Federal grant programs / Department of Commerce

Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program (11.028)

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$262 million
• Grant awards93
• Typical award$2.9 million
• Awarded in FY 2025-$1.1 million
• Size rank544 of 1,823
• Type of assistanceGrant

Key findings

• It is the 544th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• The 20 largest recipients received 31% of the money.
• Awards went to recipients in 36 states and territories.

What the program funds

The Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program provides grants to eligible recipients in anchor communities for the purchase of broadband internet access service or any eligible equipment, or to hire and train information technology personnel to 1) facilitate educational instruction and learning of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges or Universities, Minority Serving Institutions and related consortiums; 2) operate minority business enterprise managed by a related consortium; or 3) operate an eligible organization managed by a related consortium.

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

(1) a historically Black college or university; (2) a Tribal College or University; (3) a Minority-serving institution; or (4) a consortium that is led by a historically Black college or university, a Tribal College or University, or a Minority-serving institution and that also includes a minority business enterprise or an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from tax under 10 section 501(a) of such Code. Additionally, an eligible recipient must be in an anchor community that has an estimated median annual household income of not more than two hundred and fifty percent (250%) of the poverty line and has demonstrated the greatest unmet financial need. A consortium partnership is eligible for a grant under the Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program if it is led by an eligible recipient educational institution as defined above.

What the money can and cannot pay for

Eligible recipients may use grant funds to: (1) purchase broadband internet access service, including the installation or upgrade of broadband facilities on a one-time, capital improvement, basis to increase or expand broadband capacity and/or connectivity at the eligible institution; (2) purchase or lease of eligible equipment and devices for student or patron use, subject to any restrictions and prohibited uses; and/or (3) hire and train information technology personnel who are a part of the eligible organization.

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Award range and average, in the agency's words

Please see Notice of Federal Funding Opportunity when published on grants.gov.

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

Colleges and universities received 96% of the money, nonprofits 1.6% and state and local governments 1.1%.

By state

Each state below has its own page for this program, with its recipients and yearly totals.

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