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.

Active 32.011 Federal Communications Commission (Fcc) B - Project Grants Not applicable. 47 U.S.C. 1752(b)(10)(c)
The Infrastructure Act appropriates $14.2 billion to the Commission “to establish an Affordable Connectivity Program, under which low-income households may receive a discount off the cost of broadband service and certain connected devices, and participating providers can receive a reimbursement for such discounts.” Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Pub. L. No. 117-58, 135 Stat. 429 (2021). It also permitted “…outreach authority including grant authority”. 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. Not applicable. Prospective applicants should expect to submit the required standard forms as part of applying for any federal financial assistance as well as a project summary, detailed budget, and budget narrative supporting the budget. Specifics on what should be captured as part of the application package will be outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). And specific application template(s) will be made available as part of the NOFO release. Preapplication coordination is not applicable. This program is excluded from coverage under 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. The FCC will make up to $80 million of competitive funding available under the Outreach Grant Program, which will include the following amounts for each program: Competitive Outreach Program ($60,000,000); Tribal Community Outreach Program ($10,000,000); Your Home, Your Internet Pilot Program ($5,000,000); and ACP Navigator Pilot Program ($5,000,000). Specific deadlines for the competitive Outreach Grant Program will be specified in the NOFO. FCC will make funding determination within approximately 60 days following receipt of grant applications. Specific deadlines will be provided in the NOFO. Due to the competitive nature of the Outreach Grant Program, awards will be made at the discretion of the FCC following the application review and scoring criteria as outlined in the NOFO. Therefore, appeals will not be considered. Not applicable. 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. The Outreach Grant Program is comprised of four interconnected grant programs: Competitive Outreach Program; Tribal Competitive Outreach Program; Your Home, Your Internet Pilot Program; and ACP Navigator Pilot Program. The Outreach Grant Program is one tool among a comprehensive set of measures authorized by the 2021 Infrastructure Act and implemented by the FCC to help bridge the digital divide and increase enrollment in the Affordable Connectivity Program. Not applicable. Per 2 C.F.R. ? 200.337, the FCC has the right, at all reasonable times, to make site visits or conduct desk reviews to review project accomplishments and management control systems to review award progress and to provide any required technical assistance. Per 2 C.F.R. ? 200.334, financial records, supporting documents, and all other non-Federal entity records pertinent to a Federal award must be retained for a period of three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report to FCC or pass-through entity in the case of a subrecipient. The FCC and pass-through entities must not impose any other record retention requirements upon non-Federal entities. The record retention period may be longer than three years due to an audit, litigation, for equipment used beyond the period of performance or other circumstances outlined in 2 C.F.R. ? 200.334. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Support from the ACP Outreach Grant Program will become available in FY 2023. Grant recipients will have up to a 24 month period of performance to administer and closeout grant funds. Federal Communications Commission, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau. Federal Communications Commission, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau
45 L Street NE
Washington, DC 20554 USA
acpinfo@fcc.gov
Phone: 1-(888) 225 - 5322 https://www.fcc.gov/fcc-establishes-affordable-connectivity-outreach-grant-program 27-1911-0-1-376 (Project Grants) FY 22 FY 23 est $75,000,000.00; FY 24 est $5,000,000.00; FY 21 - Competitive Outreach Program ($60,000,000); Tribal Community Outreach Program ($10,000,000); Your Home, Your Internet Pilot Program ($5,000,000); and ACP Navigator Pilot Program ($5,000,000). Not applicable/available. Specific regulations and guidelines will be published in the NOFO, as well as other FCC Public Notices, forms, and announcements for the Program. Please see also FCC 22-64, which is the FCC's Order establishing the ACP Outreach Grant Program. 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.