Helping our members identify funding for their projects  

Home / Our Solutions / Funding
broadband

Funding

Federal and State governments are unleashing a tidal wave of grant funding programs to bridge the digital divide. Our funding experts can help you build a competitive, sustainable, low-risk business plan to win funding and provide a better life for your community.

Current Funding Opportunities

Welcome to the NRTC Funding Map, an interactive tool to search broadband and smart grid funding opportunities. Start by selecting a state, then navigate the links and click on identified programs or programs with an open application. Search smart grid programs as well as last mile, middle mile, and digital equity broadband funding opportunities by state. Information on state broadband offices and links to state broadband maps are also included.
Program Application Open
Program Identified, Not Open
No Program Identified

TRACK RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENT

NRTC’s Funding Services team includes experts with more than 50 years of combined regulatory and policy experience. Our team has spent decades analyzing, demystifying and interpreting federal and state regulatory telecom and broadband policies.


expert advice

We’ll help you evaluate project eligibility, information requirements, and strengths/weaknesses under specific funding scoring frameworks.

Take advantage of our knowledge and experience.

  • Helped NRTC members secure millions of dollars of funding for broadband deployment through programs such as:
  • The FCC’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) reverse auction
  • The Rural Utilities Service’s ReConnect Loan and Grant program
  • Educated rural providers on how to obtain millions of dollars for broadband deployment from state broadband funding programs
  • Assisted state policymakers navigating federal broadband deployment regulations and procedures
  • Worked with rural providers, school districts, municipalities, Tribal nations and others to deploy broadband through the E-rate (Schools & Libraries) and low-income programs 

eligible opportunity analysis

Let us help you secure your community’s share of federal and state broadband grant funding. NRTC’s access to data and experience with funding programs will help you to understand your options and identify which programs may be a good fit for your community. Learn about existing programs and new funding opportunities such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s $42.5 billion BEAD (Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment) program. 


effective grant writing

NRTC partners with experienced, proven grant writers to prepare high-quality proposals for broadband and infrastructure funding programs at the federal, state and local levels.


professional review

NRTC brings the unique perspective of a funding “scorer,” providing rich feedback to ensure your proposal achieves the maximum points and highest consideration. Take advantage of our expertise to give your application the best chance for success.


mapping and validation tools

NRTC’s CrowdFiber provides one of the most sophisticated broadband information tools in the industry. CrowdFiber maps, validates and integrates every address with CRM, GIS and billing systems. With nearly a decade of experience working with rural broadband providers, including extensive activity in the recent RDOF auction, CrowdFiber offers the most effective way to look at your grant proposal areas, as well as to defend your current or planned service areas from attempts by others seeking funding for inefficient overbuilds.


Let Us Help You Secure Your Share of Opportunities
  • American Rescue Plan’s State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund: $350 billion
  • American Rescue Plan’s Capital Projects Fund: $10 billion
  • Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program: $42.5 billion
  • Rural Utility Service’s $1.15 billion ReConnect Grant, Loan, and Loan/Grant program
  • Other Opportunities:
  • Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Energy; Smart Grid and Cybersecurity Programs
  • Existing and New State Grant Programs
  • Additional government funding initiatives 

Resources for Funding
MEET NRTC

A Team of Experts to Help Find the Funding Your Project Needs

In response to the high interest in broadband funding throughout government and industry, NRTC has created a Funding Services group to assist members acquire available loans and grants. It is expanding on already extensive experience in the area, including the drive to help rural broadband providers receive funding through last year’s Rural Digital Opportunities Fund (RDOF) reverse auction.

Resources

The Latest News in Funding

NRTC Member Awarded $47 Million in Missouri ARPA Announcement

The state of Missouri has awarded NRTC member White River Valley Electric Cooperative (WRVEC) $47 million in grants to complete seven broadband construction projects in five counties. The funding is through Missouri’s share of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) support. NRTC assisted WRVEC with application preparation. The projects will connect 15,600 households and 2,150 businesses to fast fiber networks. In total, the state awarded $261 million. Several other NRTC members also won support.

Broadband Map Challenge Deadline Passes Without Extension

The Jan. 13 deadline for challenges to the FCC’s National Broadband Map has passed. Despite calls by states and other stakeholders, the Commission and NTIA decided against a deadline extension. NTIA will now use the broadband availability and location data the FCC has gathered to remain on schedule and allocate broadband support funds through the BEAD program to the states. The agency’s goal is to complete the distribution by June 30.

GAO Warns of Possible ReConnect Overlap with Other Broadband Programs

With the establishment of new federal funding programs for broadband infrastructure projects, the chances of programs overlapping support to geographic areas increases. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) took a close look at USDA’s ReConnect rules and found that it has done a good job of avoiding overlaps with FCC universal service broadband funding. However, as ReConnect completes Round 3 and enters Round 4, similar safeguards for other programs are not in place.

Subscribe for more insights from NRTC