- Title and Number: Community Connect Grant Program – RDRUS-CC-2025
- Agency: U.S. Department of Agriculture – Rural Utilities Service (RUS)
- Deadline: April 21, 2025, 11:59 a.m. Eastern Time
- Grant Amount: Minimum award of $100,000; maximum award of $5,000,000. Approximately $26 million in total funding is available.
- Match Required: Yes, a minimum 15% matching contribution from non-federal sources is required.
Program Overview: The Community Connect Grant Program aims to provide broadband service at or above the broadband grant speed to all premises in rural, economically challenged communities where such service does not exist. The deployment of broadband services on a “community-oriented connectivity” basis stimulates economic development and provides enhanced educational and healthcare opportunities in rural areas.
Eligible Entities:
- Incorporated organizations
- Federally recognized Tribes
- State and local units of government
- Any other legal entity, including cooperatives, private corporations, or limited liability companies organized on a for-profit or not-for-profit basis
Eligible Areas: Rural areas lacking existing broadband service of at least 10 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps upstream are eligible. The Proposed Funded Service Area (PFSA) must be a contiguous geographic area within an eligible rural area where broadband service does not currently exist.
Purpose of Funding: Funds may be used for:
- Construction, acquisition, or leasing of facilities, including spectrum, land, towers, or buildings, to deploy broadband services to all residential and business customers and all participating essential community facilities.
- Improvement, expansion, construction, or acquisition of a community center that furnishes free internet access at broadband speeds, with up to 10% of the grant amount or $150,000 (whichever is less) allocated for this purpose.
- Provision of free broadband service to all participating essential community facilities for at least two years.
USDA Priorities: The program aligns with USDA’s mission to assist rural communities in obtaining affordable, reliable high-speed internet access, which is essential for economic development, education, healthcare, and public safety.
More Information: For detailed information and application instructions, please visit the funding opportunity announcement at https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/358143.