Grants / Department of Agriculture / Rural Utilities Service

RDRUS-CC-2023: Community Connect Grant Program

Closed Closed February 20, 2024 Opportunity RDRUS-CC-2023 ☆ Save

This grant is closed. Who won this program's grants before is below, and similar open grants are at the end of the page. It is in our archive of Rural Utilities Service notices from 2023.

• Award ceiling$5.0 million
• Award floor$100,000
• Total funding$79.0 million
• Expected awards50
• Cost sharingRequired
• Funding typeGrant

Key dates

Who can apply

This opportunity was open to nonprofits, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses and businesses.

More grants for nonprofits, state and local governments, tribes, small businesses, businesses.

Is this a realistic fit?

• Past Community Connect Grant Program awards averaged $2.7 million; this notice allows up to $5.0 million per award.
• The notice requires cost sharing or matching funds, so you must contribute part of the project cost.

What the grant funds

On December 19, 2023, the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) published a correction notice in the Federal Register. The correction notice makes important changes to the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Community Connect Program for Fiscal Year 2023, published on March 20, 2023, and extends the Community Connect Program application window until February 20, 2024. The correction notice revises the definition of an eligible Proposed Funded Service Area (PFSA) under the Community Connect Program to ensure the program is administered in compliance with the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill). Under the revised definition, a PFSA must lack access to broadband service of 10 Megabits per second (Mbps) downstream plus 1 Mbps upstream to be eligible for consideration for Community Connect Program funding. Additionally, any areas that have received other federal funding to construct terrestrial broadband facilities providing at least 10/1 Mbps service in the project’s PFSA will be deemed ineligible. Any applicant that applied for the Community Connect Program under the March 20, 2023, NOFO must resubmit their application in order to be considered for funding. RUS recognizes that this requirement may result in delays and additional work for FY 2023 applicants. In an effort to minimize the amount of time required to resubmit an application from the FY 2023 funding window, applicants with previously submitted applications will have access to the submitted application data and will have the opportunity to make any edits before resubmitting the application. It is strongly encouraged that applicants review the new eligibility information to ensure that the previously submitted application is still eligible. The extended application window will also be open to new applicants that meet Community Connect Program eligibility requirements. The Community Connect Grant Program provides financial assistance to eligible applicants that will provide service at or above the Broadband Grant Speed to all premises in rural, economically-challenged communities where broadband service does not exist. The deployment of broadband services on a “community-oriented connectivity” basis stimulates economic development and provides enhanced educational and health care opportunities in rural areas. RUS will give priority to rural areas that demonstrate the greatest need for broadband services, based on the criteria contained herein.

Category: Business and Commerce, Community Development, Regional Development.

Applying now

This notice no longer takes applications. Agencies often post the same opportunity again under a new number, so check the program's notices on Grants.gov and the similar open grants below.

The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.