Category Archives: Tribal Programs

Leech Lake Broadband Project Seeks Contact With Individuals Listed on Tribal Allotment Notice

Posted on by
Reply

Leech Lake News reports...

The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Broadband Project is seeking to connect with individuals regarding their ownership interest in tribal allotment lands.

Those whose names are listed below are asked to contact Sally Fineday, Donovan Staples or Rebbecca Woods at 218-335-8263.

Certified letters were sent to each person on the list in July 2025.

Individuals may also choose to complete an online response form at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/P75ZZRS. A QR code is also available for direct access to the form.

The article includes a specific list of names they have tried to contact. I’m sharing this on the off chance that I reach something that Leech Lake hasn’t but also because the straightforward approach to expansion.

Podcast: Click Here: The village that built the internet

Posted on by
Reply

Yesterday, I was driving to family brunch on Sunday and tuned in at just the right time to MPR to hear an interesting story of tribal broadband. Here’s the description from the Click Here website…

To live in the modern world, you have to be online. But in many places, that connection still doesn’t exist. So people aren’t waiting. They’re building their own internet—creating and running their own providers from the ground up. And in the process, redefining who gets to connect… and who gets to decide.

It’s a story of need, ingenuity and the power of community. They touch on non-tribal public broadband but the example they give is a tribal community. The podcast captures what I’ve heard from folks in the field about the importance of sovereignty.

New Report: Broadband Access in Indian Country – recommendations for improvement

Posted on by
Reply

The Urban Institute has released a new report, Broadband Access in Indian Country. They set the stage…

According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), as of 2024, 93 percent of all US residents had access to internet services with “advanced telecommunications capability”—that is, 100 megabits per second of download speed and 20 megabits per second of upload speed (represented as 100/20 Mbps)—compared with only 76 percent of people living on tribal lands (FCC 2024). And 76 percent may be an overestimate—FCC data have been criticized for overstating broadband access on tribal lands (GAO 2018).

And provide recommendations…

In this report, we provide an overview of the major federal programs aimed at supporting broadband infrastructure and share findings and best practices from 15 interviews conducted with individuals working to expand access to high-speed internet in Native communities. Interviewees represented tribal broadband providers, tribal governments, state governments, technical assistance providers, nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, and other advocates supporting tribal broadband access and sovereignty, defined as the right of tribes to govern their communities without interference (Klingbeil et al. 2023). Informed by these interviews and a review of federal funding opportunities, we find the following:

◼ Federal investments have significantly expanded internet access in many Native communities, but others are still left out.

◼ Some tribal governments that received these initial broadband infrastructure investments may face challenges maintaining and operating service into the future because of limited administrative, financial, or technical capacity.

◼ To overcome unfavorable relationships with private internet providers and to sustain adequate internet service in the long run, many tribal governments, tribal broadband providers, and other stakeholders are prioritizing tribal ownership of broadband infrastructure.

Based on these conversations, we identify best practices for tribal governments and tribal broadband providers seeking to access federal broadband funding, build necessary infrastructure, and maintain reliable broadband access. These include the following:

◼ When applying for federal grant opportunities, plan early, leverage technical assistance and partnerships, and prepare applications that can be adapted for other programs.

◼ Develop business, operations, and maintenance plans early in the application process to ensure the proposed broadband project will be financially, technically, and statutorily viable for the community.

◼ Invest in workforce development and build external partnerships to boost local technical capacity without compromising sovereignty.

These conversations also elevated recommendations for other stakeholders seeking to expand and maintain broadband infrastructure in Native communities:

◼ Federal agencies could refine funding opportunities to be more responsive to community needs by providing technical assistance throughout the grant application process, prioritizing tribal ownership of broadband infrastructure, and waiving matching requirements. To make investments more effective in the long run, agencies could provide technical assistance or additional financial support for infrastructure maintenance (not only for construction).

◼ State and local governments could offer more direct technical assistance and provide alternative funding sources to tribal governments and tribal broadband providers.

◼ Philanthropic organizations can increase their support by focusing investments on Capacity building, training, and technical assistance, while organizations with the financial capacity can contribute directly to infrastructure deployment and operations

Bois Forte Band in Northeastern MN Begins Construction on $20 Million Tribal Fiber Project

Posted on by
Reply

The Institute for Local Self Reliance reports…

The Bois Forte Band of Chippewa (also referred to as Ojibwe) has officially begun construction on a foundational fiber optic broadband expansion project in northern Minnesota that is poised to bridge the digital divide for thousands of Tribal residents.

The ambitious undertaking is supported by a significant $20 million grant awarded under the 2021 Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, marking a major step forward in modernizing infrastructure for the sovereign nation.

The massive project aims to overhaul the existing connectivity landscape across the Bois Forte Reservation.

Once completed, the new network will deliver a high-speed, future-proof up to 10 gigabit per second (Gbps) fiber-to-the-home network to over 2,097 largely-underserved Native American households, businesses, and community anchor institutions.

The article goes on to give a history and environmental scan for the project moving forward.

Journal of Community Informatics Special Issue: Charting Sovereignty in the Digital Age: Tribal Leadership, Broadband, and the Rise of Tribal Digital Sovereignty

Posted on by
Reply

The Journal of Community Informatics has released a special Issue

This special issue of the Journal of Community Informatics presents a collection of articles exploring the historical trajectory and contemporary convergence of grassroots telecommunications policy advocacy in Indian Country. The articles in the special edition posit that Tribal Digital Sovereignty (TDS) has emerged as a definitive governance framework for Tribal Nations, evolving from decades of work by scholars and practitioners at the intersection of federal Indian law, telecommunications, digital equity, and tribal self-determination. The COVID-19 pandemic served as a pivotal catalyst for this evolution, recasting broadband from a luxury to an essential lifeline and exposing deep-seated disparities in connectivity. This crisis opened an unprecedented opportunity for Tribal Nations to take a seat at the policy table and invest in infrastructure through historic federal investments through the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. These investments have allowed Tribal governments to move beyond bridging the digital divide toward creating community-led solutions shaped by sovereignty and self-determination.

Despite a shifting political and funding landscape, Tribal Nations have successfully transitioned from reactive investments to proactive self-determination in the digital realm. This special issue examines TDS as an umbrella framework encompassing both Network Sovereignty—the authority over physical infrastructure—and Data Sovereignty—the governance of information and its transmission. The articles document how Tribal governments can and are actively institutionalizing long-term strategies, including the development of regulatory codes and protocols to protect governmental and other data. By tracing historical inequities alongside recent advancements, this collection highlights a foundational shift: Tribal Nations are no longer passive beneficiaries of federal policy but are the primary architects of digital futures grounded in their unique cultural, political, and legal foundations.

The issue includes the following articles. I just had to pull out one beautiful line:

If research is ceremony, then data is sacred. Indeed, data is kin.

The articles are as well written and a fascinating look at how we got to where we are..

Brooking Institution looks at the Future of White Earth Nation’s advancing broadband connectivity,

Posted on by
Reply

 

Description of the event from the hosts:

America’s Rural Future: Brookings–AEI Commission on U.S. Rural Prosperity is a bipartisan initiative co-chaired by former Senator Heidi Heitkamp, a Democrat, and former Governor Chris Sununu, a Republican. America’s Rural Future brings together a cross-section of the country—spanning diverse backgrounds, regions, values, and industries—to inform its work to develop policy solutions for rural prosperity. On October 23, the America’s Rural Future visited White Earth Nation in Minnesota for a conversation on how tribal communities are advancing broadband connectivity, capital access, and small business development. Speakers discussed the role of the community college, particularly as it relates to building pathways for youth to remain in place or to return home. Expert panelists: Nate Mathews, Executive Director of Tribal Utility Commission, White Earth Nation Bridget Guiza, Customized Education Coordinator, White Earth Tribal and Community College Mary Metelak, Co-Owner and Vice-President, B&T Meats Nearly one in five Americans lives in rural communities, and their contributions are vital to the nation’s economic, cultural, and social fabric. The Commission brings together leaders from across industries to develop long-term, pragmatic solutions grounded in rural realities—focused on ensuring a fair shot, no matter the zip code. Senior Fellow Tony Pipa (Brookings) and Brent Orrell (AEI) lead the research efforts supporting the Commission’s work. To learn more about our research, visit: brookings.edu/americasruralfuture

 

Senator introduces bill to strengthen communications access on tribal lands

Posted on by
Reply

Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) reports…

Today, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Representative Dr. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.-25) introduced the Tribal Internet Expansion Act of 2025, legislation to help expand telecommunications and information services to Tribal communities.

“This legislation strengthens the foundation for expanding broadband and telecommunications access to Tribal Lands, supporting the needs of communities to utilize technologies so vital to economic growth and success,” said Senator Schiff. “I’m proud to join Representative Dr. Raul Ruiz in this effort to bridge the digital divide and ensure that this necessary resource is reliable, accessible, and affordable in every region.”

“Access to reliable, high-speed internet is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity,” said Congressman Ruiz. “For too long, many Tribal communities have been left without the dependable, affordable broadband needed for students to learn, patients to access care, and families to stay safe and economically secure. TheTribal Internet Expansion Act will strengthen the Universal Service Fund, so it better serves Indian Country and helps ensure Tribal Nations have the digital infrastructure they need to fully participate and thrive in today’s online world.”

The Tribal Internet Expansion Act of 2025 will update the Communications Act of 1934 to explicitly include Indian Country and expand essential broadband access to rural, insular, and high-cost Tribal and Indigenous communities. With roughly one in four people on Tribal lands still lacking access to reliable, high-speed internet, the bill helps ensure that federal broadband and telecommunications programs better address persistent connectivity gaps in these historically underserved areas.

NTIA Announces Tribal Broadband Program Reforms to Maximize Tribal Connectivity and Reduce Red Tape

Posted on by
Reply

From the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)…

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced today that it is working on reforms across its Tribal broadband programs to reduce red tape for Tribal governments, promote flexibility, and align NTIA’s grant opportunities to better serve Tribal connectivity. Specifically, these reforms will streamline the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) and the native entity set-aside from the Digital Equity Act through a new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to support Tribal broadband access.

NTIA intends to launch the new NOFO in Spring 2026 and will make available any remaining tribal broadband funding (estimated to be at least $500 million).

“NTIA’s goal is simple: stretch every dollar as far as possible to achieve universal Tribal connectivity and better serve Tribal communities’ needs,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce and NTIA Administrator Arielle Roth. “This strategic realignment of our Tribal grant programs will reduce administrative burdens, prevent duplication, and ensure consistency across NTIA’s broadband initiatives. Most importantly, it will maximize the impact of this funding, helping to connect as many Tribal households as possible.”

NTIA will continue to award equitable distribution grants, but all further infrastructure and use and adoption grants will be awarded under the Trump Administration’s new rules. NTIA will also soon be announcing a formal Tribal Consultation to allow Tribal governments to provide input on the next funding round.

The funding for the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program stems from the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 ($1 billion) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act ($2 billion). In total, NTIA has already made 275 awards totaling $2.2 billion with TBCP funding. Through TBCP’s first NOFO, NTIA awarded more than $1.87 billion in funds through 226 projects impacting more than 400 Tribes. NTIA’s second TBCP NOFO has awarded $360 million in funds across 48 projects. NTIA is continuing to make Equitable Distribution awards under the second NOFO. NTIA is not rescinding any obligated awards.

Senators Cantwell and Schatz ask for answers on Trump Administration’s delay of nearly $1 billion in tribal broadband grants

Posted on by
Reply

The US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation reports…

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, and Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Vice Chairman of the Committee on Indian Affairs, today demanded answers from Commerce Department Secretary Howard Lutnick and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Administrator Arielle Roth about why the Trump Administration has frozen the distribution of nearly $1 billion in congressionally-approved broadband grants to Native communities.

NTIA has frozen the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP), leaving roughly $980 million in Round 2 funding unobligated despite applications closing in March 2024. Additionally, $294 million in grants announced in December 2024 have not been distributed, and existing grant recipients report concerns that NTIA may impose new requirements or claw back previously awarded funds. …
To date, the TBCP has awarded $2.24 billion to 275 Tribal projects across the nation, including approximately $100 million to 19 projects in the State of Washington and $89 million to projects on Hawaiian Home Lands in the State of Hawai’i.

Bois Forte-CTC extends NECS middle mile broadband to 2,000 locations around Lake Vermilion (St Louis and Koochiching Counties)

Posted on by
Reply

The Timberjay has a nice article on the history of broadband in parts of St Louis and Koochiching Counties – from NESC middle mile in 2015 to the Bois Forte-CTC extensions today. It’s proof that, like Rome, FTTH was not built in a day. I’m going to share an abridged version below, but I strongly suggested checking out the original.

Roughly a decade ago, the Northeast Service Cooperative strung a massive web of fiber across northeastern Minnesota. But what you’re seeing today isn’t a duplication of that work. It’s the follow-through. Thanks to a partnership between NESC, the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa and the broadband company CTC, more than 2,000 homes and businesses around Lake Vermilion’s south shore, Pelican Lake, and Nett Lake are finally getting high-speed broadband service.   …

NESC’s “freeway” network was completed in 2015 after four years of construction and $43.5 million in federal investment. The goal wasn’t to wire every house. It was to build a middle mile, essential infrastructure that future projects could plug into.

Joe Weber, divisional director for the NESC middle mile system, said the project was originally built to serve schools, libraries, governments, and other public entities in places where private providers couldn’t justify the cost of running fiber.    …

The original network spanned eight counties and connected about 320 public facilities. Since then, it has grown to over 1,300 miles of fiber stretching from Cambridge to Grand Portage.
The Bois Forte–CTC project wouldn’t have been feasible without the NESC backbone. Without it, CTC would have faced the enormous expense of building long stretches of new fiber just to link the project area to the larger internet. By tapping into NESC’s existing system, those costs were avoided.  …

A common question that’s cropped up in recent months is whether a network built in 2011 to 2015 can keep up with the skyrocketing internet demands of 2025 and beyond. Both Weber and Buttweiler say that’s not a concern with fiber optics.
“The fiber itself has not changed at all,” Weber said. “The same investment 12 or 13 years ago is still working with new technology.”

OPPORTUNITY: Apply for the Seven Star Communities 2025 recognition

Posted on by
Reply

From the NDIA (National Digital Inclusion Alliance…

Our application is now open for the next month to apply for the Seven Star Communities 2025 recognition! This is a digital inclusion recognition, hosted by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance, in partnership with AMERIND.

Last year, we launched the Seven Star Communities recognition, which identified eight outstanding communities working towards bridging the digital divide for their people, nation, and future. We want to build that momentum this year by personally inviting your Tribal community to apply for this recognition.

If you’re unsure how well you think you’ll score, we have provided a Scoring Worksheet to help understand the seven indicators and what is needed to achieve Seven Star Community Status. Here are the indicators:

1. Community Champion

2. Planning Process

3. Tribal Government Support

4. Tribal Resources Available to Support Work

5. Place-based Digital Equity Programs

6. Being a Steward for a Digital Equity Ecosystem

7. Our Stories

Here is the link to this year’s 2025 application form. Applications are due October 20, 2025! This year’s Seven Star Communities recipients will be celebrated at Net Inclusion 2026 in Chicago, IL!

Office of Broadband Development Updates: Task Force meets Sep 22, BIA has sessions for Tribal Networks

Posted on by
Reply

From the Office of Broadband Development …

Broadband Matters: Office of Broadband Development Updates

  • Minnesota’s BEAD Final Proposal submitted to NTIA
  • Broadband Task Force, September monthly meeting
  • Line Extension Connection Program update
  • Updated guidance on broadband infrastructure development in Tribal Communities

Minnesota’s BEAD Final Proposal submitted to NTIA

As required by the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, the Minnesota Office of Broadband Development (OBD) submitted its Final Draft Proposal to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), including the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce, on September 4, 2025. NTIA has committed to review and approve plans in 90 days.

OBD will continue to revise and update the documents as required by NTIA and necessary to ensure all BEAD eligible locations are served as defined by the policy notice.

Deployment and Technology-Type Results
As published in Minnesota’s Draft Final Proposal submitted to NTIA on September 4, 2025:

  • Infrastructure/Broadband Deployment: $391,611,699 (an increase from the previously reported posted draft of $381 million)
  • Technology Breakdown by Percentage and Location Count:
    • Fiber/Coax: 57.7% – 43,339 locations
    • Satellite: 24.8% – 18,651 locations
    • Fixed Wireless: 17.5% – 13,031 locations

Minnesota’s Draft of the Final Proposal and attachments can be found on the OBD BEAD webpage.

Line Extension Connection Program update

The window for residential and business sign-ups to be included in the bidding for Round 4 of the Line Extension Connection Program has closed. Registration will remain open for future rounds if and as funding is available.

OBD is preparing locations for the 10-day Line Extension Review and Challenge, which is anticipated to run from September 15 to September 24, 2025.

Updates will be posted as the are available to the OBD Line Extension webpage. Questions on Line Extension can be sent to deed.broadband@state.mn.us or (651)-259-7610.

Broadband Task Force, September monthly meeting

The Broadband Task Force will be meeting on Monday, September 22 at 1pm CST. This meeting will be held virtually and is open to anyone from the public to attend. The Teams link to join the meeting will be included as at the top of the meeting agenda, which will be posted along with other information on past meetings on the Broadband Task Force webpage.

Updated guidance on broadband infrastructure development in Tribal Communities

The Department of the Interior Office of the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs updated guidance on Streamlining the Rights-of-Way Application Processes for Broadband Infrastructure Projects Across Indian Trust and Restricted Land. Now, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has seven business days to review an application and notify the Rights-of-Way applicant if any additional information is needed. The new policy also provides guidance on waivers of certain regulatory requirements.

Webinars are being offered to provide information on this new policy, which will be open to Indian Affairs staff, tribal realty staff, federally recognized tribes, tribal organizations, Alaska Native corporations, federal partners and industry.

The webinars will be held on:

Additional information is available on the BIA webpage.

Good news, bad news: An update of broadband in Tribal Areas including some in Minnesota

Posted on by
Reply

A recent Ookla study (Many U.S. Tribal Nations Still Lack Access to Adequate Fixed and Mobile Connectivity) reports…

U.S. Tribal Nations experience some of the biggest gaps when it comes to access to fast and reliable fixed and mobile connectivity. While progress has been made in some Tribal Nations, the connectivity gap for many remains quite large.

According to the FCC’s 2024 data, approximately 23% of residents of Tribal Nations lack access to high-speed internet service, defined as 100 Mbps download speed and 20 Mbps upload speed (100/20 Mbps).

Using Ookla® Speedtest® data, we analyzed the fixed and mobile broadband performance of 110 Tribal Nations in the U.S. from Q1 2021 to Q1 2025 and compared them with the connectivity speeds of the states that share geography with them.

There were some MN highlights…

For example, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community experienced median 5G mobile download speeds of 468.42 Mbps in Q1 2025, which is 64.3% faster than the median 5G mobile download speeds of 285.05 Mbps for Q1 2025 for the state of Minnesota, which shares geography with the Shakopee Mdewakanton Tribal Nation.

Shakopee Mdewakanton also was a top performer in median 5G mobile upload speeds of 36.92 Mbps in Q1 2025, which is more than double Minnesota’s 5G median mobile upload speeds of 14.87 Mbps.

These fast 5G speeds are likely a result of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Tribal Nation’s many gaming and resort ventures, including the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel and the Little Six Casino, which are large employers and generate a lot of revenue for the Tribal Nation, which drive investments in 5G infrastructure.

Leech Lake also ranked top 10 with fastest 5G mobile upload speeds of 17.42.

There are opportunities for improvement with Mille Lacs having the fourth slowest fixed upload speed at 6.21 Mbps.

Here’s the info they did have on some tribal areas in Minnesota…

Place Technology Median Download Median Upload
Fond du Lac All Fixed 49.41 38.88
Leech Lake All Fixed 47.5 36.17
Mille Lacs All Fixed 56.25 5.79
Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux All Fixed 201.57 204.67
White Earth All Fixed 125.2 31.5

Not included are:

  • Bois Forte
  • Grand Portage
  • Lower Sioux
  • Prairie Island
  • Red Lake
  • Upper Sioux

But hoping to track down more details if Ookla can get/share them.

OPPORTUNITY: Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians hosts Tribal Broadband Boot Camp Aug. 18-21

Posted on by
Reply

The Tribal Business News reports...

The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians will host a four-day Tribal Broadband Boot Camp Aug. 18-21 at Bay Mills Community College Technology Center on the tribe’s Marquette campus.

The training program, organized by broadband advocacy group Waskawiwin, will bring together tribal technology staff, community leaders and advocates for hands-on instruction in network design, deployment and management. The event marks the first boot camp held in the Great Lakes region and is designed primarily for members of the 36 federally recognized tribes across Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Participants will receive support for travel costs, including rooms and meals. Sessions will be led by Waskawiwin co-founders Matthew Rantanen and Christopher Mitchell of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance.

“Our goal is to connect people working in Indian Country on Internet access to build skills and share knowledge on how to make sure everyone is well connected,” Mitchell told Tribal Business News. “This issue is not as complicated as it first feels and tribes have real options to achieve digital sovereignty.” …

Boot camps help tribal technologists maximize current funding levels to create optimal results, Rantanen said. Attendees learn to build and manage their own networks, reducing reliance on outside contractors and vendors while preserving tribal data sovereignty.

“There really has never been a more important moment in history where it’s apparent tribes need to manage their own digital sovereignty,” Rantanen said.

Registration closes July 31. Interested tribal staff and leaders can apply at tribalbroadbandbootcamp.org.

Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe shares broadband expansion plans

Posted on by
Reply

Leech Lake News reports…

The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe is launching a transformative broadband infrastructure project to bring fast, reliable internet access to our communities. Backed by an $18.7 million grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), this project will include a combination of fiber-optic lines and fixed wireless towers to serve households and businesses across the reservation.

The network will include fiber routes and strategically placed wireless towers capable of delivering 5G fixed wireless internet. These towers awill broadcast internet within a defined coverage area.

Throughout May 2025, LLBO Tribal and Economic Development staff will attend Local Indian Council (LIC) meetings to share plans, answer questions, and gather input on tower site locations. Community feedback is critical to ensuring this project reflects local priorities and needs.

Project Timeline:

  • May 2025: Community outreach at LIC meetings
  • Fall/Winter 2025: Environmental review & final tower placement
  • Spring/Summer 2026: Construction begins
  • Fall 2026: Project completion anticipated

We encourage community members to participate in the meetings and help shape the future of internet access across Leech Lake.