Eligible Applicants

Applicants must be authorized to provide broadband services in the area proposed to be served. Eligible applicants include:

• Corporations
• Limited liability companies
• Partnerships or other business entities
• Non-profit organizations
• Those authorized to provide broadband services in the proposed service area  

Service providers will be required to be an active participant in federal subsidy programs prior to application submission to optimize digital inclusivity and adoption including partnering with school districts and colleges to raise awareness of subsidy programs. (i.e., Lifeline, Affordable Connectivity Program, Emergency Connectivity Fund).  Service providers are also encouraged to partner with local housing agencies to take advantage of programs that benefit multi-dwelling units.

Eligible Areas

The purpose of the grant is to facilitate broadband access to unserved and underserved areas with demonstrated need and may include residential, business, and community anchor institution locations.  Unserved is defined as a designated geographic area in which households or businesses are without a fixed, terrestrial connection supporting at least 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload speeds.  An underserved area is defined as a designated geographic area in which households or businesses are without a fixed, terrestrial connection supporting less than 100 Mbps download and 100 Mbps upload speeds and greater than 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload.  Proposed service areas are not required to be contiguous.  However, non-contiguous areas more than 10 miles apart must include an explanation of how the economic and community impact is the same for the proposed areas.  Middle-mile expenses are eligible for grant funding only when they are necessary for the provision of last-mile services described in the application. All projects must directly enable work, education, and healthcare monitoring.

Applications may be considered for areas with certified awards through the FCC Rural Development Opportunity Fund (RDOF) served by wireless with less than 100/20 Mbps speeds enabled (Minimum Performance Tier (<25/3Mbps) and Baseline Performance Tier (<50/5Mbps)).  Recipients must ensure there is additional public benefit and a justification for using additional public funding to deploy to those locations.  Service areas with certified awards through the FCC with more than 100/20 Mbps wireline/fiber will be considered ineligible for grant award.

Eligible Costs

The Capital Project Fund project funds up to Eligible Applicants 

Applicants must be authorized to provide broadband services in the area proposed to be served.   Eligible applicants include:

• Political subdivisions or entities of political subdivisions
• Corporations
• Limited liability companies
• Partnerships or other business entities
• Non-profit organizations
• Those authorized to provide broadband services in the proposed service area  

Service providers will be required to be an active participant in federal subsidy programs prior to application submission to optimize digital inclusivity and adoption including partnering with school districts and colleges to raise awareness of subsidy programs. (i.e., Lifeline, Affordable Connectivity Program, Emergency Connectivity Fund).  Service providers are also encouraged to partner with local housing agencies to take advantage of programs that benefit multi-dwelling units.  

Ineligible Costs

Ineligible costs include, but are not limited to:

• Maintenance expenses related to the project.
• Infrastructure not directly connected to service provision for an end-user in the proposed area.
• Indirect labor costs (fringe/benefits, travel, meals, lodging, paid time off, etc.)
• Long term capital asset purchases/leases, although cost allocation for use during the project period will be considered on a case-by-case basis