Broadband Technical Assistance

Submitted by kavery on Fri, 05/19/2023 - 13:04
Type: 
Funding
Organization: 
USDA
Description: 

Deadline passed. Most recent deadline: June 20, 2023. The Rural Utilities Service (RUS or the Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announces the acceptance of applications for Broadband Technical Assistance (BTA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. Broadband Technical Assistance provides competitive cooperative agreement funding to eligible entities to receive or deliver broadband technical assistance and training that promotes the expansion of broadband into rural areas. Examples of broadband technical assistance projects may include conducting feasibility studies, completing network designs, and developing broadband financial assistance applications.

The Agency encourages applicants to consider projects that will advance the following key priorities:

  • Assisting rural communities recover economically through more and better market opportunities and through improved infrastructure;
  • Ensuring all rural residents have equitable access to RD programs and benefits from RD funded projects; and
  • Reducing climate pollution and increasing resilience to the impacts of climate change through economic support to rural communities.

In addition, the Agency encourages applicants to work with the Rural Partners Network. The Rural Partners Network is an all-of-government program that demonstrates to rural America that the federal government can work differently to serve their unique needs in a way this is community-centered and locally-driven. RPN is a recognition by the Biden Administration that it is time to do more for rural communities. Applicants to this funding opportunity are encouraged to include RPN Community Networks in their proposals by identifying Community Networks as collaborative partners or recipients of service.

Category: 
rural, broadband, pollution, internet, technical assistance, training
Funding Amount: 
$50,000 - $1,000,000
Matching Funds: 
No

Geography:

Eligibility: 
Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education City or township governments Special district governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities Small businesses State governments County governments For profit organizations other than small businesses Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Independent school districts Private institutions of higher education
Website: 
https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/telecommunications-programs/broadband-…
Contact Information: 
To submit questions to RUS staff regarding the BTA, please complete the form available at www.usda.gov/reconnect/contact-us. For questions about Broadband Technical Assistance, you may also contact one of our General Field Representatives.