National Telecommunications and Information Admini Grants

National Telecommunications and Information Admini

The State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program is the second of three digital equity programs authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, Division F, Title III, Public Law 117-58, 135 Stat. 429, 1209 (November 15, 2021) also known as the Digital Equity Act to promote digital inclusion activities and achieve digital equity. The Digital Equity Act consists of three funding programs: (1) the $60 million State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program; (2) the $1.44 billion State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program; and (3) the $1.25 billion Competitive Grant Program. The State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program will provide funds to States and U.S. Territories to implement the State Digital Equity Plans developed pursuant to the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program. The State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program NOFO also establishes a competitive program to make both State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program funds and State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program funds available to Native Entities to carry out digital equity and inclusion activities consistent with the Digital Equity Act.

National Telecommunications and Information Admini

The SLIGP is designed as a formula-based, matching grant program to assist States, in collaboration with regional, tribal, and local jurisdictions, to perform activities related to planning for the establishment of a nationwide public safety broadband network. NTIA will structure the grant program into two phases of funding with all funds obligated at the time of award. Given the amount of funds available and the need for FirstNet to make decisions on the data collection process, NTIA will focus the SLIGP initially on planning, consulting, and development activities in preparation for consultations with FirstNet, including strategy and timeline development, meetings, governance planning, and outreach and education efforts. NTIA will disburse funds for these activities during phase one. The second phase will not begin until either after FirstNet has consulted with the State-designated contact about the matters listed in the Act, including defining coverage needs, user requirements, and network hardening and resiliency requirements, and advises NTIA it is ready for the commencement of data collection or when NTIA requests a revised budget from recipients for second phase activities. The second funding phase will primarily address States needs in preparing for additional consultation with FirstNet and planning to undertake data collection activities. The second phase will fund data collection activities provided that FirstNet has determined that it needs standardized asset and infrastructure inventories from the States in designing the nationwide public safety broadband network.

National Telecommunications and Information Admini

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) issues this NOFO to describe the requirements under which NTIA will award grants for the State and Local Implementation Grant Program 2.0 (SLIGP 2.0), authorized by section 6302 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (Act), to assist state, local and tribal governments with planning activities for the nationwide interoperable public safety broadband network.

National Telecommunications and Information Admini

This Notice of Funding Opportunity solicits applications for the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program ( Competitive Grant Program or Program ), the third of three digital equity programs authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, Division F, Title III, Public Law 117-58, 135 Stat. 429, 1209 (November 15, 2021) ( Infrastructure Act, also known as the Digital Equity Act or DE Act ). The Competitive Grant Program will make funds available to a wide range of entities to address barriers to digital equity faced by Covered Populations as defined by 47 U.S.C. 1721(8). The Competitive Grant Program will support efforts to achieve digital equity, promote digital inclusion activities, and spur greater adoption and meaningful use of broadband among the Covered Populations. Specifically, the Digital Equity Act authorizes funds to be used for the development and implementation of digital inclusion activities that benefit the Covered Populations; programs that facilitate the adoption of broadband by Covered Populations to provide educational and employment opportunities; training programs that cover basic, advanced, and applied skills; workforce development programs; access to equipment, instrumentation, networking capability, hardware and software, or digital network technology for broadband services at low or no cost; and the construction or operation of public access computing centers for Covered Populations. Awards will focus on addressing the needs of the Covered Populations not met by the Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program and will strive for a diverse pool of recipients. To ensure funds are directed to the most effective programs with the greatest reach, and to minimize administrative overhead, NTIA encourages proposals that demonstrate a broad partnership of entities with the ability to administer significant resources and address the varied concerns of the Covered Populations.