…

Broadband Matters: Office of Broadband Development Updates

  • Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) updates
  • Upcoming Tribal broadband summit + federal funding opportunities
  • Digital opportunity, community update
  • Line Extension Connection Program, registration open for residents and businesses

Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) updates

Minnesota is excited to announce its very first fiber project for BEAD has an executed contract and approved National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) decision memo. This East Central Energy (ECE) Fiber project in East Central Minnesota is expected to serve 3,750 locations:

“Bringing broadband to unserved and underserved communities takes true partnership. We extend our sincere thanks to the Minnesota Office of Broadband Development and DEED for their collaborative approach, responsiveness, and shared commitment to connecting rural Minnesota. Their assistance in helping us finalize and execute our BEAD application was invaluable.” Ty Houglum, Vice President/Chief Information Officer, ECE 

Minnesota BEAD Map with ECE Central Minnesota project.

OBD is continuing to work through required project scope changes and preparing contracts for execution. These scope changes often include removing locations newly identified as already served or re‑awarding locations when providers decline an award. Updated information and resources can be found on the OBD BEAD webpage.

Because the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) must approve these project scope changes, the review process can take several weeks. OBD will continue coordinating closely with partners to keep projects moving and to meet the federal contracting deadline of October 8, 2026.

Providers and community members can contact OBD (DEED.broadband@state.mn.us) with questions.

Upcoming Tribal broadband summit + federal funding opportunities

Early bird registration is open for the 2026 NTTA Tribal Broadband Regional Southern Plains Summit, September 21-23 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The summit will look to advance broadband connectivity and digital sovereignty throughout Indian Country and cover topics like data sovereignty, AI & emerging technology, broadband equity & infrastructure, and cultural continuity. More information and registration is available online.

Additionally, NTIA Announced Two New Funding Opportunities to Expand Broadband Connectivity on Tribal Lands. Applications are due September 17, 2026. More information is available on NTIA’s BroadbandUSA webpage including:

Digital opportunity, community update

OBD is actively monitoring developments given the recent federal court ruling impacting the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program. At this time, our office has not received updated guidance from NTIA regarding whether Digital Equity funds or related grants may be reinstated.

We understand how important this is to Minnesota. As new information becomes available, OBD will relay updates through this newsletter and on the OBD Digital Opportunity webpage.

As we navigate these ongoing developments together, please feel free to reach out to our office with questions at DEED.broadband@state.mn.us or by phone at 651-259-7610.

Line Extension Connection Program, registration open for residents and businesses

Registration remains open for residents and businesses for future rounds of the Line Extension Connection Program.

For assistance completing the application or to request a paper form to complete, please call 651-259-7610 or email DEED.broadband@state.mn.us.

More information and registration are available on the Line Extension Connection Program webpage.

House Communications and Technology Subcommittee questions broadband programs and mentions a national broadband strategy

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Broadband Breakfast reports…

House Republicans repeatedly questioned Wednesday whether the federal government still needs roughly 130 programs supporting broadband access.

The issue surfaced throughout a hearing of the House Communications and Technology Subcommittee. Among the measures under discussion was the bipartisan PLAN for Broadband Act, which would require the executive branch to develop a national broadband strategy.

Government Accountable Office looks at IIJA and IRA

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The GAO (Government Accountable Office) reports…

The IIJA and IRA provided billions in federal funding to agencies to distribute through mechanisms like grants and loans. Beginning in January 2025, executive orders directed agencies to pause this funding to review it for consistency with administration priorities. Grant recipients have raised concerns that delays in distributing these funds affect their ability to implement their projects.

GAO was asked to review the status of IIJA and IRA funding. This report describes selected agencies’ (1) IIJA and IRA budget authority, obligations, rescissions, and disbursements for fiscal years 2022 to 2025; (2) processes for reviewing IIJA and IRA funding in response to executive orders; and (3) IIJA and IRA funding review status.

To address these objectives, GAO selected agencies with among the highest amount of combined IIJA and IRA funding. Of these agencies, GAO selected EPA, Interior, NTIA, and DOT for this report. GAO will report on the Department of Energy and Department of Agriculture separately.

GAO analyzed the IIJA and IRA and financial data from agencies’ accounting systems and the agencies’ policies and guidance for reviewing IIJA and IRA funding. GAO also analyzed and summarized selected agency review data and found these data to be sufficiently reliable for the purpose of describing the status of reviews with some limitations. For example, EPA and NTIA did not provide all requested data. GAO also interviewed selected agency officials for each of the objectives.

Here’s what they found…

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provided budget authorities for transportation, infrastructure, and energy projects. Together, the four agencies selected for this review—the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of the Interior (Interior), National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), and Department of Transportation (DOT)—obligated a majority of their IIJA or IRA funding.

  • IIJA. Of the approximately $574.7 billion provided to them, the four agencies obligated about 76 percent and disbursed about 54 percent of obligated funds for fiscal years 2022 to 2025.
  • IRA. Of the around $53.7 billion provided to them, EPA, Interior, and DOT obligated about 72 percent and disbursed about 60 percent of obligated funds for fiscal years 2022 through 2025. In July 2025, Congress rescinded $6.4 billion of the three agencies’ unobligated IRA funds per agencies’ data.

Most selected agencies reported developing new processes to review IIJA and IRA funding in response to dozens of executive orders issued starting January 20, 2025. The agencies used a variety of approaches to implement reviews, such as searching for terms from executive orders like “diversity” or “environmental justice.” Senior leadership for all selected agencies made final decisions on whether awards should be approved without modification, modified (funded with changes to terms or amounts), or canceled (discontinued), according to selected agencies’ officials and documentation. The extent to which agencies continued to obligate and disburse IIJA and IRA funds during their reviews varied within and across agencies.

As a result of their reviews, selected agencies reported approving about 9,500 awards ($128 billion) and canceling about 800 ($17.8 billion). More than 2,500 awards were pending a decision ($33.6 billion) as of varying dates shown below.

Status of Selected Agencies’ Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act Funding Reviews, as of the Dates Indicated

State Broadband Chiefs, including Minnesota’s Bree Maki, talk about guidance on $21 Billion of remaining BEAD funds

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Broadband Breakfast reports…

Four state broadband directors [including Minnesota’s Bree Maki] said Wednesday they remain in the dark about how they can spend billions in leftover federal broadband dollars, uniting behind a single plea to Washington: Give states the flexibility to fund what their residents actually need.

Speaking during a Broadband Breakfast Live Online panel, the officials described a monthslong wait for guidance from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration on the remaining Non-Deployment funds, money remaining after states finish connecting unserved locations under the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program.

School and libraries are working to preserve E-Rate funding

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Broadband Breakfast reports…

 A campaign to preserve the nation’s largest school and library broadband subsidy is intensifying.

Advocates have launched a coordinated effort to mobilize opposition to the Federal Communications Commission’s proposed changes to E-Rate, the $2.5 billion federal program that helps more than 100,000 schools and 11,000 libraries pay for broadband service. Supporters said the FCC’s proceeding, adopted June 25, poses the most serious threat to the program in decades.

Benton explains the recent ruling of the Digital Equity Act’s race provision as both unconstitutional and severable

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The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society reports…

On July 15, 2026, Judge John D. Bates of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia issued a decision that could revive a federal grant program the President declared dead more than a year ago. In National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) v. Trump (Civil Action No. 25-3606), the court held that the Digital Equity Act of 2021 contains an unconstitutional racial classification, but that this single flaw does not doom the law. The court concluded that the relevant provision, which directs consideration of “individuals who are members of a racial or ethnic minority group” in awarding grants, can be ignored without impairing the operation of the rest of the statute (in legal parlance, “severed”). Thus, NDIA’s claim to otherwise restore the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program survives, minus any consideration of the race or ethnicity of the people the grant projects serve.

Most importantly for the cities, nonprofits, and digital inclusion practitioners who applied for—and in some cases won—Competitive Grant Program funds: the court relied upon the government’s submission that it would “now commit[] to restoring the Competitive Grant Program upon receiving this judicial determination.”

This is a ruling on the government’s motion to dismiss the entire case, not a final judgment. The court has not ordered the program restored; it has held that the remaining aspects of NDIA’s challenge may go forward. However, the resolution of the constitutional question essentially addresses the government’s stated reason for ending the program.

The article goes on with some history and greater details into the court’s decision; it also shares a practical summary…

A Win, a Loss, or Both?

How you read this ruling may depend on where you sit. For digital equity advocates, the bottom line is real: a federal court rejected the argument that a single constitutional flaw justified scrapping the Competitive Grant Program, and the government has told the court it will restore the program now that a judge has resolved its only stated objection.

But the government may have won something larger than it lost. A federal court has now held that a provision of the Digital Equity Act is unconstitutional—adopting the Administration’s reading of Students for Fair Admissions and finding that Congress supplied no justification that could survive strict scrutiny. The court also accepted that the Executive Branch may decline to enforce a statute it deems unconstitutional while awaiting judicial review. And the government’s commitment to restore the program is a statement in a legal brief, not a court order; the court has not yet granted any relief, and it noted that once the program is reinstated, some or all of NDIA’s claims may become moot. That means the shape of the restored program—its guidelines, its treatment of the seven remaining covered populations, its timeline—will be decided, at least initially, by the same Administration that ended it.

The Digital Equity Act survives. What it looks like in practice is now an open question—one that will be answered as much by NTIA’s next moves as by anything a court has said.

OBD Broadband Update July 15: BEAD, Tribal Broadband funding opportunities & line extension

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From the MN Office of Broadband Development…

Broadband Matters: Office of Broadband Development Updates

  • ICYMI, webinar from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Program
  • Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) updates
  • Reminder, NTIA funding opportunities on Tribal Lands
  • Line Extension Connection Program, registration open for residents and businesses

ICYMI, webinar from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Program

The session from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Regulatory Program for the Broadband Development Training Series: Navigating PLUS (Permitting, Land Use, and State Systems) is posted on the OBD Webinars and Recorded Events webpage.

Click below to watch the overview from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Regulatory Program as it relates to broadband infrastructure deployment under BEAD.

Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) updates

Minnesota continues to make steady progress on the federal BEAD program. The Office of Broadband Development is currently working through required project updates and preparing contracts for execution. Typically, this means removing locations newly identified as already served, or re-awarding locations when providers decline an award.

Because NTIA must approve these project scope changes, the review process can take several weeks. OBD will continue coordinating closely with partners to keep projects moving and to meet the federal contracting deadline of October 8, 2026.

Providers and community members can contact OBD (DEED.broadband@state.mn.us) with questions.

Reminder, NTIA funding opportunities on Tribal Lands

On June 17, 2026, NTIA Announced Two New Funding Opportunities to Expand Broadband Connectivity on Tribal Lands. Applications are due September 17, 2026. More information is available on NTIA’s BroadbandUSA webpage including:

Line Extension Connection Program, registration open for residents and businesses

Registration remains open for residents and businesses for future rounds of the Line Extension Connection Program. For assistance completing the application or to request a paper form to complete, please call 651-259-7610 or email DEED.broadband@state.mn.us.

OBD expects to announce a sixth round of the program with standard timelines using state funds later in 2026.

More information and registration are available on the Line Extension Connection Program webpage.

Wireline Competition Bureau announces counties where conditional forbearance from Lifeline obligation applies – include all 87 MN Counties

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The FCC reports…

By this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) announces the counties in which conditional forbearance from the obligation to offer Lifeline-supported voice service applies, pursuant to the Commission’s 2016 Lifeline Order.1 This forbearance applies only to the Lifeline voice obligation of eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) that are designated for purposes of receiving both high-cost and Lifeline support (high-cost/Lifeline ETCs), and not to Lifeline-only ETCs.2 The Appendix lists the counties where the Commission’s conditional forbearance from high-cost/Lifeline ETCs’ Lifeline voice obligation will apply effective on September 8, 2026.

The 2016 Lifeline Order established conditional forbearance from Lifeline voice obligations in targeted areas where certain competitive conditions are met.3 To accomplish this forbearance, the Commission directed the Bureau to release a yearly Public Notice announcing the counties in which the competitive conditions are met.4 In particular, the Commission granted forbearance from high-cost/Lifeline ETCs’ obligation to offer and advertise Lifeline voice service in counties where the following conditions are met: (1) at least 51% of Lifeline subscribers in the county are obtaining broadband Internet access service; (2) there are at least three other providers of Lifeline broadband Internet access service that each serve at least 5% of the Lifeline broadband subscribers in that county; and (3) the ETC does not actually receive federal high-cost universal service support.5

Here are the 87 (out of 87) counties in Minnesota that are included in the list:

  1. MN AITKIN
  2. MN ANOKA
  3. MN BECKER
  4. MN BELTRAMI
  5. MN BENTON
  6. MN BIG STONE
  7. MN BLUE EARTH
  8. MN BROWN
  9. MN CARLTON
  10. MN CARVER
  11. MN CASS
  12. MN CHIPPEWA
  13. MN CHISAGO
  14. MN CLAY
  15. MN CLEARWATER
  16. MN COOK
  17. MN COTTONWOOD
  18. MN CROW WING
  19. MN DAKOTA
  20. MN DODGE
  21. MN DOUGLAS
  22. MN FARIBAULT
  23. MN FILLMORE
  24. MN FREEBORN
  25. MN GOODHUE
  26. MN GRANT
  27. MN HENNEPIN
  28. MN HOUSTON
  29. MN HUBBARD
  30. MN ISANTI
  31. MN ITASCA
  32. MN JACKSON
  33. MN KANABEC
  34. MN KANDIYOHI
  35. MN KITTSON
  36. MN KOOCHICHING
  37. MN LAC QUI PARLE
  38. MN LAKE
  39. MN LAKE OF THE WOODS
  40. MN LE SUEUR
  41. MN LINCOLN
  42. MN LYON
  43. MN MCLEOD
  44. MN MAHNOMEN
  45. MN MARSHALL
  46. MN MARTIN
  47. MN MEEKER
  48. MN MILLE LACS
  49. MN MORRISON
  50. MN MOWER
  51. MN MURRAY
  52. MN NICOLLET
  53. MN NOBLES
  54. MN NORMAN
  55. MN OLMSTED
  56. MN OTTER TAIL
  57. MN PENNINGTON
  58. MN PINE
  59. MN PIPESTONE
  60. MN POLK
  61. MN POPE
  62. MN RAMSEY
  63. MN RED LAKE
  64. MN REDWOOD
  65. MN RENVILLE
  66. MN RICE
  67. MN ROCK
  68. MN ROSEAU
  69. MN ST. LOUIS
  70. MN SCOTT
  71. MN SHERBURNE
  72. MN SIBLEY
  73. MN STEARNS
  74. MN STEELE
  75. MN STEVENS
  76. MN SWIFT
  77. MN TODD
  78. MN TRAVERSE
  79. MN WABASHA
  80. MN WADENA
  81. MN WASECA
  82. MN WASHINGTON
  83. MN WATONWAN
  84. MN WILKIN
  85. MN WINONA
  86. MN WRIGHT
  87. MN YELLOW MEDICINE

Congressperson introduces Broadband Infrastructure Extension Act to extend ARPA deadline

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Rep. McDowell’s (NC-06) website reports…

Yesterday, June 29th, Congressman Addison McDowell (NC-06) introduced the Broadband Infrastructure Extension Act. This legislation would extend expenditure deadlines for certain broadband infrastructure projects funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).

The legislation provides states and local communities additional time to complete broadband projects already underway, helping ensure rural communities are not forced to abandon critical infrastructure investments because of federal deadlines.

This would be good news for folks with outstanding projects.

Folks in education are concerned about losing E-Rate funding for broadband in schools

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Gov Tech reports…

A few weeks after Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chair Brendan Carr called for a broad review of the 30-year-old federal E-rate program, the FCC issued a notice of proposed rulemaking June 26 that floated the idea of ending the program. Education leaders and experts on the digital divide have since weighed in, arguing that would be a grave mistake.
The E-rate program, which provides financial support to schools and libraries for broadband connectivity, was established in 1996 and funded starting in 1997. At that time, 65 percent of U.S. public schools had Internet access, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. The FCC’s notice asked whether the program has fulfilled Congress’ original objective of bringing Internet access to schools and libraries, given that “virtually all schools report having broadband connectivity and Wi-Fi.” It also cited ill effects of screen time as a reason to rethink the program.
Indeed, rates of digital connectivity have grown since E-rate’s introduction. The FCC’s notice cited a 2019 State of the States report from the nonprofit EducationSuperHighway that found 99 percent of K-12 schools had high-speed Internet access. In 2023, researchers found that 96 percent of New York public schools were connected.

Some detail that might help the E-Rate…

The FCC’s notice acknowledges that the Congressional mandate that created the E-rate program does not empower the FCC to terminate the program, but advocates are still worried. Education and library organizations argue that the framing of the FCC’s notice misunderstands that digital connectivity requires ongoing maintenance, that the program’s success is evidence of its importance, and that cybersecurity threats and evolving technologies necessitate ongoing work.

NTIA Administrator Arielle Roth updates Congress about BEAD

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I’m borrowing from Benton Institute’s recap of NTIA’s Administrator, Arielle Roth, update to Congress on BEAD from June 30, 2026…

The House Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology convened an oversight hearing focused on the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and Administrator Arielle Roth was the sole witness. NTIA oversees the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, which was intended to provide grants for last-mile deployment in unserved and underserved areas. On June 6, 2025, the Trump NTIA issued new guidance for the BEAD Program. The guidance removed many Biden-era requirements, including a fiber technology preference and low-income plans. The June 2025 guidance directed eligible entities to run an additional “benefit-of-the-bargain” bidding round to ensure that awards reflected the changes made by the Administration and to submit final proposals by September 4, 2025. In the year since issuing the new guidance, NTIA has approved 54 out of 56 final proposals submitted by eligible entities, BEAD-funded infrastructure in two states has been deployed, and the program expects to “save” approximately $21 billion on deployment costs. What to do with the remaining money is to be determined. NTIA held a listening session to gather input on how this “nondeployment” money could be used by states, and is expected to provide guidance soon. Ideas include public safety, deployment to homes and businesses that may have been missed following the initial bidding round, workforce development, and permitting reform. The hearing, in part, was aiming at determining the  status of BEAD deployment and nondeployment funding.

The rest of the notes highlight different views of BEAD. Some folks are focused on saving as much money as possible. Some folks are focused on getting better broadband to everyone. Everyone seems frustrated with the slow timeline. And most folks were hoping for more information on the plan for nondeployment funds from BEAD…

During questioning from Members of the Subcommittee, Administrator Roth said guidance on nondeployment funding will come “this summer.” She deferred specifics on the question of whether those funds will be held back from states that enact regulations on artificial intelligence, as directed by a presidential executive order. “We want the funding … to produce real measurable outcomes, be non-duplicative, non-distortionary….” Roth said. She added, “we’re proceeding cautiously in producing the guidance so that we can ensure that this funding achieves the same success as the first segment of the BEAD Program.”