Grants / Department of Agriculture / Rural Utilities Service

RUS-REC-2022-2: The Rural eConnectivity Program

Closed Closed November 2, 2022 Opportunity RUS-REC-2022-2 ☆ 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 2022.

• Award ceiling$35.0 million
• Award floor$100,000
• Cost sharingRequired
• Funding typeOther

Key dates

Who can apply

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

Cooperatives or Mutual Organizations and Limited Liability Partnerships are eligible to apply.

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

Is this a realistic fit?

• Past Rural eConnectivity Pilot Program awards averaged $15.7 million; this notice allows up to $35.0 million per award.
• The notice requires cost sharing or matching funds, so you must contribute part of the project cost.

What the grant funds

The Rural eConnectivity Program (ReConnect) Program provides loans, grants, and loan/grant combinations to facilitate broadband deployment in rural areas. In facilitating the expansion of broadband services and infrastructure, the program will fuel long-term economic development and opportunities in rural America. The ReConnect Program is authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Pub. L. 115-141), which directs the program to be conducted under the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 901 et seq ). The policies and procedures for the ReConnect Program are codified in a final rule, 7 CFR part 1740, that was published in the Federal Register on February 26, 2021 (86 FR 11603). The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), a Rural Development agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is issuing a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to announce that it is accepting applications for the ReConnect Program. In addition, the FOA defines requirements that are determined at the time a funding announcement is published, as outlined in the regulation. This FOA will use funds appropriated for ReConnect under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (Pub. L. 117-58). Beginning on September 6, 2022, applications can be submitted through the RUS on-line application portal until 11:59 a.m. Eastern on November 2, 2022. Applications will not be accepted after November 2, 2022 until a new application opportunity has been opened with the publication of an additional FOA in the Federal Register . The Agency encourages applicants to consider projects that will advance the following key priorities: Assisting Rural communities recover economically from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly disadvantaged communities. Ensuring all rural residents have equitable access to Rural Development programs and benefits from Rural Development funded projects. Reducing climate pollution and increasing resilience to the impacts of climate change through economic support to rural communities. All applicants should carefully review and prepare their applications according to instructions in the ReConnect Program Application Guide and program resources. This Application Guide and program resources can be found at https://www.usda.gov/reconnect/forms-and-resources. Applications must be submitted through the RUS on-line application system available on the program web site at https://www.usda.gov/reconnect/.

Category: Business and Commerce, Community Development, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), 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.