Three years ago, the $45 billion state Rebuild Illinois law directed $420 million alone towards broadband expansion. Under Gov. J.B. Pritzker,&nbsp;the state established its Office of Broadband – a continuation of prior state broadband efforts under former Gov. Pat Quinn&nbsp;– and launched its state program to put these funds in use.Illinois is benefitting from its foresight. Several projects from the first round of the the state’s Broadband Grant Program have concluded. Others are underway, or providing services in the state. The Office of Broadband is also growing in capacity and collaboration with stakeholders across the state.Because of these ventures, Illinois officials believe they are uniquely positioned to take advantage of the federal funding coming down the pipeline from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which will provide $42.5 billion for broadband infrastructure.&nbsp;First, the state broadband office will deploy planning dollars to engage stakeholders across Illinois. Then, the office will direct the investments to expand broadband access in unserved and underserved areas.&nbsp;Illinois’ Office of Broadband recently posted a new request for information soliciting feedback from applicants to the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s $1 billion Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program. The state broadband office will use the request for information to help align applications, ensure quality, and position the state to make the most of the funding opportunity.&nbsp;

Illinois is benefitting from its foresight in passing the 2019 Rebuild Illinois law, directing $420 million towards broadband expansion.

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Illinois well-positioned to take advantage of federal broadband funding

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All states, five U.S. territories and the District of Columbia must submit detailed project and budget narratives to the Biden administration by August 15th if they're planning to apply for BEAD grants.The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has made <a href="https://www.internet4all.gov/program/broadband-equity-access-and-deployment-bead-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a packet </a>with detailed instructions available to state and territory level broadband offices.&nbsp;Here's the basic checklist of documents required:&nbsp;<ul><li>Project Narrative</li><li>SF 424 (Application for Federal Assistance)&nbsp;</li><li>SF 424C (Budget Information – Construction Programs)&nbsp;</li><li>Detailed Budget Justification</li><li>Budget Narrative</li><li>Negotiated Indirect Cost rate Agreement – as applicable</li><li>CD-511 (certification of lobbying activities)</li><li>SF-LLL (disclosure of lobbying activities) as applicable</li><li>SAM.gov registration</li></ul>The Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act (IIJA,) otherwise known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, made a total of $65 billion available to close the digital divide. The grant program is known as the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment grant program. It also includes funds for digital equity, which the NTIA expects grant recipients to use concurrently as they plan for new broadband networks to <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/unserved-location-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">unserved</a> and <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/underserved-location-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">underserved</a> locations.States can apply for an initial $5 million, which they can use over five years, to do their broadband planning. Territories and D.C., have access to $1.25 million.&nbsp;Instructions from the NTIA state that applicants should indicate who they're working with in the form of partners and subrecipients, and that project summaries should outline “how the project will advance the objectives of the BEAD program as well as specific objectives outlined in the NOFO for Initial Planning Funds and Five-Year Action Plan.”Applicants must also provide high-level financial figures and budget information, and limit their summaries to 1,000 words. &nbsp;Below are a list of eligible costs that can be incurred for BEAD funds used for broadband planning. The table came from the NTIA's planning documents.&nbsp; &nbsp;<figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td><figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Administration and Legal Expenses</td><td><ul><li>Publications, outreach and communications support</li><li>Establishing, operating and increasing capacity of a broadband office that oversees broadband programs and broadband deployment in an eligible entity</li></ul></td><td><ul><li>Reasonable post-NOFO pre-award expenses in an amount not to exceed $100,000 relating to the preparation of program submissions to the NTIA (such as a Letter of Intent) or adding additional capacity to state or territorial broadband offices in preparation for the BEAD program may be re-imbursed if they are incurred after the publication of the NOFO and prior to the issuance of the grant reward from the NTIA, except that lobbying costs and contingency fees are not reimbursable from grant funds. &nbsp;</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>Other architectural and engineering fees</td><td><ul><li>Asset mapping across the eligible entity to catalogue broadband adoption, affordability, equity, access and deployment activities occurring within the eligible entity&nbsp;</li></ul></td><td><ul><li>Conducting surveys of unserved, underserved and underrepresented communities to better understand barriers to adoption</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td>Miscellaneous</td><td><ul><li>Research and data collection including initial identification of unserved locations and underserved locations</li><li>The development of a preliminary budget for pre-planning activities</li><li>Providing technical assistance to potential subgrantees, including through workshops and events</li></ul></td><td><ul><li>Training for employees of the &nbsp;broadband program or office of the eligible entity or employees or political subdivisions of the eligible entity, and related staffing capacity or consulting or contracted support to effectuate the goals of the BEAD Program</li><li>Other uses approved in advance writing by the Assistant Secretary (including in response to an eligible entity's request) that support goals of the program.</li><li>Other uses approved in advance writing by the Assistant Secretary (including in response to an Eligible Entity's request) that support the goals of the program.&nbsp;</li></ul></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3">&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table></figure></td></tr></tbody></table></figure>The NTIA also provides examples of what a budget narrative would look like, as well as other planning templates.&nbsp; Fund recipients have 270 days, or about 9 months after they receive the grants to provide the NTIA with a 5-year action plan. For more detail on this, <a href="https://broadband.money/ntia-bead-nofo/program-structure-sequencing-and-requirements" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">refer to </a>Broadband.money's Annotated Guide to the BEAD NOFO.&nbsp; Broadband.money provides detailed <a href="https://broadband.money/state-broadband-grant-portals" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">broadband availability maps</a> of served, unserved, underserved, and related categories of "likely underserved," and “arguably underserved" areas. For more detailed explanations of how we do this, read “<a href="https://broadband.money/blog/why-ready-speed-rank" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Why Ready Speed Rank</a>,” "<a href="https://broadband.money/lessons/how-to-measure-broadband-performance" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">How Ready Speed Rank Works</a>," and see how the maps <a href="https://broadband.money/lessons/how-to-create-a-project-area" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">can be used </a>to create "project areas."Check <a href="https://broadband.money/state-broadband-grant-portals" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">them out</a>, and <a href="https://broadband.money/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">contact us</a> for more information. &nbsp;

State broadband offices must submit their BEAD initial planning funds applications by August 15 

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Applying for BEAD initial planning funds? Here's what state broadband offices need to do

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Broadband providers submitting coverage information to the Federal Communications Commission’s Broadband Data Collection database will be required to submit information on how they obtained the coverage information.That’s according to an FCC webinar on Tuesday, July 26, 2022.&nbsp;Governmental and third-party entities must provide information on the methodologies they used to collect, organize, and verify the data as well as the entities they collaborated with in the process.All providers must submit information on how they generated the availability data for each technology involved in the submissions. Included should be the distance from the aggregation point for each technology and the relationship between the entity and any other firm involved.Fixed wireless broadband availability data will require additional information including propagation modeling information, base station location and height, base station carriers, budget parameters, and clutter category data.Facilities-based fixed providers may report data by location list or coverage polygons representing the availability of the provider’s service through the acceptable formats. Mobile broadband providersFilers will also be required to submit the maximum download and upload speeds associated with the service offered to each location. <a href="https://help.bdc.fcc.gov/hc/en-us/articles/6047589372059-Video-Resources">Video training</a> for completing the FCC’s BDC can be found at the FCC website.The FCC opened its new system to collect broadband service information from more than 2,500 broadband providers in June, marking the start of its efforts to establish new maps. Following the completion of the maps, government entities and internet service providers will be given a challenge window where availability claims may be challenged based on submitted data.

Governmental and third-party entities must provide information on the methodologies they used to collect, organize, and verify the data as well as the entities they collaborated with in the process.

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Sources of broadband coverage information will be required by FCC

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The Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development’s Office of Broadband announced on July 20, 2022, that it has partnered with the Rasmuson Foundation to administer the Digital Equity Planning Grant over the next 10 months.The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act authorizes $65 billion in public investment to improve broadband access and deployment throughout the country. This funding includes $2.6 billion to implement the Digital Equity Act Grants. These grants are designed to help states improve digital inclusion and equity within historically underserved communities and populations.&nbsp;Alaska expects to receive an initial $567,000 grant to prepare Alaska’s digital equity plan. The plan will identify existing barriers to broadband access, outline potential solutions to eliminating them, and will establish the foundation for supplemental federal funding to build Alaska’s broadband capacity and improve digital equity."Access to broadband for all Alaskans has been a priority of my administration," said&nbsp;Gov. Mike Dunleavy said in a statement. "Digital equity means unprecedented access for our residents to work, learn, and receive health care, even in the most remote areas of the state."The Office of Broadband has partnered with the Rasmuson Foundation to assist in the development of the state’s digital equity plan. Operating as the state’s designated administering entity, it is expected that the foundation will manage a number of activities to include conducting stakeholder outreach, holding statewide listening sessions, and facilitating the data collection required to develop a comprehensive plan.The Rasmuson Foundation’s “willingness to serve as the administering entity preserves the eligibility of Tribal, municipal, and other non-profit entities to receive funding through upcoming Digital Equity Capacity and Competitive grant programs,” said Julie Sande,&nbsp;commissioner of the state’s Department of Commerce.The Rasmuson Foundation, a non-profit organization that works to promote a better life for Alaskans, has agreed to supplement these federally funded efforts with additional foundation staff and financial resources, allowing 100 percent of the state’s planning grant to go towards public outreach and stakeholder activities, according to Sande.“Numerous Alaska communities face prohibitive broadband costs or lagging speeds which results in a meaningful or complete lack of access to tools broadly taken for granted elsewhere,” said&nbsp;Rasmuson Foundation CEO Diane Kaplan. “Impaired broadband access relates to so many core Rasmuson Foundation grantmaking areas like healthcare, economic development, arts, culture, and education.”&nbsp;Other significant partners in this broadband planning effort include the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN), Tribal entities, the Alaska Municipal League, local governments and representative non-profit organizations across Alaska.<a href="https://broadband.money/state-broadband-offices/alaska" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Alaska has historically been held back</a> by its 600,000 square-mile size, sparse population, rugged terrain and weather. That has led it to use wireless technologies outside of urban areas for connectivity, including microwave and satellites.&nbsp;But the state's 2021 broadband report was bullish on the new infusion of federal money, including from the American Rescue Plan Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which passed in November 2021. That report said that a "generational infusion of resources" made it "possible to build terrestrial middle and last-mile capacity to places never before considered feasible.""Fiber-optic cables are considered by the task force to be the gold standard middle-mile solution," the report said, adding other technologies are still in the mix. "As such, it should be deployed wherever feasible."

The Rasmuson Foundation's involvement will allow 100 percent of the state’s planning grant to go towards public outreach and stakeholder activities.

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Alaska Commerce Department partners with non-profit foundation to administer state’s Digital Equity Planning Grant

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New York Governor Kathy Hochul's administration needs to "ensure that future state-funded projects are based on accurate broadband availability data," and that it should fund technologies that actually do provide high-speed, reliable internet service, because it hasn't been doing so despite millions of dollars in funding.That's according to a little-noted <a href="https://www.osc.state.ny.us/state-agencies/audits/2022/07/01/new-ny-broadband-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">audit </a>published earlier this month by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.&nbsp;“The New NY Broadband Program did not meet its goal to close the internet gap because of poor planning and execution,” DiNapoli said in a press release. “As my office’s audit found, the program took years longer than promised and supplied many communities with slow, satellite-based internet that is inadequate for today’s needs. The state is now embarking on another effort to provide all New Yorkers with broadband access called ConnectALL and it is my hope it learns from the issues we found in this audit so they are not repeated.”DiNapoli’s audit recommended that ESD and BPO:<ul><li>Work with ISPs to complete outstanding projects as soon as possible;</li><li>Use a disclaimer when reporting the percentage of broadband availability in the state to reflect limitations in the data’s accuracy; and</li><li>Ensure that future state-funded projects are based on accurate broadband availability data; and that technologies that provide high-speed, reliable internet are used.</li></ul>National Public Radio affiliate WBFO recently <a href="https://www.wbfo.org/2022-07-18/new-yorks-broadband-program-to-provide-service-across-the-state-is-behind-schedule-uses-an-inaccurate-tool-to-monitor-how-well-its-doing-and-is-getting-another-billion-dollars?utm_source=sendgrid&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=Newsletters&amp;mc_cid=4a875cd440&amp;mc_eid=f63cc288fd" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">highlighted</a> the report and spoke with two county leaders whose geographies have been impacted by the faulty data and technology decisions. Those are Orleans County and Chautauqua counties.&nbsp;<blockquote>Chautauqua County Executive P.J. Wendel has a particularly choice words for the FCC's Form 477 data: “You gotta get sick and tired of fighting those, 'Yeah, well these are our numbers and we stand by them'" Wendel said. "Yeah, you can balance an elephant on a quarter, too, but that doesn't necessarily mean it could happen. Physics can tell you that.”</blockquote>Hochul's administration disagreed with DiNapoli's characterizations of its funding program so far. Felisa Hochheiser, New York's Director of Compliance for its economic development authority Empire State Development, said that satellite tech was only funded in areas where fiber deployment was prohibitively high and couldn't be provided at an affordable rate.&nbsp;And Empire State Development's Broadband Program Office has established a new broadband mapping and data collection program and is investing significant new resources in wireline rural broadband deployment, she wrote <a href="https://www.osc.state.ny.us/files/state-agencies/audits/pdf/sga-2022-20s19.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">in a response</a> included in the audit. The BPO realized that the Federal Communications Commission's Form 477 data is faulty, she wrote.&nbsp;The comptroller's findings are concerning because Hochul announced that the state is putting another billion dollars into broadband funding this year under its <a href="https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-new-1-billion-connectall-initiative-bring-affordable-broadband" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ConnectALL initiative</a>. Her administration has come under fire for violating the Governor's promise for more transparency than her predecessor Governor Andrew Cuomo, who first announced a $500 million broadband initiative several years ago. Projects from that initiative are way behind and remain unfinished, DiNapoli's report noted.Broadband.money <a href="https://broadband.money/state-broadband-offices/new-york" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">projects </a>that New York State could receive another $672.8 to $756.4 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law's BEAD program.Perhaps ESD's BPO (or even the counties) should look into using <a href="https://broadband.money/state-broadband-map/new-york" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Broadband.money's New York State broadband coverage map</a>, which use Ookla and MLab speed data and compares it with the FCC's form 477 data to illustrate where areas are <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/unserved-location-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">unserved</a> and <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/underserved-location-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">underserved</a> as defined by IIJA's BEAD broadband grant program.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://api.broadband.money/uploads/Orleans_County_New_York_min_d4915a14fb.png"></figure>The map above, for example, shows this data comparison within a census block within Orleans, one of the counties named within the NPR affiliate story. It's also worth noting here that the IIJA's BEAD program <a href="https://broadband.money/ntia-bead-nofo/program-description" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">allows local entities</a> to challenge a state's planned funding allocations if they use their own verified data.&nbsp;

New York State needs to improve the way it administers broadband grants, according to a new audit from the state comptroller's office. 

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New York State needs better broadband data, says comptroller

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Great news last week: all 50 states and 5 territories and the District of Columbia announced their intention to <a href="https://discuss.broadband.money/c/get-broadband-grant-alerts-news/all-50-states-territories-and-d-c-join-broadband-equity-access-and-deployment-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">come on board for Access for All.</a> This means it’s Go Time for local providers and communities preparing to get their share of the historic program.On behalf of the Broadband.money and Ready teams, we are thankful you are undertaking the quest to help end the digital divide once and for all. Enrollment is now open for local providers intending to pursue <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/broadband-equity-access-and-deployment-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BEAD</a> grants.Our goal is to make the process of applying for <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/broadband-equity-access-and-deployment-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BEAD</a> grants as easy as possible. We've done that in several ways: helping you to learn, providing you with data and maps, as well as access to experts and a community.We built Broadband.money for local providers and the communities you serve to get the lion’s share of our nation’s largest-ever historic investment in broadband. We believe you are better qualified than national incumbents to get the job done, even if you might not have on-hand the array of resources you will need in order to get your share.You have the grit and genuine desire to get the job done. With the right resources in hand, you can get it done.To get your share of <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/broadband-equity-access-and-deployment-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BEAD</a>, you’ll need:<ul><li>Deep expertise in broadband grants, GIS, and community relations</li><li>At least 25% of the amount you’re applying to win – with documented proof up front</li><li>Tools for advanced geospatial analysis across complex data sets, and empirical data analysis</li><li>Hundreds of hours to build each of your project applications separately</li></ul>With Broadband.money, you get a partner and platform with:<ul><li>Built-in tools and resources to help you navigate grants, data, and effective community engagement</li><li>A common foundation – build one or more project applications from a single set of inputs</li><li>A collaborative platform – invite your consultants and other stakeholders to manage specific parts of your application journey</li><li>A lot of your time back – you’re busy connecting families and businesses to broadband</li><li>An easy way to apply once for matching funds from a variety of sources, including <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/common-equity-stock" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">equity</a>, <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/debt" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">debt</a>, and <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/letter-of-credit" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">letter of credit providers</a></li><li>A community of broadband pros who want to help you win</li><li>Loads of other time-saving resources including office hours with former NTIA execs, <a href="https://broadband.money/ntia-bead-nofo/notice-of-funding-opportunity" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">annotated guides</a>, and more</li></ul><h2>What’s inside?</h2><h3>1. An A to Z Curriculum: Guides, Lessons &amp; Templates</h3>Broadband.money is <a href="https://broadband.money/start-broadband-grant-application" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">curriculum-based</a>, so you can work through your journey on your terms according to your timeline, at your pace. This way, you can work in logical units over the coming months in accordance with the requirements of the grant programs.<ul><li><a href="https://broadband.money/start-broadband-grant-application" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Guides</a> walk you through the questions needed in order to build your most effective broadband grant project proposals, and get you oriented for the next steps in your journey, such as partnering with great communities and lining up matching fund sources.</li><li><a href="https://broadband.money/lessons/bead-nofo-deep-dive" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lessons</a> go into more detail about specific topics and themes you’ll need to know about in order to reach your full project proposal potential. This way, you’ll have the knowledge you need to answer questions with confidence.</li><li>Templates assist you in composing responses to structured inputs, such as <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/broadband-equity-access-and-deployment-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BEAD</a> grant pro forma, and more.</li></ul>Together, these building blocks will help you compose your best IIJA broadband grant project proposals starting with the groundwork for <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/broadband-equity-access-and-deployment-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BEAD</a>.<figure class="image"><img src="https://api.broadband.money/uploads/what_s_inside_1_82fa8ae1d9.png" alt="broadband money grant guides portal image"></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://api.broadband.money/uploads/rsz_1whats_inside_2_5ac6b498bc.png" alt="broadband money grant guide lessons image"></figure><h3>2. Powerful, Easy-to-Use Geospatial Tools</h3>Get to know your territory and areas of interest in an all-new light. Quickly build up your understanding of the areas for which you might apply. Get filterable address-level insights and multiple points of view on current service, competition, and socio-demographics – all in a single place. Best of all, you can import and export to popular formats so you can use your existing geo tools.<figure class="image"><img src="https://api.broadband.money/uploads/power_easy_to_use_geospatial_tools_min_ff006db948.png" alt="broadband money grant portal data image"></figure><h3>3. Dashboard + Area Analysis</h3>Track your journey to win broadband grants with a dashboard overview, and get into detail about areas of interest you’re looking to take on – months ahead before the <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/federal-communications-commission" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Federal Communications Commission</a> publishes its own national map known as the “Fabric.” Stay informed with community events, industry updates and more.<figure class="image"><img src="https://api.broadband.money/uploads/dashboard_area_analysis_7c7ab7cbdc.png" alt="broadband money funding portal image"></figure><code>Soon, the Community Broadband Toolkit will allow the communities you’re partnering with to get going on their side with community broadband performance data collection.</code><h2>&nbsp;</h2><h2>Why Now?</h2>While each state will have its own project-level requirements, the core of what you’re going to need to produce is already well-documented by the <a href="https://broadband.money/ntia-bead-nofo/notice-of-funding-opportunity" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NTIA’s NOFO</a>. Think of it like Turbotax – you can do your main “application” (1040 federal return) and then later do your state-level “applications” (returns).States will finalize submission requirements in a few months. Meanwhile, your application model is safely stored while you develop answers, team up with collaborators, and make progress through developing your proposals. This way, when your states of interest open their portals, you’ll be ready.While it’s certainly possible to wait on state plans and Fabric maps, it’s not clear that’s a winning strategy. Three reasons you should consider starting now:<h3>Incumbents aren’t waiting</h3>Local providers and the communities they’re teaming up with to serve need every advantage in the fight to divert resources from where they’ve historically gone.While <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/federal-communications-commission" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">FCC </a>Fabric will surely be light years ahead of Form 477 self-reporting, the self-reported nature of the data still remains a risk for local providers and communities who need better broadband. It’s worth having a different point of view. Luckily, NTIA allows for challenges to Fabric data.<h3>Neither is your competition – current or future</h3>If you’ve been the only game in town for years, you might be caught off guard by the number of new entrants popping up as a result of our nation’s largest-ever investment in broadband. <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/broadband-equity-access-and-deployment-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BEAD</a> provides the resources to defend, strengthen and increase your territory… but only if you apply and win.<h3>You need matching funds up front</h3>For many local providers and communities, the minimum 25% matching fund requirement – with proof required at the time of filing your proposals – will be the Achilles heel for otherwise great applications. With Broadband.money, qualified providers will be able to line up matching funds from a range of sources. This way, otherwise capable, qualified local providers, and the communities they are serving, won’t be left in the dust by well-funded rivals.<h3>Get Started on BEAD Grant Applications</h3>If you’re already pre-enrolled, look for your email invitation to join Broadband.money. The first guide you’ll complete is <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-guides/getting-ready-for-bead" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Getting Ready for BEAD</a>.

On behalf of the Broadband.money and Ready teams, we are thankful you are undertaking the quest to help end the digital divide once and for all. Enrollment is now open for local providers intending to pursue BEAD grants. Get Started on BEAD, Middle Mile, Digital Equity, and Tribal Broadband Grants.

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BEAD Grant Applications are Now Open for Local Providers

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Identifying <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/unserved-location">unserved </a>and <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/underserved-location">underserved </a>communities is the central challenge for policymakers when deciding where to allocate federal broadband funding flowing from the BEAD grants.&nbsp;To bring more precision to the process, Broadband Money uses multiple sets of data that measure network performance to build the Ready Speed Rank. We have combined datasets collected by <a href="https://www.measurementlab.net/">Measurement Lab</a> (MLab,) <a href="https://www.ookla.com/articles/how-ookla-ensures-accurate-reliable-data-2021">Ookla</a>, and the Federal Communications Commission’s <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/general/broadband-deployment-data-fcc-form-477">form 477 data</a>. The benefit of this approach is that it provides a multi-faceted view of geographic areas – instead of unchecked, self-reported data from providers that is submitted in the form 477 data collection process.&nbsp;Here’s how the Ready Speed Rank system is better than the FCC's when used as a sole source of truth.In this article, we compared the FCC’s form 477 data to the address level speed test <a href="https://publicservice.vermont.gov/content/broadband-availability" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">survey data</a> collected by the state of Vermont. (Remember that the FCC’s form 477 data relies instead on block-level reporting from providers.) Then we compare the Ready Speed Rank to the FCC's form 477 reports.&nbsp;When we performed this comparison, we found that 41.5% (25,359) of the unserved addresses (service tier below 25/3 Mbps) in Vermont would be classified as "served" if we only relied on the FCC's form 477 data. In contrast, the Ready Speed Rank only shows 0.6% (371) of the unserved addresses from the Vermont survey within blocks that we define as served.<h2>Compare the FCC’s Form 477 block level speed report with the address-level speed survey from the state of Vermont.</h2>We first associate the address-level speed report data from the state of Vermont to US Census Block data. A total of 310,633 addresses were included in the Vermont study, among which 61,194 (19.7%) households are reported unserved (service tier below 25/3 Mbps.) For each census block, we obtain the FCC 477 data, including the consumer level's maximum download and upload speed.Fig. 1 shows a mapping comparison of the broadband services from FCC's form 477 reports versus data from Vermont's current address level speed survey.&nbsp;Table 1 summarizes the results. We show that around 41.5% (25,359) of "unserved” addresses are currently classified as "served” per FCC’s current 477 data.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:73.72%;"><img src="https://api.broadband.money/uploads/why_Ready_Speed_Rank_01_4942b0deb0.png"><figcaption>Fig. 1. Compare the FCC’s Form 477 report (census block level) and Vermont address-level speed survey data.</figcaption></figure><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:42.94%;"><img src="https://api.broadband.money/uploads/report_ready_vermont_c1e2c7b8a5.png"><figcaption>Table 1. Percentage of addresses classified into different categories based on the FCC form 477 reports. Around 41.51% of currently unserved addresses (reported by Vermont Speed Survey) are within the "served" territory based on FCC's 477 records. Number in each row will add up to 100%</figcaption></figure><h2>Compare the Ready Speed Rank with Vermont's address-level survey.</h2>Ready Speed Rank is a metric that integrates FCC 477 form data and Ookla, and MLab speed test data. If the FCC’s 477 report indicates no provider in a census block, we assume the census block is “unserved”. If a census block is reported with upload and download speeds above 25 Mbps/3 Mbps by FCC 477, but MLab and Ookla imply otherwise, we consider this census block “likely unserved”. The Ready Speed Rank only considers a census block as "served" when all three data sources report that a census block is “served.” In this way, we mitigate the bias brought by potential sampling errors and different speed test methods. Again, Fig. 2a shows the Ready Speed Rank distribution in Vermont, and Table 2 reports the confusion matrix*.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50.75%;"><img src="https://api.broadband.money/uploads/fig_02_f402767eb6.png"><figcaption>Fig. 2. Distribution of Ready Speed Rank</figcaption></figure><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:59.04%;"><img src="https://api.broadband.money/uploads/report_confusion477_vermont_f82392aa9e.png"><figcaption>Table 2. Compare Ready Speed Rank with Vermont speed survey. We can reduce the miss-classification of unserved addresses to 0.61%. By combining other metrics, Ready Speed Rank can capture unserved addresses under the “likely" and "arguably" categories.</figcaption></figure>To conclude, by leveraging multiple data sources, Ready Speed Rank provides better estimates of the unserved and underserved communities. This is the first of our case studies to demonstrate how our team leverages data so that policymakers and grant seekers and grant makers can make better funding allocation decisions. &nbsp;<h4>Data Used in this Report</h4><ul><li>Vermont Address Level Speed Data: <a href="https://publicservice.vermont.gov/content/broadband-availability" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><code>https://publicservice.vermont.gov/content/broadband-availability</code></a></li><li>Category of served, unserved, underserved with FCC 477 (redistributed by NTIA): <a href="https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/census-block-lists-state-and-territory" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><code>https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/census-block-lists-state-and-territory</code></a></li><li>Ready Speed Rank &nbsp;</li></ul><h4>Footnote:</h4>*Confused? A “confusion matrix” is a data science term that summarizes the results of a classification task. Each address point could be classified as “served”, “underserved”, and “unserved” per Vermont’s speed survey and Ready Speed Rank. The matrix shows the proportion of addresses classified into the same class or different classes by the two methods.

Identifying unserved and underserved communities is the central challenge for policymakers when deciding where to allocate federal broadband funding flowing from the BEAD grants. The Ready Speed Rank pinpoints unserved and underserved communities.

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Why Ready Speed Rank?

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Applicants to the National Telecommunication and Information Administration’s $1 billion <a href="https://www.internetforall.gov/program/enabling-middle-mile-broadband-infrastructure-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Middle Mile Grant Program</a> will be required to submit project details prior to being awarded grant funds.<a href="https://grants.ntia.gov/grantsPortal/s/funding-program/a0g3d00000018PAAAY/middle-mile-broadband-infrastructure-grant-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Middle Mile program</a> will allocate funds based on a competitive process for building out middle mile infrastructure. Eligible entities include states, tribal governments, tech companies, utility cooperatives, and nonprofit organizations.Project details should include an executive summary that analyses how the proposed project will advance the Middle Mile Grant Program and Notice of Funding Opportunity objectives, <a href="https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/sites/default/files/2022-05/MIDDLE%20MILE%20NOFO.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">which can be found in the NOFO.</a>&nbsp;It will also provide an overview of the proposed route or service areas and indicate a level of need in the service areas.&nbsp;Applicants should then submit a Level of Need Narrative which will describe the level of need in the proposed service areas, estimated end-users, and any service providers that have expressed interest in completing last mile infrastructure after the project completion.&nbsp;The project detail should also include a government and community involvement section where applicants need to detail the coordination and level of involvement with local and state governments.Eligible entities will make a binding commitment to prioritize at least one of the objectives of the Middle Mile Grant Program: Connecting middle mile infrastructure to last mile networks that service unserved areas, connecting non-contiguous trust lands, and offering wholesale broadband service. The entity should make additional commitments as part of the project detail portion of the application.&nbsp;Applicants are expected to explain:&nbsp;<ul><li>How projects have taken national security requirements into account </li><li>How projects will train a workforce to develop the needed skills </li><li>How projects improve climate resiliency.&nbsp;</li><li>Applicants also need to provide a project timeline.</li></ul>See also:<h3><a href="https://broadband.money/blog/ntia-officials-detail-middle-mile-application-process" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NTIA officials detail Middle Mile application process</a>, Broadband.Money, July 5, 2022</h3><h3><a href="https://broadband.money/blog/ntia-officials-review-middle-mile-grant-program-process-in-webinar" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NTIA officials review Middle Mile Grant program process in webinar</a>, Broadband.Money, May 27, 2022</h3>&nbsp;

Needed elements include executive summary,  overview, Level of Need Narrative, government and community involvement section, and binding commitment to prioritize at least one of the program's objectives.

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Contents of NTIA’s Middle Mile Grant Program application

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At a small telecommunications industry event in Park City, Utah, called the “Rural Wireless Infrastructure Summit,” officials at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration refined their broadband infrastructure spending message to include a role for wireless deployment.“We are thinking about deploying fiber really deep into the country” and putting “wireless on top of that” to enable multiple applications – including precision agriculture – that will benefit from better broadband deployment, said Phil Murphy a senior advisor in office of the assistant secretary of NTIA, on June 28, 2022.The&nbsp;NTIA is the U.S. Commerce Department agency responsible for spending more than $45 billion of the $65 billion for broadband allocated by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. His virtual keynote address was followed by state-level broadband officials and others in the rural wireless space.&nbsp;“We see a lot of benefits here to the industry as a whole, and to able to access high speed services as a result” of the administration’s push for broadband. Although he acknowledged that <a href="https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2022/06/ntia-official-acknowledges-clear-preference-for-fiber-in-infrastructure-deployment-program/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NTIA has a preference for fiber deployment</a>, he also noted that states will be the primary drivers of their respective spends on funding.What works in Delaware may not work in Wyoming, he acknowledged.Murphy also addressed digital equity planning grants, which are due to be filed by states on July 12, 2022, as well as issues of Tribal broadband funding, a subject of particular interest to many in the Western U.S.Although a previous funding round for nearly $1 billion in Tribal broadband funding closed last year, IIJA provides an additional $2 billion for Tribal broadband. Murphy said the NTIA will release a second notice of funding opportunity for Tribal broadband later this year.“We found many Tribes that didn’t apply, or applications that were as strong as they should have been,” he said, speaking about the first round of funding.Tribal leaders, he said, “face a lot of unique kinds of resources challenges,” including the need that many Tribal elders had to apply for the first round of broadband grants at the same time as the subsistence hunting season.Murphy said the NTIA will create a new funding window during a different time of the year.&nbsp;<h3>Other digital infrastructure investment matters for Rural America</h3>The Park City event, which featured other keynote remarks by Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman <a href="https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2022/06/fcc-chairwoman-jessica-rosenworcel-emphasizes-100-percent-broadband-adoption/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jessica Rosenworcel</a> and Commissioner <a href="https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2022/06/fcc-commissioner-supports-rural-telco-efforts-to-implement-rip-and-replace/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Geoffrey Starks</a>, was co-hosted by the Rural Wireless Association and the <a href="https://rinawireless.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Rural Independent Network Alliance</a>.RINA has core strength in the intermountain West. It aims to help rural wireless carriers with a number of technology tasks, including replacing Chinese-manufactured telecommunications equipment, such as has been purchased by many in recent years from Huawei.Other speakers at the event focused on the way in which fiber deployments deeper into communities (both urban and rural), coupled with money from private equity, represent an infrastructure opportunity for Rural America.Speaking on an infrastructure roundtable, Alok Sarsidharan, vice present of specialized and asset management procurement for the Macquarie Group, said that mixing private capital with IIJA funding provides an opportunity for both investors and broadband users to win.

The industry as a whole, including wireless and fiber providers, will benefit from the Commerce Department's broadband deployment under the bipartisan infrastructure law.

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Wireless infrastructure part of fiber-fed future, says NTIA official at rural summit

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Ohio submitted a planning grant application to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for the “Ohio Digital Equity Plan” via the grant portal.&nbsp;Cleveland, Ohio has been named by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance the worst big city in America for connectivity, stated the application, with an estimated 30 percent of households without internet access. Miles away in a rural Appalachian village called Coal Grove, Ohio, thousands of residents lack basic internet access.&nbsp;The state of Ohio is determined to resolve its “widespread” connectivity issue. In 2020, the state established its broadband office, called BroadbandOhio, to improve internet access for its citizens.&nbsp;“A step towards achieving the goal of universal coverage in Ohio will be taking part in the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program,” continued the application. “Developing this plan for the state of Ohio will promote the achievement of digital equity, support inclusion activities and increase the adoption of broadband in Ohio.”BroadbandOhio is preparing to hire a Manager for Digital Equity and Inclusion to lead the development of this plan. The position will be responsible to manage the planning process, coordinate meetings with stakeholders, and manage data. The office has already identified the next steps in planning that will occur immediately upon funding.&nbsp;Ohio has a “rich history” of groups that have been working in the digital equity space for some time, and it hopes to benefit from these relationships.“The initial objective is to convene key stakeholders that BroadbandOhio has already identified and been working with as well as new stakeholders to develop a plan of statewide collaboration and coordination with organizations that represent covered populations, CAIs, local governments, educational institutions, non-profits, and many more,” read the application.BroadbandOhio has already enjoyed success at hosting statewide meetings with stakeholders to share broadband ideas and objectives. It hopes that this practice will help shape the digital equity plan by identifying and measuring the impact of barriers to digital equity in its communities. It believes that this group will become the focal point for outreach at a grassroots level.The office will sub-award planning grant money under two categories. The first sub-award category will be allocated to sub-grantees for meeting facilitation, data collection and community engagement activities. The second sub-award category will help fund pilot programs to engage with covered populations to ensure coalitions are collecting proper data and engaging in proper populations.Ohio anticipates that the planning process will be executed over a year period with total estimated costs of $1.47 million. It will be “a clear path forward with actionable and achievable next steps,” promised the application.BroadbandOhio has not received any comment from the NTIA on the application. Applications for the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program are due July 12 and are submitted through the NTIA application portal.&nbsp;

In its planning grant application to the NTIA, Ohio says it is determined to resolve its “widespread” connectivity issues.

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Ohio submits its application for a Digital Equity Planning grant 

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The National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s “Internet for All”-branded series of webinars hosted a program on June 30, 2022, that provided step-by-step instructions for entities looking to apply for the Enabling Middle Mile Grant program.&nbsp;The Enabling Middle Mile Grant program is part of the $65 billion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. It is, however, a relatively modest program in that it makes only $1 billion available for middle-mile infrastructure builds.&nbsp;Unlike the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, in which the “eligible entities” to apply to the NTIA are the states themselves, in the Middle Mile Grant program, a wide range of telecommunications providers – including electric coops. telecom companies, non-profit foundations, or partnerships between any of the listed entities – are eligible to apply.&nbsp;The NTIA will award Middle Mile funds on a competitive basis no earlier than March 1, 2023. Applications are due September 30 and upon accepting awards, entities will have a 5-year deployment window for their middle mile infrastructure buildouts.Applications begin by completing the SF-424: Application for Federal Assistance form which is available in the Middle-Mile Grant Program Application Package. The package includes an application checklist, forms, templates, and instructions and can be found on the Internet for All webpage.SF-424 form content will be inputted into the NTIA grants portal. Detailed instructions for inputting information will be available in the Middle Mile Grant Program Application Guidance.Applicants then continue the process through the grants portal, where they will provide details of their organization’s management and capacity. Applicants also indicate what type of entity they are, and the primary applicant in the case of partnerships. Applicants also upload one-page resumes for all key management personnel and all key personnel of subcontractors or entities that will play a substantial role in operating programs built through funding.&nbsp;Applicants then upload organizational charts detailing all their parent companies. An organizational details narrative describing an entities readiness to manage a middle mile broadband network are required. The narrative should identify who will own the assets, the experience and qualifications of key management to undertake the project, the applicant’s experience in undertaking projects of similar size and scope, recent and upcoming organizational changes, and relevant organizational policies.Finally, entities will upload forms CD-511: Certification regarding lobbying, and Form-LLL: Disclosure of Lobbying activities. A screenshot verifying the entities registration at SAM.gov will also be required.In the webinar, NTIA’s Middle Mile Program Director Sarah Bleu suggests that applicants use the NTIA-provided templates to ensure the integrity of the application, and that applicants confirm that the project name and budget information are consistent across all forms.

The June 30, 2022, webinar provided step-by-step instructions for entities looking to apply for the Enabling Middle Mile Grant program. 

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NTIA officials detail Middle Mile application process

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The Federal Communications Commission on June 29, 2022, released a complete tutorial for filers in the Broadband Data Collection system <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/news-events/events/2022/06/webinar-using-broadband-data-collection-system">in a webinar</a>.&nbsp;Broadband providers, third parties, and government entities will submit broadband coverage information into the system. This data will be aggregated into a comprehensive coverage map that federal grant programs will use to help funnel federal dollars where broadband infrastructure is needed.&nbsp;The filing system opens for filing on June 30, 2022, but <a href="https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2022/06/tiktok-data-concerns-broadband-data-collection-system-impact-of-internet-access-on-covid-19-mortality/">early access has been available a week prior</a> for users to register their entities and become familiar with the system.&nbsp;&nbsp;Upon beginning the filing process, entities will complete four steps for their data to be aggregated into the FCC maps.&nbsp;The first is subscription where service providers will provide data on mobile and fixed broadband subscription. This step will not be completed by government agencies.&nbsp;&nbsp;The second step is availability and supporting data where entities will provide the FCC with broadband availability data. Each technology included in the submission will require supporting data which differs for each technology but may include sections such as “propagation modeling information” and “link budget information.”&nbsp;The third step is final data checks to analyze the data for any abnormalities or inconsistencies. This step serves as a safeguard to prevent any inaccurate data from being accepted by the BDC system. Every warning flagged by the system will require a full explanation to the FCC team before proceeding to the final step.&nbsp;The fourth and final step is certification.&nbsp; This step clarifies that the entity confirms the accuracy of the data and allows entities to require confidentiality for submitted data. This step confirms the submission and the FCC will then review the data.&nbsp;&nbsp;All submissions should be completed by September 1 and questions can be submitted via the FCC website.

The Federal Communications Commission released new instruction for entities to submit mapping data.

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FCC unveils system for its Broadband Data Collection

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On June 21, 2022, fixed wireless internet service provider LTD Broadband announced that it will no longer use the Federal Communications Commissions’ Rural Digital Opportunity Fund grant for telecom builds in rural California.&nbsp;The company petitioned the FCC in June of 2021 to extend deadline requirements for the funds granted them. The petition was <a href="https://www.neca.org/docs/default-source/wwpdf/public/da21908.pdf">denied shortly thereafter</a>. In response, LTD issued a <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/file/download/LTD_Broadband_Petition_for_Partial_Reconsideration.pdf?folder=1082588694209">petition for partial reconsideration in August</a>, which they redrew this week.&nbsp;“It has become apparent that LTD will not be able to obtain Eligible Telecommunications Carrier designation for the required census blocks within a reasonable timeframe to allow it to meet its RDOF obligations,” said LTD <a href="https://www.neca.org/docs/default-source/wwpdf/public/62122ltd.pdf">in a new filing</a>.The California Public Utilities Commission denied LTD’s application and request for ETC designation in California.&nbsp;LTD asserts that “this decision [by the CPUC] was premised on errors of both fact and law.” Former LTD lawyer Kristopher Twomey had, unknown to LTD, submitted the ETC application 5 weeks later than reported to the company and the press.&nbsp;The company claimed in the August petition for partial reconsideration that it was “affirmatively misled by its then-counsel as to when the application should have been filed according to the CPUC communications division staff and when it was actually filed.”However, “the broad discretion afforded to the CPUC by the California courts makes it unlikely that it could obtain reversal of that decision [to deny request for ETC designation],” said the report issued this week, announcing its withdrawal from California. “It would therefore be an imprudent expenditure of time and money to continue litigating that case.”&nbsp;LTD Broadband is <a href="https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2021/08/more-companies-are-defaulting-on-rdof-areas-they-won/">not the first company to default on RDOF funds</a>. At least five companies have asked the FCC to waive penalties for defaulting on coverage areas they promised to connect with their winning bids.&nbsp;The $9.2 billion RDOF funds were allocated via reverse auction where awards were given to companies that could promise coverage for areas at the least amount of money. <a href="https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2021/02/anti-muni-broadband-bill-introduced-boost-act-from-michigan-ltd-responds-to-rural-broadband-critics/." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">LTD had been tentatively awarded the largest amount</a> of funding <a href="https://www.lightreading.com/opticalip/here-are-all-winners-of-fccs-$92b-rdof-auction/d/d-id/765937" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">at $1.32 billion</a>, although that number <a href="https://broadband.money/events/ask-me-anything-with-corey-hauer-984-million-broadband-grant-winner" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">was subsequently trimmed to $984 million</a>.Charter received the next-largest initial award, at $1.22 billion.The difficulties the FCC faced in allocating RDOF funds could have implications for the rollout of the $42.5 billion in funds through Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment program, even though the programs operate very &nbsp;differently.

One of the largest winners in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund reverse-auction has withdrawn from California projects, casting doubt on unserved areas in the state.

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Major RDOF winner LTD withdraws from California awards

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When looking for partnerships, there are a few key things that internet service providers and government agencies can be aware of, said experts at the Pew Charitable Trusts’ Broadband Access Summit on June 22, 2022.First, have the right people at the table. Think about the people who really have impact in the neighborhood, beyond the local leaders and officials.&nbsp;Oftentimes, partnerships disregard the importance of local residents or groups, including religious groups, that have established trust with community members. Kristi Westbrock from the Consolidated Telephone Company, shared that valuable members would include “Ms. Susie who has lived in the neighborhood for 35 years, or the local barber shops that really have residents that hear and listen.”Second, have agreed upon working principles. When partnerships collaborate with one another to develop working principles, they establish a framework of accountability, said Danny Peralta from the POINT. Having several working principles, “creates space for people to be accountable and work together.”Put your goals in writing and determine how the separate agencies will work together, continued Peralta. Determine how you will share staff, resources, and tasks prior to starting the project.“Listen such that you can hear what your partner’s goals and aspirations are,” added Corey Bryndal of Region 10, Colorado.Third, come with an open mind with a determination to establish a high level of trust. All members of a partnership must come with an expectation to collaborate and innovate. “Be open to doing things differently than in the past,” advised Sarah Tennant of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Partnerships require that all members shed their ego at the door.&nbsp;Fourth, offer something before you ask for something. “Anytime you offer a give, things happen and doors open,” said Bryndal. It is a good practice to show trust and a willingness to work with your partner to achieve your collective goals and support them in their personal goals.

Internet service providers and government agencies seeking to form partnerships for broadband projects should be aware of these suggestions.

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Advice for forming partnerships from the Pew broadband access summit

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When she was very young, Shirley Bloomfield used to <a href="https://www.ntca.org/ruraliscool/newsroom/every-little-girl-can-grow-be-chairwoman-fcc" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">tell </a>her parents that she was going to be the first Jewish woman president of the United States.The CEO of <a href="https://www.ntca.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NTCA – the Rural Broadband Association</a> may not have achieved that very specific goal (yet.) However, she’s risen to the top of another hard-to-achieve leadership position: The head of America’s premier rural telecommunications association as its first female CEO.The Midwesterner left briefly for three years to work for Qwest and Verizon, but before that she had worked at NTCA for 21 years, rising up the ranks to become a vice president of government affairs. The NTCA Board hired her back as CEO in 2010.And Bloomfield has become an influential policy leader in that role. 2021 was a proud moment for the rural broadband advocate. President Joe Biden finally signed the $1.2 trillion <a href="https://broadband.money/annotated-resources/annotated-guide-to-iija-broadband-programs" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act</a>, $65 billion of which is dedicated to making access to broadband equitable across the United States.&nbsp;Bloomfield was one of the key advocates for the legislation. As an acknowledgement, she was invited to <a href="https://www.ntca.org/ruraliscool/newsroom/when-schoolhouse-rock-becomes-real" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the White House signing ceremony last November</a>, which she <a href="https://www.ntca.org/ruraliscool/newsroom/when-schoolhouse-rock-becomes-real" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">wrote about on her blog</a>, where she dryly observed that her “mother would have been appalled that I was on a stage with the President of the United States wearing black jeans.” At the same time, she noted her own enthusiasm for having been part of such an important moment in history as a representative of companies that are helping rural America participate in the global economy.&nbsp;Rural telecom pioneerHere are the adjectives and nouns that one could use to describe Bloomfield: advocate; unflappable; someone who has a lot of chutzpah; patient; tenacious; kind; ubiquitous – and most definitely a pioneer.That’s the impression one receives after chatting with Bloomfield for an hour on the phone and combing through various forms of testimonies and columns that she’s written over the years.&nbsp;Another longtime Beltway insider, who’s been in the industry probably as long as Bloomfield (if not longer,) describes their professional interactions as “buttoned down and serious,” which in some ways is interesting because of the witticisms she can come up with at a moment’s notice, such as the <a href="https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2021/12/supply-chain-issues-delaying-fiber-builds-and-concerning-industry-before-influx-of-new-federal-money/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">comment</a> she made in December 2021 at a Fierce Telecom conference, where she said that her 850 member rural telecommunication companies were “hoarding fiber like toilet paper.”It’s a funny and memorable quip, yet delivers a serious point: Despite all the federal grant funding that’s pouring into this space, anyone hoping to build a fiber network in the next few years faces severe nosebleeds in terms of costs because supply chain issues are pushing up the prices of fiber optic cables. Some of her members are facing as much as 30 percent cost increases between the time they made the orders for fiber optic cables and the time of receipt.Ask Bloomfield AnythingBroadband Money is hosting Bloomfield for an “<a href="https://discuss.broadband.money/c/broadband-grant-events/ask-me-anything-with-shirley-bloomfield" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ask Me Anything</a>” event on Friday at 11.30 am PST.&nbsp;As someone with such longevity in the industry, she’s an encyclopedia on rural broadband funding in all of its incarnations at the Federal Communications Commission, National Telecommunications and Information Administration and at the United States Department of Agriculture.She’s also worked at the House Budget Committee and was an economics and urban studies major at Northwestern University. And currently, she also serves on the board of <a href="https://www.serc1.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The SERC Reliability Corporation</a> (SERC,) an organization responsible for ensuring a reliable and secure electric grid across 16 southeastern and central states.The Broadband Infrastructure PlaybookCommunity members have a huge choice of options on what to ask Bloomfield. The NTCA, along with the Fiber Broadband Association, has released a <a href="https://www.fiercetelecom.com/broadband/trade-groups-write-playbook-spending-infrastructure-money" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Broadband Infrastructure Playbook</a> to help state governments plan and coordinate their broadband grant programs in order to get ready for the NTIA’s <a href="https://broadband.money/state-broadband-grant-portals" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment</a> (<a href="https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/broadband-equity-access-and-deployment-bead-program" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BEAD</a>) program.It’s a focused and handy document that explains the role of the broadband office. It provides state case studies, checklists, deadlines, and various templates to help state officials through various stages of the BEAD application process. It also provides various other bits of collated wisdom, such as:<ul><li>How to think about establishing objectives, identifying capacity, and gaps in capacity.</li><li>Communicating and coordinating across government departments and agencies</li><li>Re-examining assumptions and identifying any conflicts between state and federal grant program rules</li><li>Designing grant programs and scoring criteria</li><li>Adopting best practices in challenge processes</li><li>Being mindful of key deadlines</li><li>Adoptng best practices for reporting and monitoring of grants after awarding them</li><li>Creating checklists for project reporting requirements</li></ul>NTCA's Women in TelecomBloomfield is passionate about helping other women in the field of telecom. When in conversation about what her members are doing, she’ll often say: “My guys are doing …”The world of telecom — especially rural telecom — needs more women, Bloomfield says. She’s conscious of the fact that women who serve in leadership positions are role models for younger generations.“When I attend meetings — if I’m at the White House, or at a top level meeting at an agency, I still catch myself looking around the room” and counting the women in the room, she said in an interview.“I’m a huge fan of [Secretary of State] Madeline Albright’s quote that there’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women,” she said.That’s why she created NTCA’s <a href="https://www.ntca.org/member-services/getin/women-in-telecom" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Women in Telecom </a>program. The program offers mentorship, book recommendations and virtual discussions on leadership, a listserv where members share everything from kudos to board openings, and more. The organization also organizes fly-ins for women telecom executives to meet female Beltway leaders and to participate in fundraisers.What are the issues that face women in telecom? There are several of the regular challenges that come with leadership.&nbsp;But in years past when Bloomfield first started the group 20 years ago, women leaders often found themselves wondering what the best course of action was in social settings.“What my women CEOs would say to me, as they would go to local, state and national meetings is: ‘Do I stand at the bar with my male peers, or do I sit at the table with their spouses comparing recipes? Either way, I lose. If I stand at the bar with my peers, the spouses think I’m too good for them, but if I hang out with the women, my male peers won’t take me seriously, and they won’t invite me to the golf game where business gets done.’” What was Bloomfield’s advice?&nbsp;Join our <a href="https://discuss.broadband.money/c/broadband-grant-events/ask-me-anything-with-shirley-bloomfield" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">AMA session</a> to find out, and to soak up years of accumulated wisdom from someone working in an industry "<a href="https://www.ntca.org/ruraliscool/newsroom/when-industry-more-family" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">that is more like family</a>."&nbsp;

The NTCA -- the Rural Broadband Association's CEO Shirley Bloomfield is one of those people whose life could become a book. 

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NTCA's Shirley Bloomfield: A rural broadband pioneer who encourages everyone to bring their unique superpowers to work

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<a href="https://comptroller.texas.gov/programs/broadband/plan.php">Texas announced its initial state broadband plan</a> on June 15, 2022. The plan compiles results from the Texas Broadband Listening Tour in 12 Texas communities, in them, state officials heard from local Texans about their experiences with broadband.The tour found that Texans wanted reliable broadband access, faster speeds, and more affordable rates. The plan developed an initial outline of actions that Texas plans to undertake on broadband.Texas plans to establish federally compliant grant programs and develop a map identifying broadband availability to Texas households and businesses.&nbsp;This includes partnering with state agencies, nonprofits and associations that serve residents with digital literacy challenges so that Texas Broadband Deployment Office can expand its digital literacy outreach efforts.Beyond this, Texas plans on capitalizing on federal grant program Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment.The plan was built on guiding principles to use existing and emerging funding sources, encourage connectivity for anchor institutions like schools and libraries, promote coordination among private and public infrastructure owners, and embrace all avenues to quality broadband service, thus removing adoption barriers for Texans.All aspects of the plan are projected to be completed by the end of 2023, with many finishing well before then.

The tour found that Texans wanted reliable broadband access, faster speeds, and more affordable rates. 

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Texas announces its state-wide broadband plan

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Colorado's broadband office announced a new grant program Wednesday called <a href="https://broadband.colorado.gov/advance-colorado-broadband" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Advance Colorado Broadband</a>.It's the office's state-managed grant program to deploy more than $500 million that the state expects from <a href="https://broadband.money/resources/your-guide-to-broadband-grants" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">federal broadband grants</a>. That includes the Capital Projects Fund (CPF), Enabling Middle-Mile Programs (MM) and the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program.The office invited local “stakeholders and communities interested in applying for funding to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) to apply for grants” on Wednesday in its monthly newsletter.The office said that it “will review each submission and work with stakeholders to develop high-impact project plans and determine the best funding source for each proposal.”LOIs will be due July 18, 2022.&nbsp;The office reminded applicants that “LOIs are not required as part of the official grant application nor do they guarantee you will receive funding.”Colorado's Governor Jared Polis has set the target date of 2027 for near universal broadband coverage for his state.&nbsp;To help applicants, CBO is hosting two identical webinars on <a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0ld-mqpj4uGdA1lwWXMmgPNNpANWgX2M9o?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">June 17</a> and <a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0ld-mqpj4uGdA1lwWXMmgPNNpANWgX2M9o?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">June 21</a> at 10 a.m. MT to review the LOI content and process. They'll be recorded and posted to the CBO's website. The office urged prospective attendees to only attend one.Check out <a href="https://broadband.money/state-broadband-offices/colorado" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Broadband Money's Colorado profile page</a> and interactive <a href="https://broadband.money/state-broadband-map/colorado" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">mapping portal</a> to explore coverage and BEAD funding opportunities.

Colorado is racing ahead and soliciting input from local stakeholders and communities ahead of the NTIA's July 18 deadline for state submissions of letters of intent to apply for federal broadband funding

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Colorado is soliciting BEAD local letters of intent, LOI

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Experts in broadband grant programs at Fiber Connect on June 13, 2022, spoke to broadband service providers putting applications together for funds to deploy infrastructure and state digital equity plans.In a session on “Making a Compelling State Grant Application,” the panelists addressed how to take advantage of programs called for in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act which. Combined with other federal programs, more than $100 billion will be available for broadband programs, panelists said.A common hurdle for service providers is working with state broadband offices that may not be fully functioning. Many states are “scrambling,” said Lori Adams, senior director of broadband policy and funding strategy at Nokia, to acquire expertise from a labor pool that is running dry.&nbsp;The scale of projects is daunting, Adams continued, and some states are building from nothing.“States have a tremendous task ahead of them,” added Christopher Mitchell, director of the Municipal Networks program at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. “It is going to be a grinding period for them. The states that are prepared for this – the ones that have been with this for several years – are not prepared for this.”Therefore, it is essential that service providers have patience and make the process easy for the state offices, said the panel.The first step for a provider is to determine what program is best for it, thinking about its capabilities, strengths, and limitations.&nbsp;In preparing applications for state, always go to those state broadband offices with a plan, said Mike Dunne, director of funding and regulatory affairs for FiberRise, an engineering consultant. That way, they will be “more apt to receive what you are trying to share with them.” Applications stand out when they meet all requirements, answer all questions, and are complete.“Make it easy on yourself by making it easy on [the states]” for everything in your application, added Dunne.Finally, Adams added that applicants should come to states with already-established partnerships with municipalities to give the application “extra points.” States are already looking for local partnerships and engagement with providers.

Experts at Fiber Connect 2022 spoke at a session on "Making a Compelling State Grant Application."

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Pursuing broadband grant applications by addressing state broadband concerns

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<a href="https://www.nheconomy.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">New Hampshire's Department of Business and Economic Affairs </a>issued a <a href="https://www.nheconomy.com/getmedia/20c9a02c-6796-4b1d-adf4-03aef59e8495/20220602_BB-Statewide-Build_-RFP2022-11.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">request for proposal </a>for the building of broadband networks in unserved and underserved areas of its state on Friday.&nbsp;The RFP is available <a href="https://www.nheconomy.com/getmedia/20c9a02c-6796-4b1d-adf4-03aef59e8495/20220602_BB-Statewide-Build_-RFP2022-11.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>.&nbsp;Here are some of the details:&nbsp;<blockquote>When the COVID-19 pandemic began in early-2020 shuttering businesses and schools throughout New Hampshire, officials recognized the opportunity being lost on some of the most rural residents who had limited access to a reliable internet connection.&nbsp;This lack of connectivity prevented children from learning, families from working, and individuals from being able to seek critical health care services.In 2020 when Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the State of New Hampshire made the decision to allocate it’s $13 million grant to enhance broadband infrastructure in New Hampshire’s most rural regions.&nbsp;In total, New Hampshire funded 16 projects that brought connectivity to over 4,500 households.&nbsp;Since the development of this infrastructure, the State has heard countless testimonials from residents whose children were able to maintain their schooling and who were able to keep their jobs even though the world had shifted into remote access – opportunities that were only possible because of the investment that the State made in critical broadbandinfrastructure.Section 9901 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) amended Section 604 of the Social Security Act (SSA) to include a provision for the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund (CPF), giving states access to federal grants to invest in projects that meet three main criteria: • Invest in capital assets designed to directly enable work, education, and health monitoring; • Address a critical need that resulted from or was made apparent or exacerbated by the COVID-19 public health emergency; and • Are designed to address a critical need of the community to be served by in.2 New Hampshire has allocated CPF funding to continue its work to expand broadband infrastructure across the state and bring broadband access to households and businesses that are currently unserved1 by an existing broadband network.The Agency is seeking proposals from qualified applicants to provide high speed broadband connectivity (100Mbps symmetrical upload and download speeds) to as many unserved New Hampshire properties, residences, and businesses as possible; at the least cost to the Agency; and in compliance with all issued CPF guidance and requirements.The Agency anticipates awarding this contract to a single applicant. As ARPA federal funds are being used, the Grant Agreement issued will be a sub-award and BEA will be ensuring compliance with all federal guidance and requirements, including the applicable requirements of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 200 (Uniform Guidance) or 2 CFR 200.The winning bidder will be awarded a portion of the allocated CPF funds, not to exceed $50 million.Projects must be completed as soon as possible but no later than December 31, 2026, including the submission and approval of all project closeout documentation to BEA.&nbsp;</blockquote>Grant seekers can explore Broadband Money's detailed New Hampshire <a href="https://broadband.money/state-broadband-map/new-hampshire" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">connectivity and demographic maps</a>. The <a href="https://broadband.money/state-broadband-offices/new-hampshire" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">maps</a> also offer yield-on-cost snapshots, among other things.&nbsp;

New Hampshire's Department of Business and Economic Affairs is looking to connect unserved and underserved communities.

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New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs issues broadband RFP

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Baltimore is planning to bring a municipally owned broadband services to some of its poorest communities as part of its ongoing effort to bridge the digital divide.Even though most of Baltimore City is technically considered “served” by incumbent telecom and cable providers, many of the city’s residents do not have access to broadband. <a href="https://bde.baltimorecity.gov/">Baltimore’s Office of Broadband and Digital Equity states as much on its website</a>.&nbsp;“The private sector does not invest in efforts with low returns, whether in terms of broadband or any other sector,” it said. “As has been the case for many decades, residents of the city's poorer neighborhoods live with the outcomes of systemic underinvestment in critical infrastructure in their communities.” <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-07/baltimore-eyes-federal-funds-for-municipal-broadband?utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_term=220607&amp;utm_campaign=author_15862601">Bloomberg</a> reports that 41 percent of homes in Baltimore lack any form of broadband.&nbsp;<a href="https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=poverty%20line&amp;t=Poverty&amp;g=0500000US24510&amp;tid=ACSST5Y2020.S1701">According to the United States Census 2020 American Community Survey</a>, Baltimore has the highest poverty rate in Maryland with 20 percent of the population living in poverty.&nbsp;“The high cost of building and upgrading broadband infrastructure is a further disincentive for incumbent providers and potential competitive entrants alike,” according to the city’s Office of Broadband and Digital Equity. “Only by constructing and owning the core infrastructure—like the public roads that touch every corner of the city—can the city ensure its investment will benefit all Baltimoreans equally.”The office argues that an open access fiber optic service is the best way to enable Baltimoreans to access the internet. The office all has committed to digital skills training, the dispersal of surplus and refurbished devices to access broadband services, and multi-lingual, community-based, technical support.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Access is too important to leave to the market and private actors. These guys had decades to solve the problem and they haven’t,” Baltimore’s broadband chief Jason Hardebeck told Bloomberg. “We will never get ahead of the curve if we don’t treat it as public infrastructure.”According to a 2020 report by the Baltimore-based civic group Abell Foundation, in 2018, 96,000 households in Baltimore (nearly 41%), did not have wire-based fiber, cable, digital subscriber line service. That left Baltimore 29th out of the 33 cities examined for home wireline broadband adoption.&nbsp;But cable groups are critical of the plan.&nbsp;“Siphoning scarce resources in pursuit of financing duplicative broadband networks is not consistent with good policy or the sound use of taxpayer dollars,” the cable TV group NCTA said to Bloomberg.<a href="https://bde.baltimorecity.gov/sites/default/files/MayorBMS-DigitalEquityFramework.pdf">Baltimore’s complete Digital Equity Vision</a> can be accessed online.&nbsp;

Even though Baltimore is technically considered “served” by incumbent telecom and cable providers, many of the city’s residents do not have access to broadband.

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Baltimore plans a municipally owned broadband network

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Kansas has a new director of its Office of Broadband Development. The state's Lieutenant Governor and Commerce Secretary David Toland recently appointed Jade Piros de Carvalho to fill the role.&nbsp;She comes from the independent rural internet service provider <a href="https://ideatek.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ideatek</a>, where she was its director of industry and community relations for six and a half years. She is also the mayor of Hutchinson, a city of 40,000 northwest of Wichita. &nbsp;“I will be in charge of administering broadband acceleration grants as part of the 10-year Kansas Comprehensive Transportation Plan passed in 2020. It will distribute $5 million the first year and $10 million annually the next seven,” she <a href="https://www.hutchnews.com/story/news/2022/06/06/hutchinson-mayor-jade-piros-de-carvalho-join-commerce-department-oversee-kansas-broadband-expansion/7481783001/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">told </a>The Hutchinson News.&nbsp;Ideatek received one of those grants in early May. It was also one of the ISPs that participated in the recent <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/05/09/fact-sheet-president-biden-and-vice-president-harris-reduce-high-speed-internet-costs-for-millions-of-americans/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">announcement </a>from the Biden administration that it had brokered a deal to provide free and discounted internet service to low income Americans.&nbsp;Piros de Carvalho sounds perfect for the role: She was in charge of Ideatek's advocacy efforts for broadband expansion, as well as digital equity. And as mayor, she takes a strong <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xatz5u_AS0&amp;t=216s" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">interest </a>in Hutchinson's general infrastructure.&nbsp;You can find out more about Kansas' broadband profile and explore its current broadband coverage and demographic data through our Kansas state <a href="https://broadband.money/state-broadband-offices/kansas" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">profile page and portal</a>. &nbsp;

Ideatek exec and Hutchinson Mayor Jade Piros de Carvalho is Kansas' new broadband director. 

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Ideatek's Jade Piros de Carvalho is Kansas' new director of Office of Broadband Development

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With the release of its&nbsp;<a href="https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/sites/default/files/2022-05/DE%20PLANNING%20GRANT%20NOFO.pdf">notice of funding opportunity</a> on May 13, 2022, the National Telecommunication and Information Administration revealed the formulas it would use to determine fund allocation to each state under the bipartisan infrastructure bill’s Digital Equity Act and laid out additional requirements for states participating in the program.&nbsp;Up to a quarter of funding given to states by the NTIA will be determined by a combination of four factors, with the latter two weighted heavier than the first ones: the proportion of the population in a state living in areas where fixed wireless is unavailable, the proportion of the population living without access to a computing device and/or internet subscription beyond dial up in household, the proportion of population that does not use internet from any location, and the proportion of the population that does not use a desktop, laptop or tablet computer.&nbsp;Allocation will also be based on the number of individuals in a state that are considered to be Digital Equity Act’s “covered populations.” These populations are considered to be in need of assistance for broadband access. The NOFO clarified what will be considered a “covered population.”&nbsp;Household income of individuals goes into the calculation, which must be less than 150% of the income considered to be the poverty level established by the Census Bureau, as does whether an individual lives in an area considered to be rural.&nbsp;The NOFO considers rural areas to be any other than a city or town with a population greater than 50,000 or an “urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to” one of those cities or towns.&nbsp;For grants and direct loans, rural is considered any area other than a city, town or incorporated area with a population greater than 20,000.&nbsp;Additional digital equity plan requirements&nbsp;The NOFO set forth further requirements for State Digital Equity Plans developed using funds from the Digital Equity Act.&nbsp;Among them is statement of an implementation strategy that is “holistic” and addresses barriers to internet affordability, device access, digital skills, technical support and digital navigation.&nbsp;States also must explain how they expect to enact that strategy with the help of workforce agencies, labor and community-based organizations, and institutions of higher learning.&nbsp;An explanation must also be provided on how fund use will be coordinated with use of any funds from the infrastructure bill’s Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program and other private or federal digital equity funding.&nbsp;Also provided were estimates of how much money each state would be allocated and announced a website which shows how grants for each state were calculated.

How how funds would be divided among states was previously unclear.

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Digital equity planning notice of funding sets out formulas for grant allocation

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At the final Internet for All webinar on June 2, 2022, National Telecommunications and Information Association representatives addressed several specifics of the Digital Equity Act program.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Notice of Funding Opportunity released May 13, 2022, outlines the details of the allocation of $2.75 billion to promote digital equity and inclusion that is part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. In particular, the webinar focused on the first $60 million that states will use to develop a state digital equity plan.&nbsp;To participate in the planning program, states must submit applications by July 12, 2022. The application must include a certification that the state will submit a digital equity plan within one year.&nbsp;The plan must include 15 key points listed in the NOFO. Key points include identifying specific barriers that covered populations are facing when trying to achieve digital equity; providing an analysis of how the objectives will impact the State’s economic, workforce, health, and education goals; a description on how regional, municipal and tribal digital plans are incorporated; and material on how the state will coordinate with the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment funding.&nbsp;States may propose a variety of digital inclusion plans that will be implemented with the capacity grant fund issued following the planning stage. These plans may include pursuing digital inclusion activities, facilitating adoption of broadband, and providing equipment and software for broadband services.

The Digital Equity Act will invest $2.75 billion of federal funds. The webinar on June 2 focused on the first $60 million that states will use to develop a state digital equity plan.

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Outlining the Digital Equity Act planning grant requirements and application

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The National Telecommunications and Information Administration reviewed details of its Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program application and subgrantee process in a webinar on June 1, 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;The agency of the U.S. Commerce Department has been conducting a series of webinars on many aspects of the $42.5 billion BEAD program, as well as the agency’s companion programs on middle mile broadband deployment, and the Digital Equity Act. All of the funding was authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed by President Joe Bide on November 15, 2021.&nbsp;For the BEAD program, eligible entities include states and territories who receive funds. In turn, they are responsible to distribute them to subgrantees to carry out eligible activities.&nbsp;Subgrantees include co-ops, nonprofits, public private partnerships, private companies, utilities, public utility districts, or local government.&nbsp;&nbsp;Eligible entities must lay out a plan for the competitive process they will use to select subgrantees in their initial proposal. These plans are due within 180 days of receiving a receipt of the notice of available amounts for each state.&nbsp;Following a challenge process in which subgrantees can challenge mapping data, each eligible entity must initialize a competitive subgrantee selection process. NTIA does not mandate any specific approach but urges fairness where “eligible entity is not selection to self-administer programs.”&nbsp;Each subgrantee will be required to submit semiannual reports that include the type of project, duration of the subgrant, and other details of the project. .&nbsp;They will also be responsible to uphold three programmatic requirements, network capabilities of speeds greater than 100 Megabits per second (Mbps) down * 20 Mbps up, deploy and begin service no later than four years after subgrant is received, and offer a low-cost option which will be determined by states and territories.&nbsp;&nbsp;Eligible entities are required to consider all types of subgrantee, ensure subgrantee accountability, equitable and nondiscriminatory distribution of funds, fair labor practices and climate resiliency.

For the BEAD program, eligible entities include states and territories who receive funds. In turn, they are responsible to distribute them to subgrantees to carry out eligible activities.

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Focus on subgrantee process in latest NTIA BEAD webinar

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The National Telecommunications and Information Administration reviewed some details of its Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure program in a webinar on May 26.&nbsp;Although there is only $1 billion available through these middle mile grants (versus $42.5 billion through the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program), the program is on a fast timeline: Applications are due on September 30, 2022.&nbsp;Awards will be granted no sooner than March 1, 2023.&nbsp;Officials from the agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, which is responsible for administering the lion’s share of the federal broadband funds, said that the Middle Mile program is split into three stages of review: Eligibility, Merit and Programmatic.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Eligibility Review certifies the completeness and responsiveness of individual projects to the minimum requirements of the Middle Mile Program.&nbsp;&nbsp;Each applicant must provide evidence that they are capable of “carrying out a proposed project in a competent manner” financially, technically and operationally. Each project must be able to support retail broadband service upon completion and each applicant must commit to non-federal cost sharing of no less than 30%.&nbsp;Furthermore, agency officials said, every applicant must make a commitment to prioritize connecting either unserved areas or non-contiguous trust lands, or offering wholesale broadband service at a reasonable rate. Any applicant must offer interconnection in perpetuity where possible.&nbsp;Upon being determined eligible, applications will go through a Merit Review where they will be evaluated by at least three objective reviewers on a 100-point scale. The reviewers will evaluate the project purpose and benefits and the projects’ sustainability.&nbsp;The Programmatic Review will prioritize applications based on the merit review score. All applicants with a score of 80 points or above will be considered. During this phase, the NTIA may ask applicants to submit more information to clarify or substantiate the application.&nbsp;Applications through the NTIA application portal are due on September 30, 2022. Awards will be granted no sooner than March 1, 2023.&nbsp;Further information can be found in the <a href="https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/sites/default/files/2022-05/MIDDLE%20MILE%20NOFO.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Notice Of Funding Opportunity, Middle Mile Grant Program</a> which is part of the agency’s new <a href="https://www.internetforall.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Internet for All portal</a>.

Although only $1 billion is available through middle mile grants, the program is on a fast timeline: Applications are due on September 30, 2022.

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NTIA officials review Middle Mile Grant program process in webinar

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Understanding community culture is an essential step to building trust and successfully bringing digital equity to unserved or underserved areas of the country, a panel of digital inclusion practitioners said on Wednesday. &nbsp;“There is a lot of frustration on the ground,” said Joshua Edmonds, director of digital inclusion for the City of Detroit. He spoke Wednesday at the annual <a href="https://mountainconnect.org/event/innovations-in-digital-inclusion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mountain Connect </a>conference taking place in Keystone, Colorado.The subject of the discussion was Innovations in Digital Inclusion, and included Edmonds, &nbsp;Paolo Balboa, senior programs and data manager at the <a href="https://www.digitalinclusion.org/ndiateam/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">National Digital Inclusion Alliance</a>, and Scott D. Woods, Ready's vice president of community engagement and strategic partnerships. M-Labs' Director Lai Yi Ohlsen moderated the session.&nbsp;Many communities <a href="https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2022/03/to-build-a-digital-identity-system-governments-must-build-trust-about-data-collection-panelists/">lack trust in state programs</a>, having been burned by them in the past.Edmonds continued, “we are very, very skeptical, based on the historic flow of resources that continues to put private interest over public good.”&nbsp;He said that that community members often felt exploited.&nbsp;“There’s a trust issue here,” added Balboa. “When people hear that something is free, they immediately think that it is of lesser value.”Human infrastructure, <a href="https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2021/04/multilingual-digital-navigators-crucial-for-inclusion/">like digital navigators</a> who work on the ground with people to help combat technical illiteracy, needs to come from the communities in which they serve.&nbsp;That's one way of gaining trust, said Balboa.Woods spoke about his experience working as the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's former director of the National Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives. He said that faith organizations also play a huge role in gaining communities' trust.Faith organizations, he said, held communities together during the COVID-19 pandemic. Projects must involve this community if they expect to develop trust with individual communities. “We have gone places where, if the local pastor vouches for you, you’re golden.”It is essential to understand what works culturally for where you are and take advantage of those cultural norms.Communities have different cultures, but ultimately, said Edmonds, all communities need to see someone who represents them and their specific issues.&nbsp;Trust is developed when you’ve developed a “responsive ecosystem” that works in perpetuity.&nbsp;

Digital Inclusion project managers should use community culture to connect with and build trust with communities that they serve.

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Digital inclusion projects need to build trust to succeed 

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Angela Thi Bennett of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s outlined the components of a state-provided digital equity plan in the agency’s webinar on May 18, 2022.&nbsp;The Digital Equity Act provisions of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provides $2.75 billion for promoting digital equity, and the NTIA released its Notice of Funding Opportunity on that program on May 13, 2022.&nbsp;The Digital Equity Act program is split into three subsections. The first provides funding for states to develop a digital equity plan. States will use this digital equity plan for the competitive grant portion that awards states with funds to implement said plan, pursue digital inclusion, and facilitate adoption of high-speed internet.&nbsp;Bennett added that NTIA will provide a toolkit for states preparing their digital equity plans. The toolkit will present best practices and advice for coordinating with local leaders and developing digital literacy in communities.&nbsp;The state-provided plan must include a stated vision for digital equity and measurable objectives to achieve that vision. States will be required to identify potential and real barriers preventing them from providing digital equity in their state.&nbsp;&nbsp;Additionally, states are required to collaborate with key stakeholders to achieve digital equity goals. States must establish coordination and outreach strategies with stakeholders and will identify the organizations that contributed to the plan.

In a webinar, NTIA says that the agency will provide a toolkit for states preparing their digital equity plans.

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NTIA highlights three core components of Digital Equity Act NOFO in webinar

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The National Telecommunications and Information Administration provided further details about dates and deadline in an overview webinar about the three Notices of Funding Opportunity released on May 13.&nbsp;The overview webinar, on May 23, also reviewed the requirements and eligible entities in the webinar.&nbsp;Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program will provide funds to states and territory governments. The first step in the application process is providing a letter of intent to NTIA. These letters are due by July 19. Shortly thereafter, entities will be able to access the application for a $5 million planning fund, due in August. The BEAD program requires a 25% match which may be waived on case-by-case basis.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Digital Equity Fund is available to states for states to make subgrants to other entities such as municipalities and community anchor institutions. The Digital Equity application for states is completed through the NTIA grant portal and is due July 12. Tribal communities must supply a letter of intent by the same date. The Digital Equity fund does not require any match but encourages collaboration and leveraging other resources available to the states.&nbsp;Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure program has the largest group of eligible entities which includes, among others; states, political subdivisions of states, tribal governments, utility companies, telecom providers, nonprofit organizations, and any partnership of eligible entities. However, this program requires a 30% match with no potential waiving except to tribal governments.&nbsp;The Middle Mile program application will open on June 21 with applications due on September 30. A Middle mile application packet is supplied with a list of questions that will be asked on the application, templates, and documents that will need to be filled out. Guidance for filling out templates and documents will be provided.&nbsp;

Further details about Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program, Digital Equity Fund, and Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure underscored.

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Deadline for each of 3 NTIA broadband grant programs highlighted in webinar

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Ready is pleased to announce that Scott D. Woods will join the company as Vice President of Community Engagement and Strategic Partnerships on June 3. He will also open an office for Ready in Washington,D.C.Scott joins us from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), where he was appointed as the inaugural Director of the Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives in the administration’s Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth (OIGC).“Ready is a great company and its software product ReadyBOSS is one that will revolutionize the approach for developing and managing broadband projects in accordance with grant rules,” he said. “It’s the best way to make the most out of all of the historic funding that's out there.”While at the NTIA, Scott also served as a principal liaison between the BroadbandUSA and OIGC program offices, and key strategic partners and external stakeholder groups. This included representatives from state and local governments, telecommunications companies, for-profit and non-profit corporations, and colleges/universities.Scott is a broadband funding, implementation and stakeholder engagement expert and a key member of the OIGC leadership team responsible for implementing the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2020 grant programs and the historic $65 billion broadband funding program authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA).His expertise and devotion to increasing broadband access and digital inclusion has helped transformed the lives of many communities throughout the U.S. through programs such as the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP), BroadbandUSA Technical Assistance Program, BroadbandUSA Workshop Webinars, HBCU College Partnership Program, Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program, and the launch of the Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives; and through his influence among national, state and corporate decision makers, and his on-the-ground work building community-based broadband coalitions.Scott has long advocated for better broadband maps, data collection and utilization and in his role at NTIA, has used the agency’s broadband data, mapping and visualizations under the National Broadband Availability Map to make better broadband funding and digital equity programmatic decisions.Scott is truly excited to take the next step in his career.&nbsp; At Ready, he will be more closely aligned with local communities to position them to get funding. He will further work with local communities, local and state leaders and Internet Service Providers to use ReadyBOSS’s data visualization, demographic, investment mapping software to develop winning grant proposals and manage the entire lifecycle of projects - from implementation, reporting and completion. He’ll hold “office hours” online, where he will meet with community stakeholders so they can talk about how to get started and what to do.“Whether I'm in the community, talking with state and local government leaders, or talking to Internet Service Providers, the number one question that I get across all of those stakeholders is: Where do we begin?“ReadyBOSS is that starting point for these stakeholders. They can use it to ascertain the data that's in their jurisdiction, service-area footprint, or planned areas for implementation or expansion.”“Scott is a unicorn. There are few, if any, people in this country with Scott's&nbsp; experience in helping communities close the digital divide,” said Ready Co-Founder Mike Faloon. “Our goal is to use the Ready platform to amplify Scott so that any community or operator can have access to him and his unique insights to guide them on their broadband journey.”Scott received a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Urban Studies from Morehouse College; a Master of Arts in Public Policy (M.P.P.) from American University; and Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Howard University School of Law.Ready is a company that makes the Ready BOSS software system. It enables internet service providers and local communities to use interactive maps to create proposed broadband coverage areas and then to create corresponding grant applications. It also helps applicants to find match capital. The system also helps ISPs manage subscribers, plans and revenue, monitor and manage their networks, and seamlessly offer Affordable Connectivity Benefits. And, it helps grant awardees manage their extensive reporting requirements.&nbsp;&nbsp;For more information, or to schedule an interview, call Sarah Lai Stirland at: 831-295 8046 or email her at sarah@broadband.money.

Ready is pleased to announce that Scott D. Woods will join the company as Vice President of Community Engagement and Strategic Partnerships on June 3. He will open an office for Ready in Washington,D.C. 


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Senior NTIA Executive Scott D. Woods To Join Ready as VP for Community Engagement & Strategic Partnerships

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KEYSTONE, Colorado, May 24, 2022 – The&nbsp;National Telecommunications and Information Administration is attempting &nbsp;to balance stakeholder demands to ensure new entrants to the broadband marketplace, while making certain the agency is a good shepherd of the federal funds, the administrator of the U.S. Department of Commerce agency said here Tuesday.&nbsp;Alan Davidson, the assistant secretary of Commerce responsible for the agency that is spending the lion’s share of federal broadband money, said that NTIA will consider affordability to be an important consideration in making awards.&nbsp;In a discussion with Broadband Breakfast editor and publisher Drew Clark, the pair reviewed the NTIA’s guidelines governing three new broadband grant programs that will see more than $45 billion in federal funding dispersed over the next few years.&nbsp;Three <a href="https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/sites/default/files/2022-05/BEAD%20NOFO.pdf">Notices of Funding Opportunity</a> were released on May 13, 2022. The largest one is for the <a href="https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/resources/grant-programs/broadband-equity-access-and-deployment-bead-program">Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment program</a>, a $42.5-billion-dollar program aimed at expanding last-mile, high-speed Internet access across the United States.&nbsp;Davidson referred to the released NOFO as the “starting gun” signaling for states to begin the sprint toward making funding and infrastructure deployment plans to connect local unserved and underserved communities to futureproof Internet connections.&nbsp;Less than a week since the release of the notices, 25 states and territories have already submitted Letters of Intent to participate in the program, with 35 states and territories stating they intend to submit an initial proposal to access a share of the federal funding by the July 18, 2022, deadline.&nbsp;<h4>Process for states to apply</h4>&nbsp;The NOFO requires that grant recipients offer both low-cost service options and middle-class affordability plans over the resulting infrastructure. The NOFO offers states examples of different affordability plans to model, while also giving states the flexibility to define what can be deemed “affordable” within their borders.&nbsp;Further, BEAD requires robust stakeholder engagement, and gives preference to grant applicants pursuing public-private partnerships, as well as those which demonstrate they have coordinated with local and Tribal Governments, and community-based organizations, in the creation of their applications.&nbsp;In an effort to bolster economic development and the creation of new jobs within the United States, the NOFO includes a “Buy America” statute, which requires grant recipients purchase 55% of all network components being used from American manufacturers. During the keynote, Davidson reiterated that the NTIA will prioritize the deployment of fiber infrastructure over other technologies, including cable, DSL, and satellite.&nbsp;Davidson explained that increased state and federal oversight should be expected to ensure federal broadband funds go to the localities where they are most needed. Oversight requirements are largely spelled out in the statute, but grant recipients can expect more post-award reporting requirements than have been necessitated by previous federal programs.&nbsp;Davidson’s presentation raised some questions surrounding well-known industry supply chain issues, the shortage of fiber technicians nationally, and the issue of BEAD grant dollars being considered taxable income. Davidson replied to the raised concerns stating that the NTIA is eager to hear about stakeholder’s pain points, and that he predicts there will be an ongoing process of working with states on these issues.&nbsp;A <a href="https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2022/05/broadband-notice-of-funding-availability-seeks-to-balance-requirements-with-flexibility/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">version of this article was also published</a> on Broadband Breakfast.

NTIA's Alan Davidson says NOFO requires that grant recipients offer both low-cost service options and middle-class affordability plans.

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Broadband NOFO Seeks to Balance Requirements with Flexibility, Says NTIA Chief

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The National Telecommunications and Information Administration <a href="https://www.internetforall.gov/webinars" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">webinar</a> on May 19, 2022, focused on the application process for <a href="https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2022/05/ntia-says-primary-awards-for-middle-mile-grants-to-fall-between-5-million-and-100-million/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program</a>, which makes available $1 billion for constructing, improving, or acquiring middle-mile infrastructure.&nbsp;Sarah Bleau, broadband program specialist at NTIA, said that eligible entities include government offices, utility companies, and non-profits that provide internet services to Americans.&nbsp;To be selected, programs must undergo a “merit review” to determine project purpose, benefits, and sustainability. The review designates point values to various features and scores a project out of 100 possible points.&nbsp;Due to the competitive nature of the grant, “the quality of the application is the most important” thing to consider, Bleau&nbsp;said. Understanding the Notice of Funding Opportunity is central.&nbsp;&nbsp;She also highlighted the importance of coordination with state offices in understanding the individual needs of the community.&nbsp;Bleu highlighted the importance of demonstrating how an individual project will align with the program’s goal to bring affordable, high-speed internet to all Americans. “It is beneficial for applicants to demonstrate the likelihood of reducing end-user prices by funding middle mile infrastructure.”

NTIA officials highlighted the importance of demonstrating how an individual project will align with the program’s goal to bring affordable, high-speed internet to all Americans.

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NTIA Webinar on Middle Mile Grants Highlights Broadband Affordability

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Broadband Money is highlighting key concepts outlined in the National Telecommunication and Information Administration's <a href="https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/sites/default/files/2022-05/BEAD%20NOFO.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Notice of Funding Opportunity</a> released on May 13, 2022.One of the key ways that the Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act differs from prior broadband funding programs is the way the NTIA has designed the challenge process to ensure that local communities' perspectives are taken into account.These processes happen when broadband providers challenge grant applicants' plans and submissions based upon coverage information or their own plans.The NTIA said in its NOFO:<blockquote>Each <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/eligible-entity" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Eligible Entity</a> shall develop and describe in the Initial Proposal, a transparent, evidence- based, fair, and expeditious challenge process under which a unit of local government, nonprofit organization, or broadband service provider can challenge a determination made by the Eligible Entity in the Initial Proposal as to whether a particular location or community anchor institution within the jurisdiction of the Eligible Entity is eligible for grant funds.</blockquote>This means that local communities can challenge states, tribal and U.S. territory-level determinations of which areas are served, <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/underserved-location" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">underserved</a> and <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/unserved-location" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">unserved</a> as defined by the IIJA. This gives them an unprecedented chance to weigh in where telecom incumbents have traditionally wielded outsize influence.To do this, local challengers need access to mapping information. Traditionally, the data provided by the Federal Communications Commission has been based upon unverified incumbent data. New <a href="https://broadband.money/blog/way-cleared-for-fcc-s-quest-for-a-better-national-broadband-map" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">maps </a>that the NTIA will use to determine funding formulas are due from the FCC from subcontractor CostQuest this Fall.Broadband Money's mapping system incorporates data from several sources of on-the-ground truth. This data includes internet connectivity speed tests from multiple providers that include <a href="https://speed.measurementlab.net/#/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MLab</a> and <a href="https://speed.measurementlab.net/#/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ookla</a>, which serve as a points of verification. It also includes and compares that data to the <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/general/broadband-deployment-data-fcc-form-477" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">FCC's 477 form data</a>.The BEAD NOFO's challenge process is structured to take place immediately following the filing of the initial proposal and before the subgrantee selection process begins.A funding state or territory can face multiple challenges regarding the classification of various areas and institutions and must resolve each challenge independently.Once a state, tribal area or territory resolves all its challenges, it must provide a public notice of the final classification of each area or institution, officially establishing whether they are served, underserved, or unserved. This step must take place at least 60 days prior to the dispersal of funding.State or territories must inform the NTIA of any changes it makes to its initial proposal based on the challenges it receives, but the NTIA also reserves the right to reverse any determinations that the state or territories make.This is the second of a series of brief blog posts that examine key concepts in the NTIA's BEAD NOFO.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The challenge process allows a broadband service provider can contest an applicant’s initial proposal for broadband service.

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How the NTIA’s challenge process works in the Notice of Funding Opportunity

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The National Telecommunications and Information Administration held a <a href="https://www.internetforall.gov/webinars" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">webinar</a> on May 17 focused on the <a href="https://broadband.money/blog/Here-are-the-nine-steps-to-landing-a-grant-from-the-NTIAs-BEAD-NOFO" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Notice of Funding Opportunity</a>.&nbsp;The webinar highlighted three important items to keep in mind as states begin to receive money for broadband planning. The first, according to Evan Feinman, deputy associate administrator for BEAD, was for states to consider your office’s capacity.&nbsp;Each state will receive a minimum of $100 million. Very few states have the human resources required to adequately run a program of this magnitude, he said.The second is to build up research and data collections of broadband coverage at a state level. The Federal Communications Commission will soon release a new mapping system. It will be necessary, said Feinman, to “engage meaningfully” with these maps using state’s own research and data. Furthermore, <a href="https://broadband.money/blog/how-the-ntias-challenge-process-works-in-the-notice-of-funding-opportunity" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">states should have the necessary data to engage with internet service providers and the NTIA</a> as they determine who is served and <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/unserved-location" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">unserved</a>.Third, states should develop a clear-cut plan for outreach and communication support with stakeholders. Stakeholders include telecom providers, tribal governments, local governments, and community organizations.The planning step is a great point for stakeholders to become involved in the process, said Feinman. “There is an expectation that lives throughout this program that folks are going to engage really thoroughly and in an outgoing way with their stakeholders.” A <a href="https://broadbandbreakfast.com/2022/05/state-broadband-offices-need-to-increase-their-capacity-improve-data-and-communicate-well/">version of this piece</a> was also published on Broadband Breakfast.

Capacity, data and outreach are key to landing federal BEAD grants. 

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3 things state broadband offices need to do to prepare for NTIA's BEAD grant program

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Broadband Money is going to highlight key concepts outlined in the National Telecommunication and Information Administration's Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Notice of Funding Opportunity released last Friday. The NTIA placed significant emphasis on ensuring that states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories engage in local coordination when putting together their grant applications for the infrastructure funding.The NOFO outlines five components of local coordination: Geographic coverage; diverse stakeholder groups; awareness, outreach, and participation mechanisms; transparency; and underrepresented engagement.Local coordination at the geographic level entails ensuring that all political subdivisions and applicable Tribal governments are engaged by the the states, DC, and U.S. territories, which the NTIA calls "eligible entities." Each subdivision and tribe must be given on opportunity to comment and make their perspectives known on the various plans and proposals suggested by the entity.Furthermore, cross-sectional input from a diverse collection of stakeholder perspectives is also required; the NTIA listed more than a dozen categories of stakeholders, including but not limited to the following groups:<ul style="list-style-type:disc;"><li>State/territorial agencies</li><li>Tribal governments</li><li>Community anchor institutions</li><li>Civil rights organizations</li><li>Labor organizations and unions</li><li>Nonprofits and community-based organizations</li><li>Local educational agencies</li><li>Workforce development groups</li><li>Organizations that represent people with disabilities, LGBTQI+ people, people over the age of 60, immigrants, veterans, incarcerated individuals, etc.</li><li>Economic development organizations</li><li>Public utility commissions</li><li>Faith-based organizations</li><li>Neighborhood associations</li></ul>The NTIA also required efforts be made to promote awareness, outreach, and participation. To do this, they stated that eligible entities engage with all the aforementioned groups to implement both in-person and virtual listening sessions and public meetings, create eligibility websites, craft informational materials, engage people through social media, utilize both email and traditional mail to contact stakeholders, etc.&nbsp;The NOFO also outlines best practices for transparency, including easily navigable and up-to-date websites, periodic reporting to stakeholders, and publicly posting and promoting their plans and opportunities for comment.&nbsp;The final area the NTIA referenced under local coordination was underrepresented engagement, which included targeted efforts to seek out engagement from “communities that have historically faced barriers in participating in federal programs.” The NTIA listen the following examples of how entities may be able to engage with such communities:&nbsp;<ul style="list-style-type:disc;"><li>The creation of task force to represent unrepresented communities</li><li>Frequent engagement with associations and government departments with greater reach and trust or more regular contact with these communities</li><li>Surveys, data collection, and mapping efforts to better understand connectivity in these communities</li></ul>This opportunity differs from the federal government's previous efforts to encourage the rollout of universal broadband because it actively requires state level governments to constantly engage with local and marginalized communities instead of letting incumbent telecom operators plan those networks without that local input. &nbsp;This is the first of a series of brief blog posts that examine key concepts in the NTIA's BEAD NOFO.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The National Telecommunication and Information Administration placed significant emphasis on ensuring that eligible entities engage in local coordination as part of their Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program notice of funding opportunity that was released on Friday.

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Strong emphasis on local coordination in Notice of Funding Opportunity 

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The Biden administration kicked off its <a href="https://www.internetforall.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Internet for All </a>Initiative on Friday when the Commerce Department unveiled the rules by which it plans to disburse more than $45 billion in federal broadband funding, which is a result of the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, otherwise known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.&nbsp;The money comes in the forms of the $42.5 billion Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program; $1 billion for the Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program; and $1.5 billion for the State Digital Equity Act program.&nbsp;“The resources in President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will allow us to bring broadband infrastructure to every corner of the country, make service affordable for everyone, and ensure users have the devices and digital skills they need, said Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves in a press statement. ”But in order to succeed, we need a whole of government and whole of nation approach – everyone who has a stake in our connected future should get involved now."&nbsp;Here are the nine steps to funding outlined in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's BEAD Notice of Funding Opportunity:<h2>1. Letter of intent</h2>States, Washington, D.C., and U.S. territories need to tell the NTIA that they intend to apply for the grant funding with a formal letter of intent by July 18th.&nbsp;<h2>2. Request for initial planning funds</h2>States and territories can include a request for planning funds along with their initial letters of intent. But if they decide not to, they then have up until August 15th to request up to $5 million for planning purposes. (American Samoa, Guam, the Mariana Island, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands can request up to $1.25 million each.) The NTIA's BEADS NOFO outlines the various tasks that state officials might want to use these funds for. In particular, the BEAD NOFO emphasizes that it is planning to offer substantial “free” help to state officials with planning.&nbsp;<h2>3. Fund recipients then must submit a five-year-plan broadband plan</h2>State &nbsp;entities then must submit five-year “action plans” within 270 days of receiving this initial pot of planning money. The NTIA's NOFO provides detailed guidance on what should be in these plans. But it emphasizes that these plans must be informed by collaboration with&nbsp;<blockquote>“local, regional, and Tribal (as applicable) entities, as well as unions and worker organizations, b. detail the eligible entity's investment priorities and associated costs, and c. align the state or territory's planned spending with its economic development, community benefit, workforce, telehealth, digital equity, and other efforts.”&nbsp;</blockquote><h2>4. Notice of available amounts&nbsp;</h2>The NTIA plans to notify the states and territories of the size of the grants they're eligible for beyond the initial $100 million based upon the Broadband DATA maps to be unveiled by the Federal Communications Commission sometime in the fall of 2022. The NTIA will then invite the states and territories to send them initial and final grant proposals. The states have 180 days to submit these proposals. They also have to show the NTIA that the states solicited input from the public and incorporate it.&nbsp;<h2>5. The challenge process</h2>Local governments, non-profits, or broadband providers can challenge state proposals “as to whether a particular location or community anchor institution within the jurisdiction of the Eligible Entity is eligible for grant funds, including whether a particular location is unserved or underserved.” The "eligible entity, i.e. the state or territory, has to submit those successful challenges to the NTIA for approval and review.&nbsp;<h2>6.Initial funding availability</h2>The NTIA's NOFO says that it will review initial proposals as quickly as possible and will make 20 percent of the total funds a state or territory is eligible for available.<h2>7. Sub-grantee selection</h2>Once the NTIA approves a state or territory's initial proposal, they can embark on the process of scoping out and coordinating broadband planning activities with local communities. They have one year to do this before submitting a final grant proposal back to the NTIA. &nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>8. Final proposal and release of remaining funds</h2>States and territories should submit their final proposals after locking in their agreements with local communities and broadband providers and explaining to the NTIA how it fulfilled its plans described in their initial proposals. The NTIA will then release the rest of the funding to to the state or territory. The state or territory again, must put its final proposal out for public comment before sending it back to the NTIA<h2>9. Ongoing reporting requirements</h2>The IIJA places extensive reporting requirements on sub-grantees and the NTIA will be monitoring the progress of the recipients of the federal money.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Here are the nine steps that states and territories must take to land federal funding to bring broadband to everyone. 

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Here are the nine steps to landing a grant from the NTIA's BEAD NOFO

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Don’t get NOFO FOMO. Join the <a href="https://www.discuss.broadband.money" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">broadband grants community</a> to stay informed. And you can get a head start on your competition: <a href="https://www.broadband.money" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pre-enroll</a> in broadband.money’s <a href="https://www.broadband.money" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">grant applicant R&amp;D portal</a> today.&nbsp;Soon, the Biden administration is expected to formally ask states and territories to explain how they will organize their grant-issuing process for federal broadband funding.The milestone has been highly anticipated as the kickoff for the process of dispensing more than $46 billion in broadband, middle mile and digital equity grants.The National Telecommunications and Information Administration of the U.S. Commerce Department is expected to publish its Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Congress authorized the funding through the broadband section of the Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act last November.The specific tranche of funding initiated by the NOFO is from the law’s Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, the core infrastructure program. Additional tranches of funding under the Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program and the Digital Equity Planning Grant programs are expected to be shortly forthcoming.<h2>Step One: Issuing the NOFO&nbsp;</h2>Friday’s NOFO issuance will mark the first of three phases of funding. States, territories, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico can access the initial $5 million for planning purposes. This includes staffing up broadband offices, funding outreach and local coordination efforts with all local stakeholders.In IIJA, Congress clearly empowered local communities to make their own decisions about how to fund programs that will help people get online.&nbsp;To that end, the IIJA directed NTIA to ensure that state administrators coordinate with local governments and anchor institutions to scope out their needs. When state broadband offices or other entities respond to the NTIA’s BEAD NOFO they will have to demonstrate that they’ve coordinated with local entities.Additionally, the NTIA’s January request for comments mentions local coordination efforts several times.The agency asked the public for feedback on many aspects of local coordination.“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law also requires states and territories to coordinate with local governments and other political subdivisions in developing State Digital Equity Plans.“What steps should states take to fulfill this mandate? How should NTIA assess whether a state has engaged in adequate coordination with its political subdivisions?” the agency asked in its January notice.The agency also asked how it could achieve the IIJA’s goal of including a more diverse mix of internet service providers in the grant recipient mix.Obtaining a diverse mix of service providers will be a highly anticipated theme insofar as<a href="https://muninetworks.org/content/seventeen-states-preempt-municipal-broadband"> 17 states still preempt</a> local governments from providing internet services. One big question: How the Biden administration will treat grant funding to these 17 states.In its request for comments, the NTIA asked: “NTIA views the participation of a variety of provider types as important to achieving the overall goals of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law broadband programs. How can NTIA ensure that all potential subrecipients, including small and medium providers, cooperatives, non-profits, municipalities, electric utilities, and larger for-profit companies alike have meaningful and robust opportunities to partner and compete for funding under the programs?”<h2>Step two: Submitting letters of intent</h2>The second step in the process is for states to submit letters of intent to land this initial $5 million in funding for their planning efforts.<h2>Step three: Submitting a broadband plan to NTIA</h2>The third step in the process is for NTIA to review these plans. Once approved, the states and territories can access 20 percent of their allocation from their <a href="https://broadband.money/resources" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">BEAD grant</a> allocation.&nbsp;The agency noted that "state plans must be informed by collaboration with local and regional entities and will lay out how each respective state and territory will use the BEAD funding and other funds to bring reliable, affordable, high-speed broadband to all residents.”The agency also emphasized establishing strong partnerships between state, local, and tribal governments.The NTIA wrote: “Community engagement is critical to eliminating barriers to broadband access and adoption. NTIA views strong involvement between states and local communities as key to ensuring that the broadband needs of all unserved and underserved locations are accounted for in state plans submitted for funding.“What requirements should NTIA establish for states/territories to ensure that local perspectives are critical factors in the design of state plans?”The agency also asked the public how it could best ensure that “states/territories consult with Tribal governments about how best to meet Tribal members’ needs when providing funding for broadband service to unserved and underserved locations on Tribal lands within state boundaries?”Stay tuned for more on the NTIA’s BEAD, Middle Mile and Digital Equity NOFOs, the first two of which are expected to be published soon.

The Infrastructure, Investments and Jobs Act's BEAD notice of funding opportunity is likely to focus on states' efforts to solicit local communities' input.

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Local coordination could be a strong theme in NTIA's BEAD NOFO

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Here's what some key players told the Biden administration to do with the $42.5 billion in broadband funding

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Weighing in on the NTIA’s BEAD NOFO

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The Biden administration is expected to issue a notice soon that lays out the parameters of the $42.5 billion in broadband funding allocated by the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act. <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/nofo" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)</a> will invite states to submit letters of intent to apply for up to $5 million in planning grants.Here are four themes that are expected to be addressed in the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s NOFO:<h2><a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/local-coordination" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">1. Local Coordination</a></h2>Learning from prior broadband grant programs, the NTIA could be arming communities with tools to fight back against incumbent shenanigans. Look for <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/local-coordination" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Local Coordination</a> to be key among these tools.The NTIA stressed the importance of local coordination in its <a href="https://www.ntia.gov/files/ntia/publications/fr-iija-broadband-rfc.pdf">Request for Comments</a> back in January.The NTIA wrote: “Community engagement is critical to eliminating barriers to broadband access and adoption. NTIA views strong involvement between states and local communities as key to ensuring that the broadband needs of all unserved and underserved locations are accounted for in state plans submitted for funding.“What requirements should NTIA establish for states/territories to ensure that local perspectives are critical factors in the design of state plans?”The question spurred <a href="https://www.regulations.gov/docket/NTIA-2021-0002/comments">hundreds</a> of comments.<h2><a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/challenge" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">2. Challenge Processes</a></h2>NTIA could also beef up the <a href="https://broadband.money/broadband-grant-terms/challenge" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">challenge process</a>, again, learning from historic incumbent monopoly reactions, to include tools for communities as well as states to challenge allocations.The IIJA states that the NTIA should allow states to challenge the amounts of money it decides to allot them based on forthcoming broadband coverage maps issued by the Federal Communications Commission. ( The maps are known as “Fabric," and are estimated to arrive in Fall of this year.) It also states that the FCC should resolve the disputes within 90 days of the final response of the challenged party.This will also be a hot issue that state and local governments will be scanning the NOFO for since many states have constructed their own broadband coverage maps in anticipation of federal broadband funding.&nbsp;<h2>3. Affordability</h2>“Affordability is a key objective of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s broadband programs,” the NTIA said in its RFC. “What factors should be considered in the deployment of BEAD funds to help drive affordability beyond the low-cost option?This has been something that is being widely discussed in the broadband community. It’s a complex issue that ties in with several existing programs, and it is something that was highlighted earlier this week when the administration announced that 20 ISPs had agreed to provide what is essentially “free” service to Affordable Connectivity Program recipients.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>4. BEAD Timelines</h2>For a BEAD timeline, read this <a href="https://broadband.money/blog/applying-for-iija-grants-a-timeline-of-key-milestones-and-grant-application-deadlines">BEAD timeline article</a>Stay tuned for more on the NTIA’s BEAD, Middle Mile and Digital Equity NOFOs, the first two of which are expected to be published on Friday afternoon.Don’t get NOFO FOMO! Join the <a href="https://discuss.broadband.money/home" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">broadband grants community</a> to stay informed. And you can get a head start on your competition: <a href="https://broadband.money/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pre-enroll</a> in broadband.money’s <a href="https://broadband.money/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">grant applicant R&amp;D portal</a> today.

Four key themes you should look for in NTIA’s $42.5 Billion BEAD NOFO.

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