National Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program
The National Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program is the third of three digital equity programs as part of BIL administered by NTIA. The Competitive Grant Program provides $1.25 billion to support efforts to achieve digital equity, promote digital inclusion activities, and spur greater adoption and use of broadband among the Covered Populations as defined in the Digital Equity Act. Projects are meant to address gaps in the implementation of existing State Digital Equity Plans, supplement, or further advance State Digital Equity Plans, and/or address barriers to digital equity that the State Digital Equity Plan failed to identify.
On July 24, 2024 NTIA released its Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Applications are due on September 23, 2024 at 10:59 p.m. (CDT). State broadband offices are not eligible to apply.
For more details, visit NTIA's Digital Equity Competitive Program website.
Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program
The Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program is a new $1 billion competitive grant program administered by NTIA to expand middle mile internet infrastructure across the country. Middle mile refers to high-capacity fiber internet lines that carry data between local networks that connect to households (“last mile”) and large-scale national networks (“backbone”).
On June 16, 2023, Dairyland Power Cooperative was awarded $14,890,077.79 to implement its Tri-State Fiber Deployment Project, which will retrofit 240.23 miles of fiber optic communications network in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa.
For more details, visit NTIA's Middle Mile Program website.
ReConnect Loan and Grant Program
The Reconnect Loan and Grant Program is an existing program administered by USDA that funds construction, equipment, and facilities for the expansion of high-speed internet access in rural areas. BIL allocated an additional $2 billion for this program. For more information on the ongoing implementation of Reconnect, visit USDA's ReConnect website.
Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program
The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program is an existing program for tribal governments that supports broadband deployment, telehealth, distance learning, broadband affordability, and digital inclusion. BIL allocated an additional
$2 billion for this program. For more information on the ongoing implementation of the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, visit NTIA's Tribal Broadband Connectivity website.