Funding Opportunities and Information
The Broadband Opportunity Hub was created to provide members with up-to-date information about federal broadband funding opportunities. More information, including important deadlines as well as ways to challenge the processes that have been established, is available below. NTCA and its members worked tirelessly to ensure much of this funding was included in the historic 2021 federal infrastructure bill. Specifically, the bill included the creation of the $42.5B Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program to offer grants to broadband providers. More information on the BEAD Program and other grant updates, are included in the Hub. As updates are received, they will be posted below.
BEAD State/Territory Tracker
NTCA and ACA Connects joined to establish the BEAD Program State-by-State Tracker, which provided weekly reports of action for each State/Territory. These State/Territory reports were an exclusive benefit for NTCA and ACA Connects members, included as part of your membership, and helped monitor important updates and deadlines prior to the submission of BEAD Initial Proposals to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).
As of December 27, 2023, all Eligible Entities had submitted their Initial Proposals to NTIA for approval. The final updates from states are available in the map above, and a current state-by-state tracker, monitoring the BEAD approval process, is available on this dashboard.
Broadband Infrastructure Playbook
The Broadband Infrastructure Playbook from NTCA and the Fiber Broadband Association, developed in cooperation with global telecom research firm Cartesian, is a comprehensive guide designed to assist state broadband offices in making efficient and effective use of federal funds made available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). An update to the playbook was released in February 2024 to reflect updates to the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program now that states and territories are beginning to receive approval of their initial proposals from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Issues covered include how to evaluate applications and establish the extremely high-cost threshold that will determine which broadband projects receive the priority mandated by the IIJA, how to streamline state and local permitting processes to ensure BEAD projects will meet the aggressive deployment timelines established by NTIA and how to promote effective and flexible cybersecurity and supply chain risk management planning.
NTCA-Corning Rural Broadband Supply Program
NTCA and Corning have collaborated to ensure rural broadband companies have access to the critical fiber broadband materials needed to bridge the digital divide and connect rural Americans to high-speed internet. Exclusively for NTCA members, Corning is offering a bundle of connectivity solutions and cable specially reserved for this program. After a successful first year of the NTCA-Corning Rural Broadband Supply Program, NTCA CEO Shirley Bloomfield announced the extension of the program at 2024 RTIME.
For purposes of clarification, NTCA has no contractual relationship with Corning or any of the distributors and is not a party to any of the agreements among Corning, distributors, or any NTCA members placing orders through this program. NTCA is not a beneficiary to the agreements that any member enters into with Corning or a distributor, and NTCA is not involved in and does not specifically endorse or recommend any specific solution, service, product, or party.
NTCA-Northwood Technical College Digital Badging
Northwood Technical College has committed to provide online courses that can be paired with apprentice-type training at NTCA member companies to help overcome workforce challenges that so many are facing. Participants will enjoy access to Broadband Academy training for Broadband Customer Service Specialist and Broadband Installer credentials.
More information is available on the Academy website or by contacting Dan Schullo at Northwood Technical College.
Member Resources
Understanding how to navigate rules around various funding programs.
A summary of recent Federal broadband funding programs created by Congress.
