Federal grant programs / Department of Agriculture

Community Connect Grant Program (10.863)

Also known as Community Connect

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$136 million
• Grant awards50
• Typical award$2.8 million
• Awarded in FY 2025$18.9 million
• Size rank714 of 1,823
• Type of assistanceProject grants

Key findings

• Annual funding fell from $41.8 million in fiscal 2021 to $18.9 million in fiscal 2025.
• It is the 714th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• The 20 largest recipients received 68% of the money.
• Awards went to recipients in 24 states and territories.

What the program funds

To encourage community-oriented connectivity by providing grants to eligible applicants who will deploy broadband transmission service in rural communities where such service does not currently exist; who will connect all critical community facilities such as local schools, education centers, libraries, hospitals, health care providers, law enforcement agencies, public safety organizations, fire, and rescue services, as well as residents and businesses; and who will operate a community center which provides free and open access to area residents.

From the federal Assistance Listing. Read the full listing on SAM.gov.

Open opportunities

No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.

Rules from the program listing

Who can apply

To be eligible for a grant, the applicant must: (a) be legally organized as an incorporated organization, an Indian tribe or tribal organization, a state or local unit of government, or other legal entity, including cooperatives or private corporations or limited liability companies organized on a for profit or not-for profit basis, and (b) have the legal capacity and authority to own and operate the broadband facilities as proposed in its application, to enter into contracts and to otherwise comply with applicable federal statutes and regulations.

What the money can and cannot pay for

Grants will be made available, on a competitive basis, for the deployment of broadband services to critical community facilities, rural residents, and rural businesses and for the operation of a community center which would provide free access to broadband services to community residents for at least two years. See 7 CFR Part 1739 for details. Funds can only be used for purposes specifically authorized in the regulation, per 7 CFR 1739.12;

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. The grant applicant must contribute a matching contribution which is at least 15 percent of the grant amount requested and this must be in cash in an account of the awardee at the time of closing.MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Award range and average, in the agency's words

$100,000 to $5,000,000 with an average size of $3,509,000 for FY24.

Examples of funded projects

Fiscal Year2025: This Rural Development investment will be used to construct a fiber-to-the-premises system to benefit 223 residents and four businesses in the Larimer County, Colorado service area. Subscribers will have access to up to 1 Gbps symmetrical service, expanding access to economic, educational, health care and public safety opportunities. A community center with computer terminals and WiFi will be provided in the Stoney River Lodge where residents can access the Internet free of charge for at least two years. Public WiFi will also be made available at the nearby Viestenz-Smith Mountain Park.

Quoted from the program's federal Assistance Listing. The notice of funding opportunity is the official source for each competition's rules.

Who usually wins

Nonprofits received 1.8% of the money.

By state

23 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.

Award amounts are federal obligations reported to USAspending.gov for fiscal 2021 to 2025; see how our data works.