Community Connect Broadband Grant Program

community.connect@wdc.usda.gov
202.720.0800
State level contacts

The Community Connect Grant Program supports broadband deployment into rural communities where it is not yet economically viable for private sector providers to deliver service. Broadband service should benefit residential and business customers in a service area, as well as critical community facilities, such as healthcare, public schools, fire stations, and libraries.

Grant funds may be used to help fund:

• The construction, acquisition, or leasing of facilities, spectrum, land, or buildings used to deploy broadband service within the proposed service area
• The improvement, expansion, construction, or acquisition of a community center that provides online access to the public
• The cost of providing broadband service free of charge to critical community facilities for 2 years

Eligible applicants include:

• State and local governments
• Federally recognized tribes
• Incorporated organizations
• Other legal entities, including cooperatives, private corporations, or limited liability companies organized on a for-profit or not-for-profit basis

Rural areas that lack any existing broadband speed of at least 10 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps upstream are eligible.

Areas currently receiving or that have received final approval for other federal funding to construct terrestrial facilities providing at least 10/1 Mbps service in the project Proposed Funded Service Area as of December 19, 2023 are not eligible to apply.

Award ceiling: $5,000,000
Award floor: $100,000
Project period: 3 years
Estimated number of awards: 50
Estimated total program funding: $79,000,000

A non-federal cash match of at least 15% of the total amount of financial assistance requested is required and can be used for operating costs.

Links to the full announcement and application guide are available through grants.gov.

Changes to this program were made in a notice in the Federal Register on December 19, 2023.

Applicant webinar presentation

Additional guidance and forms can be found on the program website. Applications must be submitted through the Community Connect Grant application portal.