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Digital Equity Act Programs: State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program (Part B): Native Entities - FY 2024

Agency: U.S. Department of Commerce
CFDA: 11.032
Federal FON: NTIA-SDECGP-2024
Office: National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth
Multipart Grant: Yes
Next Due: 02/07/2025 (Application)
Solicitation Date: 03/29/2024
   
Match Required: No
Actual Funds: Unspecified
Range: $45,300,000 (Max)
Summary:

The purpose of this program is to support the implementation of Digital Equity Plans adopted by states and U.S. territories, and to empower Indian tribes, Alaska Native entities, and Native Hawaiian organizations to address digital equity and inclusion consistent with the purposes of the Digital Equity Act. Digital Equity Plans identify the barriers to achieving digital equity faced by covered populations, and include measurable objectives to promote:

  • The availability and affordability of access to broadband technology
  • Online accessibility and inclusivity of public resources and services
  • Digital literacy
  • Awareness of online privacy and cybersecurity
  • The availability and affordability of consumer devices and technical support for those devices

Award recipients will better understand, measure, and address systemic barriers to digital equity and, in collaboration with the communities most impacted, co-create the conditions necessary for long-lasting and meaningful change to ensure a sustainable future.

This program is intended to promote meaningful adoption and use of broadband services across covered populations, including low-income households, aging populations, incarcerated individuals, veterans, individuals with disabilities, individuals with a language barrier, racial and ethnic minorities, and individuals who primarily reside in rural areas.

Funding will be provided for the following program components:

  • (Part A): States and Territories
  • (Part B): Native Entities

The purpose of the Native Entities component is to provide funding to Native entities to carry out digital equity and inclusion activities consistent with the Digital Equity Act. Proposed projects must include measurable objectives and evaluation criteria as part of their design and must likewise address barriers to digital equity and promote the availability and affordability of access to broadband technology; online accessibility; and inclusivity of public resources and services, digital literacy, awareness of online privacy and cybersecurity; and the availability and affordability of consumer devices and technical support for those devices.

Award recipients may undertake both planning and implementation projects to further digital equity. Funding for planning activities will be limited, and may support the development of the elements of a Digital Equity Plan for the native entity that identifies the barriers to digital equity faced by covered populations. Funding for implementation activities may be used for:

  • Supporting digital inclusion activities of the native entity
  • Making subawards to eligible entities that are located in award recipient's jurisdiction to assist in the implementation of the Digital Equity Plan and/or digital equity programs and activities; and for pursuing digital inclusion activities consistent with the Digital Equity Plan and/or digital equity programs and activities
  • Evaluating the efficacy of project efforts
  • The limiting of administrative costs
  • Other allowable activities, as detailed on pages 32-35 of the NOFA file

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

Last Updated: November 14, 2024

Eligibility Notes:

Eligible applicants are Indian tribes, Alaska Native entities, and Native Hawaiian organizations.

To demonstrate eligibility, applicants must obtain a tribal government resolution or equivalent formal authorization from the governing body of the Native entity providing express authority to submit an application.

Eligible Indian tribes, Alaska Native entities, and Native Hawaiian organizations are those that appear on one of the lists provided on page 45 of the NOFA file.

Native entities may appoint a nonprofit corporation authorized by the governing body of the native entity to administer projects on behalf of the eligible Native entity. Native entities must identify such organizations in their applications and discuss their roles and activities.

The funding agency encourages consortium applications from entities that coordinate and collaborate to conduct projects in the most cost-effective manner.

Award recipients that intend to make subawards to other entities must require that such entities certify that they meet the requirements outlined on pages 52-53 of the NOFA file.

Each applicant may be part of only one application, whether individually or as part of a consortium.

Applicants may request planning and capacity awards, but may not request only planning awards. 

Applicants that have never received funding through the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, known in eCivis Grants Network as US17206, may receive priority for funding, as detailed on pages 59-60 of the NOFA file.

Eligible Applicants:
Consortia
Native American Tribe
Application Notes:

Applications will be accepted beginning on September 25, 2024, and must be received by 11:59 p.m. ET on February 7, 2025.

Applications must be submitted online at grants.ntia.gov, or emailed, mailed, or delivered to the appropriate address provided in the Contact section.

Applications must include:

  • SF 424
  • CD 511
  • SF LLL (if applicable)
  • Negotiated indirect cost agreement (if applicable)
  • Documentation from the governing body demonstrating the authority to submit an application
  • List of each entity participation in a consortium and a memorandum of understanding with each participating entity (if applicable)
  • Project narrative, as detailed on page 48 of the NOFA file
  • Digital Equity Plan (if applicable)
  • Description of the specific capacity-building projects and activities to be supported by the award
  • Explanation for award requests below $500,000 or exceeding $2 million

Refer to pages 47-51 of the NOFA file for additional information regarding the content of applications.

The following are required in order to submit an application:

  • Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number
  • SAM (System for Award Management) registration

Applicants may obtain a UEI number and verify or renew SAM registration status at www.ecivis.com/sam.

Optional presolicitation technical assistance webinars are scheduled for this program as follows:

March 9, 2022
2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET

March 23, 2022
2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET

April 6, 2022
2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET

April 27, 2022
2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET

May 11, 2022
2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET

Webinar recordings are expected to be posted online at broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/ and www.youtube.com within seven days following the live session.

Optional application technical assistance webinars are scheduled as follows:

Application Technical Assistance Webinar:
June 2, 2022
3:00 p.m. ET
Register: ntia-gov.zoomgov.com/webinar/register

Tribal Engagement Webinar:
June 9, 2022
4:00 p.m. ET
Register: ntia-gov.zoomgov.com/webinar/register

Additional optional webinars are scheduled for this program as follows:

September 26, 2024
2:00 p.m. ET
Registration: ntia-gov.zoomgov.com

Standard Forms:
October 23, 2024
3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET
Registration: ntia-gov.zoomgov.com

Registration and Entity Type:
October 30, 2024
4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. ET
Registration: ntia-gov.zoomgov.com

Project Narrative:
November 13, 2024
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
Registration: ntia-gov.zoomgov.com

Consolidated Budget Form:
November 21, 2024
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET
Registration: ntia-gov.zoomgov.com

Additional Funding and Other Certifications:
December 11, 2024
3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET
Registration: ntia-gov.zoomgov.com

In addition, optional question-and-answer (Q&A) webinars will be held between December 4, 2024, and February 3, 2025. Refer to the Webinar6 file for additional information regarding the Q&A webinars that are scheduled for this component.

Applications will be evaluated using the following criteria:

  • Project need, purpose, and benefits (40 points)
  • Strength of applicant's organizational capability (25 points)
  • Strength of project implementation plan and budget (25 points)
  • Project results and evaluation (10 points)

During the application evaluation phase, applications will be prioritized in the order outlined on pages 59-60 of the NOFA file. Applications that score between 65 and 89 points will only be considered if funding remains available after the distribution of funding to higher-scoring applications. Applications that score 64 points or lower will not be considered eligible for funding.

Refer to the NOFA file for additional application information.

Match Required: No
Actual Funds: Unspecified
Range: $45,300,000 (Max)
Match Notes:

Matching funds are not required for this program. The funding agency will not provide additional consideration to applicants that provide nonfederal contributions.

Funding Notes:

An unspecified amount of funding is available through this program overall, with an estimated $45.3 million available to support capacity awards through this component, inclusive of $3.3 million to support digital equity planning activities. Generally, awards will be provided in the form of grants. However, the funding agency reserves the right to issue awards as cooperative agreements or contracts.

Awards for planning activities may not exceed 7.25 percent of the total award requested.

At least 5 percent of funds available through this program overall will be available to support awards through this component.

Awards through this component are expected to range from $500,000 to $2 million. Entities requesting funding outside of this range must provide a reasonable explanation for the variance in their project size.

Refer to pages 20-21 of the NOFA file for additional information regarding the total amount of funding available through this program overall.

The funding agency expects to begin making awards in summer 2025. Additional awards may be issued on a rolling basis.

Project periods will span five years form the date of awards.

The following cost limitations apply to this component:

  • No more than 20 percent of awards may be used to update or maintain Digital Equity Plans, as applicable
  • No more than 5 percent may be used to evaluate the efficacy of efforts funded by awards to subrecipients
  • No more than 3 percent may be used for administrative costs
  • No more than 10 percent may be used for subsidies for the provision of broadband services through affordable broadband programs

Funds may not be used for:

  • Supplanting other federal or state funds available for the same purposes
  • Conducting website upgrades or other accessibility projects that are otherwise required by law
  • Deployment of broadband infrastructure to connect broadband-serviceable locations, generally
  • Profit, fees, or incremental charges above actual costs
  • Supporting or opposing collective bargaining
Contacts:

Primary Contact:

Angela Thi Bennett
Director of Digital Equity
(202) 482-2048
digitalequity@ntia.gov

Grant Management Contact:

Darren Olson
Grants Officer
(720) 693-0465
darren.olson@nist.gov

Mailing Address
Angela Thi Bennett
Director of Digital Equity
Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
U.S. Department of Commerce
1401 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20230

Contact Notes:

Questions should be directed to the appropriate program contact.

Applications must be submitted online at grants.ntia.gov, emailed to digitalequity@ntia.gov, or mailed or delivered to the address provided.

The agency address provided is for reference purposes only.

Files:
NOFA File: US17712B_NOFA_FY2024.pdf (647.4 Kb)
Other Pre-Award File: US17712B_Webinar_FY2024.pdf (527.3 Kb)
Other Pre-Award File: US17712B_Webinar2_FY2024.pdf (41.8 Kb)
Other Pre-Award File: US17712B_Webinar3_FY2024.pdf (148.1 Kb)
Other Pre-Award File: US17712B_Webinar4_FY2024.pdf (118.4 Kb)
Other Pre-Award File: US17712B_Webinar5_FY2024.pdf (132.9 Kb)
Other Pre-Award File: US17712B_Webinar6_FY2024.pdf (158.9 Kb)
Federal Forms:
SF 424 (144.4 Kb)
CD 511 (130.2 Kb)
SF LLL (98.7 Kb)
File Notes:

The NOFA file contains the full solicitation for this program. The Webinar, Webinar2, Webinar3, Webinar4, and Webinar5 files contain information regarding webinars scheduled for this program. The Webinar6 file contains information regarding question-and-answer (Q&A) webinars that are scheduled for this component. The required federal forms are attached.

November 14, 2024
Information regarding question-and-answer (Q&A) webinars that are scheduled for this component has been released and attached as the Webinar6 file. The Application section has been updated accordingly.

October 4, 2024
Information regarding the scheduling of additional webinars for this program has been released and attached as the Webinar5 file. The Application section has been updated accordingly.

September 20, 2024
Information regarding an additional optional webinar scheduled for this program has been released and attached as the Webinar4 file. The Application section has been updated accordingly.

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Grant Categories
Community Development
Information Technology/Telecommunications
Rural Issues
Human Services
Science/Technology