Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program

Millions of low-income households experience difficulty paying for broadband service needed to participate in 21st Century society, including for work, education, healthcare, and civic engagement. Addressing affordability is a critical component of closing the digital divide. On November 15, 2021, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Infrastructure Act) was enacted, providing $14.2 billion for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP plays an integral role in helping to bridge the digital divide, which is an ongoing top priority for Congress and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). To date, a significant number of qualifying households have not yet enrolled in the ACP. Recognizing the importance of outreach to eligible households, Congress expressly authorized the FCC to conduct outreach to encourage households to enroll in the ACP, including providing grants to outreach partners. The FCC establishes the Outreach Grant Program to provide eligible entities grant funds to conduct outreach in support of the ACP. Through this Outreach Grant Program, the FCC seeks to enlist partners around the country to help inform ACP-eligible households about the program in their local communities, and to provide those partners with the funding and resources needed to increase participation among those Americans most in need of affordable connectivity.

Types of entities eligible to participate in the Outreach Grant Program include, but are not limited to: tribal governments and subdivisions thereof, as well as tribal organizations; state governments and subdivisions thereof; local governments and subdivisions thereof (including county, borough, municipality, city, town, township, parish, local public authority, special district, intrastate district, council of governments, and agencies or instrumentalities of multi-regional or intra-state or local government); public housing authorities; social service providers; education organizations such as schools and other institutions of higher education; workforce development training organizations; nonprofit organizations; community-based organizations; community anchor institutions; public service organizations; and consortia of listed entities.

To ensure compliance with the applicable federal statutes and regulations, as well as to appropriately gauge the impact of proposed projects against the Outreach Grant Program�s priorities, submitted applications will undergo compliance, merit, and risk assessment review processes. The compliance review will assess whether application materials are complete and comply with NOFO eligibility requirements. Merit review will use review and scoring criteria, which will be outlined in the NOFO, to objectively evaluate an applicant�s outreach proposal for likely efficacy in meeting the grant program�s objectives. Risk assessment review will examine an applicant�s fiscal stability and operational capability, including the risk associated with allowing the applicant to expend federal funds.

Fiscal year 2023: This will be the initial year of executing this Outreach Grant Program. There have not been projects previously funded under this Grant Program.