Considering the USDA Technical Assistance grant? What you should know.

By Jon Willow, CBAN Co-Founder
After almost two years of vague guidance on when and how to prepare for the upcoming state- and NTIA-initiated grants for digital equity, the floodgates appear to be opening. States are starting to roll out RFPs for their digital equity capacity grants, and now that Nevada has received its capacity grant funds and triggered the 30-day clock, the NTIA’s federal digital equity Competitive Grants will drop before the end of July. 

But the NTIA and states aren’t the only bodies with funds available to support broadband expansion and equity. The USDA has opened a $25 million Broadband Technical Assistance (BTA) grant for infrastructure to unserved rural areas. Its stated purpose is “to help local organizations, cooperatives and Tribes expand affordable, high-speed internet projects in rural communities.”

CBAN’s Curtis Dean and Jon Willow sat down this week with USDA representatives for Iowa and Missouri to learn more about the specifics. With an application deadline of August 20, 2024, time is of the essence. To help you decide where your team’s energy is best spent, here are some key takeaways from that meeting. 

• This grant is exclusively for the support of unserved areas. The definition of "unserved area" is where 50% or more of the population does not have access to 100 x 20 broadband speeds. Proof is required.
• If providing assistance in an area with both served and unserved households, assistance may only be provided to or on behalf of the unserved portion, down to the individual household level.
• Broadband infrastructure is the focus, so any applications that mention digital equity must demonstrate that it is the secondary priority.
• Indirect expenses are not funded. 
• No match is required, but funds are distributed as reimbursements.
• The grant no longer supports the formation of cooperatives. 
• Though the grant has been offered in the past, there is no permanent funding stream. This year’s grant is, for the final time, being funded with monies from the Inflation Reduction Act.

Other things to know about the USDA Technical Assistance grant
From the USDA: The BTA program provides funding to help communities and organizations receive or deliver broadband technical assistance and training that will expand high-speed internet into rural and Tribal communities. This includes providing funding for feasibility studies, network designs, hiring efforts, application development assistance and more.

Under the Technical Assistance Providers category, applicants must propose to deliver broadband technical assistance that will benefit rural communities. Up to $15 million is available. The minimum award is $100,000. The maximum is $1 million. 

Under the Technical Assistance Recipients category, applicants must be the recipients of the broadband technical assistance. Up to $10 million is available. The minimum award is $50,000. The maximum is $500,000.

Applications must be submitted electronically using Grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 20, 2024.

The USDA’s Rural Development Agency will host upcoming information sessions for the Broadband Technical Assistance grant:

Broadband Technical Assistance (BTA) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Overview Webinar | Wednesday, July 17, 2024 1:00-2:30 p.m. ET | Registration

Broadband Technical Assistance (BTA) Ask me Anything (AMA)
Webinar | Wednesday, July 31, 2024 1:00-2:30 p.m. ET | Registration

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