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Rural eConnectivity Program (ReConnect Program) (Part C): 100 Percent Grant - FY 2024

Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture
CFDA: 10.752
Federal FON: RUS-REC-2024-1
Office: Rural Development (RD) Rural Utilities Service (RUS)
Multipart Grant: Yes
Next Due: 05/21/2024 (Application)
Solicitation Date: 02/21/2024
   
Match Required: Yes
Match Type: Cash
Actual Funds: Unspecified
Range: $150,000,000 (Max)
Award Range: $100,000 (Min) / $25,000,000 (Max)
Summary:

The purpose of this program is to provide loans, grants, and loan/grant combinations for the costs of construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to facilitate broadband development in rural areas. In facilitating the expansion of broadband services and infrastructure, this program will fuel long-term rural economic development and opportunities in rural America.

The funding agency encourages applicants to consider projects that will advance the following key priorities:

  • Assisting rural communities recover economically through more and better market opportunities and through improved infrastructure
  • Ensuring all rural residents have equitable access to rural development (RD) programs and benefits from RD-funded projects
  • Reducing climate pollution and increasing resilience to the impacts of climate change through economic support to rural communities

Funding will be provided for the following program components:

  • (Part A): 100 Percent Loan
  • (Part B): 50 Percent Loan/50 Percent Grant Combination
  • (Part C): 100 Percent Grant
  • (Part D): 100 Percent Grant for Alaska Native Corporations, Tribal Governments, Colonias, Persistent Poverty Areas and Socially Vulnerable Communities
  • (Part E): Projects Serving Areas Where 90 Percent of Households Lack Sufficient Access to Broadband

The purpose of the 100 Percent Grant component is to provide awards consisting of 100 percent grant funds. For a proposed funded service area (PFSA) to be eligible for funding under this component, at least 90 percent of the households in the PFSA must lack sufficient access to broadband.

Funds may be used to pay for the following costs:

  • Construction or improvement of facilities required to provide fixed terrestrial broadband services
  • Reasonable pre-application expenses

Facilities proposed to be constructed with award funds must be capable of delivering 100 Mbps symmetrical service to every premise in the PFSA.

Optional webinars and workshops are scheduled for this program. Refer to the Application section for details.

Program Office Notes:

The program officer confirmed the application deadline.

Last Updated: March 28, 2024

Eligibility Notes:

Eligible applicants are nonprofit or for-profit organizations that take one of the following forms:

  • Corporations
  • Limited liability companies and limited liability partnerships
  • Cooperative or mutual organizations
  • States or local governments, including any agency, subdivision, instrumentality, or political subdivision thereof
  • Territories or possessions of the United States
  • Indian tribes, as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Assistance Act

For a proposed funded service area (PFSA) to be eligible for funding, at least 90 percent of the households in the PFSA must lack sufficient access to broadband. Areas with current broadband service from only satellite or unlicensed wireless facilities, or which have an enforceable commitment associated with only satellite or unlicensed wireless facilities, are eligible for funding. In general, areas that have an enforceable commitment at the time of this program's solicitation are ineligible for funding. Refer to page 3 of the NOFA file for additional information regarding eligible service areas.

If service is being proposed over or on tribal lands, a certification from the appropriate tribal official is required.

Applicants may submit only one application.

Co-applicants are not eligible entities. If two entities are seeking to partner with each other in delivering broadband to areas without sufficient access, then one entity must take the lead on submitting the application.

Previous award recipients include:

  • Penasco Valley Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (NM)
  • Valliant Telephone Company, Inc. (OK)
  • Atlantic Telephone Membership Corporation (NC)
  • Totelcom Communications LLC (TX)
  • Delta-Montrose Electric Association (CO)

Refer to the Award file for additional information regarding previous award recipients.

Eligible Applicants:
Local Government
Native American Tribe
Non Profits
Private Sector
State Government
Application Notes:

Applications will be accepted beginning on March 22, 2024, and must be received by 11:59 a.m. ET on May 21, 2024.

The program officer confirmed the application deadline.

Applications must be submitted via the link that will be made available online at www.usda.gov/reconnect upon the opening of the application submission window.

The contents of the application will become available upon initiation of the online application process.

The following are required in order to submit an application:

  • Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number
  • SAM (System for Award Management) registration
  • SPOC (state Single Point of Contact) notification

Applicants may obtain a UEI number and verify or renew SAM registration status at www.ecivis.com/sam. Applicants in states participating in the SPOC program must contact the relevant SPOC listed in the SPOC file before applying.

An optional three-day in-person workshop will be held for this program as follows:

February 27, 2024
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Reno, NV
Registration: forms.office.com

February 28, 2024
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Reno, NV
Registration: forms.office.com

February 29, 2024
8:30 a.m. - noon
Reno, NV
Registration: forms.office.com

In addition, optional webinars will be held for this program as follows:

Preparing to Apply - ReConnect Round 5:
January 24, 2024
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET
Registration: www.zoomgov.com

Preparing to Apply - ReConnect Round 5:
February 7, 2024
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET
Registration: www.zoomgov.com

ReConnect NOFO 5 Overview:
March 6, 2024
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET

ReConnect NOFO 5 Overview for Tribal Applicants:
March 13, 2024
3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET
Registration: www.zoomgov.com

NOFO Ask Me Anything (AMA)
March 20, 2024
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET
Registration: www.zoomgov.com

NOFO AMA for Tribal Applicants:
April 3, 2024
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET
Registration: www.zoomgov.com

Financial:
April 4, 2024
2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. ET
Registration: www.zoomgov.com

Environmental:
April 11, 2024
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET

Network:
April 18, 2024
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET

Mapping:
April 25, 2024
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET

AMA:
May 1, 2024
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET

AMA:
May 15, 2024
1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET

Registration information for upcoming webinars will be available online at www.usda.gov/reconnect/events.

Applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

  • Rurality of PFSA (25 points)
  • Economic need of the community (20 points)
  • Affordability (20 points)
  • Labor standards (20 points)
  • Tribal lands (15 points)
  • Local governments, nonprofit organizations, and cooperatives (15 points)
  • Socially vulnerable communities (15 points)
  • Net neutrality (10 points)
  • Most unserved locations per square mile (10 points)

Refer to the NOFA file for additional application information.

Match Required: Yes
Match Type: Cash
Actual Funds: Unspecified
Range: $150,000,000 (Max)
Award Range: $100,000 (Min) / $25,000,000 (Max)
Match Notes:

Applicants must provide at least 25 percent of the cost of the overall project via cash contributions.

Applicants must provide evidence of all funding, other than the award amount, necessary to support the project, such as bank account statements, firm letters of commitment from equity participants, or outside loans, which must evidence the timely availability of funds. If outside loans are used, they may only be secured by assets other than those used for collateral under this program.

Funding Notes:

An unspecified amount of funding is available for this program overall, with up to $150 million available through this component to support grants ranging from $100,000 to $25 million.

Funds will be provided on a reimbursement basis. The advance of funds will be prorated against the amount of matching funds that are required and the amount of grant funds approved.

Projects must be completely built out within five years from the date funds are first made available.

Facilities funded with grant funds must provide the broadband service proposed in the application for the composite economic life of the facilities, as approved by the funding agency or as provided in the award documents.

Pre-application expenses may not exceed 5 percent of the requested funds. Costs associated with satisfying the environmental review requirements may not exceed 3 percent of the requested funds, and will be included as part of the overall 5 percent that is allowable for pre-application expenses.

Up to 3 percent of the requested amount may be used to fund post-award monitoring expenses that are required to mitigate any environmental requirements as long as they are capitalized as part of the project.

Funds may not be used for:

  • Operating expenses for the award recipient
  • Costs incurred prior to the date on which the application is submitted, other than eligible pre-application expenses
  • An acquisition of an affiliate, or the purchase or acquisition of any facilities or equipment of an affiliate
  • The acquisition of a system previously funded by the funding agency
  • The purchase or lease of any vehicles other than those used primarily in construction or system improvements
  • Broadband facilities leased under the terms of an operating lease or an indefeasible right of use (IRU) agreement
  • The merger or consolidation of entities
  • Costs incurred in acquiring spectrum as part of a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) auction or in a secondary market acquisition
  • Facilities that provide mobile services
  • Facilities that provide satellite services, including satellite backbone services
  • The acquisition of a system that is providing sufficient access to broadband
  • Refinancing outstanding debt

In August 2023, a total of nearly $700 million was distributed via 38 awards through this program overall. In June 2023, a total of $714 million was distributed via 33 awards through this program overall. In April 2023, one award of $13,850,542 was distributed through this component. Refer to the Award file for details.

Contacts:

Laurel Leverrier
Assistant Administrator
(202) 720-9554
laurel.leverrier@usda.gov

Agency Address
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, D.C. 20250

Contact Notes:

General questions regarding this program should be directed to Laurel Leverrier. Questions regarding eligibility concerns should be submitted online at www.usda.gov/reconnect/contact-us.

Applications must be submitted via the link that will be made available online at www.usda.gov/reconnect upon the opening of the application submission window.

The agency address provided is for reference purposes only.

Files:
Award File: US16816C_Award_FY2024.pdf (2.3 Mb)
NOFA File: US16816C_NOFA_FY2024.pdf (254.8 Kb)
Other Pre-Award File: US16816C_ProgramRules_FY2024.pdf (186.2 Kb)
Other Pre-Award File: US16816C_Overview_FY2024.pdf (21.9 Kb)
Other Pre-Award File: US16816C_Workshop_FY2024.pdf (106.4 Kb)
Other Pre-Award File: US16816C_Webinar_FY2024.pdf (244.5 Kb)
Other Pre-Award File: US16816C_Webinar2_FY2024.pdf (53.7 Kb)
Other Pre-Award File: US16816C_Webinar3_FY2024.pdf (99.9 Kb)
Federal Forms:
SPOC (195.6 Kb)
File Notes:

The NOFA file contains the full solicitation for this program. The ProgramRules file contains the rules and regulations for this program. The Overview file contains general program information, including information on eligible applicants and funding purposes. The Workshop file contains information regarding an optional three-day workshop scheduled for this program. The Webinar file contains information regarding optional webinars scheduled for this program. The Webinar2 file contains updated information regarding optional webinars scheduled for this program as of March 14, 2024. The Webinar3 file contains updated information regarding optional webinars scheduled for this program as of March 28, 2024. The Award file contains information regarding previous awards through this program overall. The SPOC file contains information on the state Single Point of Contact program. Additional program resources can be found online at www.usda.gov/reconnect/forms-and-resources.

March 28, 2024
Updated information regarding webinars scheduled for this program, including information concerning the changing of the time frame for the April 4, 2024, webinar, has been released and attached as the Webinar3 file. The Application section has been updated accordingly.

March 14, 2024
Updated information regarding webinars scheduled for this program has been released and attached as the Webinar2 file. The Application section has been updated accordingly.

February 21, 2024
Full solicitation information for this program has been released and attached as the NOFA file. All sections have been updated accordingly.

February 6, 2024
Information regarding an additional webinar scheduled for this program has been released and attached as the Webinar file. The Application section has been updated accordingly.

Grant Keywords
USDA, RUS, Broadband Pilot Program, Rural eConnectivity Pilot Program, ReConnect Program, broadband, broadband deployment, broadband connection, connectivity, Consolidated Appropriations Act, rural issue, rural area, rural, rural America, community development, infrastructure, territory, territories, high speed internet, high speed broadband, proposed funded service area, PFSA, construct, constructing, construction, improve, improving, improvement, build, building, facility, facilities, equipment, Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act, CALEA, satellite broadband service, information technology, IT, telecommunication, advanced, cutting edge, pilot, cyberspace, internet, network, world wide web, economic development, economy, farm, farmer, farming, interactive media, networking, online, technological, technologies, web, access, accessibility, accessible, broadband infrastructure, engineering design, market survey, data transmission, coax, coaxial cable, coax cable, fiber optics, optical fiber, radio, twisted pair, internet access, computer network, telecomms, communication, communicate, infrastructure development, investment, rural connectivity, rural broadband, rural internet, rural infrastructure, high-speed internet, rural resident, rural service, rural utility, rural utilities, tribe, tribal
Grant Categories
Community Development
Economic Development
Information Technology/Telecommunications
Rural Issues