Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program

RFP Summary provided by the agency

The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program makes grants available to eligible entities, which include a Tribal Government, a Tribal College or University, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands on behalf of the Native Hawaiian Community, including Native Hawaiian Education Programs, a Tribal organization, or an Alaskan Native Corporation, for the deployment and adoption of broadband service on Tribal Land and for programs that promote the use of broadband to access remote learning, telework, or telehealth resources during the COVID–19 pandemic.

Grant funds available under this program may be used for the following purposes:

• Broadband infrastructure deployment projects, including support for the establishment of carrier-neutral submarine cable landing stations; and
• Projects that promote the adoption and use of broadband services, including:
  1. affordable broadband programs, such as providing free or reduced-cost broadband service and preventing disconnection of existing broadband service;
  2. distance learning
  3. telehealth
  4. digital inclusion efforts; and
  5. broadband adoption activities.

What is the mission and focus of the program: research, social, economic or others?

Infrastructure

How do you submit to this opportunity?

Apply through grants.gov

Who are the target applicants: cities, universities, companies, small business, nonprofits, or others?

• a Tribal Government
• a Tribal College or University
• the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands on behalf of the Native Hawaiian Community, including Native Hawaiian Education Programs
• a Tribal organization; or
• an Alaska Native Corporation.

There are several instances where applicants will need to obtain a Tribal Government Resolution. Each “eligible entity” must coordinate internally (which includes all departments, subsidiaries, etc.) in submitting its single application. In an instance where one “eligible entity” is a subsidiary of another (e.g., a Tribal Government and a subsidiary Tribal College or University), this shall not affect the subsidiary’s eligibility to submit its own application, so long as it includes the requisite Tribal Government Resolution.