What is the Community Connect Program?
The Community Connect Program is designed to provide financial assistance to provide service at the Broadband Grant Speed (100/20) in rural, economically- challenged communities, where broadband service (25/3) does not currently exist.
Funds can be used to deploy service and to build and/or equip community centers to provide access to service for 2 years.
What is the timeline?
Applications opened 3/20 and close 6/20. Awards are anticipated in September 2023
What are the funding limits?
Broadband Project Range: $100k - $5M - This is a reimbursement program.
Project Cost Matching - 7 CFR 1739.14 - Required 15% match, must be cash.
Requirement of audited (or unaudited) financial statements from the prior 2 years.
Applications require a 5-year forecast of annual financial projections (including existing operations)
Who are the eligible applicants?
7 CFR 1739.10 - Incorporated organizations, tribes, states, local governments, legal entities
What are the eligible projects?
Evaluation criteria 7 CFR 1739.16.
Grants are awarded on a competitive basis based on scoring.
Eligible PFSAs must have less than 25/3 service.
Required deployed Grant speeds of 100/20.
Up to 10% of the grant funds can go to the required community center of 2-10 computers.
A few more key details:
Annual Project Performance Reports through project completion, then Final Report.
Annual Performance reports for 3 years.
Must provide an annual audit consistent with program guidelines.
Next Steps:
Applications must be submitted through the SAM portal, which will require a UEI.
Additional resources and references:
Community Connect Grant Website
Federal Registration Announcement
Feel free to reach out to ECC today - as your broadband consultant we’re happy to walk you through this process!