The following is a list of federal programs that provide grants, loans, and technical assistance for economic development projects related to broadband and infrastructure. See additional lists of other federal programs here.
Programs and their requirements are subject to change, so please check department websites for current information.
Area Development Program
Appalachian Regional Commission
Varies by State
The Area Development program provides grants to invest in two general areas within Appalachian communities: critical infrastructure and business and workforce development. Critical infrastructure investments mainly include water and wastewater systems, transportation networks, broadband, and other projects anchoring regional economic development. Business and workforce investments primarily focus on entrepreneurship, worker training and education, food systems, leadership, and other human capital development. All ARC Area Development grant proposals originate at the state level in consultation with the ARC state program manager.
Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program
Department of Agriculture
Open Year-Round
The Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas with no more than 20,000 residents. Funds can be used to purchase, construct, and / or improve essential community facilities, purchase equipment and pay related project expenses. Eligible borrowers include public bodies, community-based nonprofit organizations, and federally-recognized tribes.
Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan Program
Department of Agriculture
Open Year-Round
The Community Facilities Guaranteed Loan Program provides loan guarantees to eligible lenders to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. Funds can be used to construct, enlarge, extend or otherwise improve essential community facilities, or for refinancing the debt of an essential community facility. Eligible applicants include lenders who have the legal authority, financial strength, and sufficient experience to operate a successful lending program.
Electric Infrastructure Loan & Loan Guarantee Program
Department of Agriculture
Open Year-Round
The Electric Infrastructure Loan & Loan Guarantee program makes insured loans and loan guarantees which finance the construction of electric distribution, transmission, and generation facilities in rural areas, including system improvements and replacement required to furnish and improve electric service. Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations, cooperative associations, state and local governments, Tribal governments, and for-profit businesses. An area must be qualified as rural for the purposes of this program.
Powering Affordable Clean Energy Program
Department of Agriculture
Pre-Application Due: September 29, 2023
Application Due: November 29, 2023
The Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program offers loan forgiveness for renewable energy projects that use wind, solar, hydropower, geothermal, or biomass, as well as for renewable energy storage projects. The PACE program is available to eligible applicants that generate electricity for resale to residents in both rural and nonrural areas, as long as at least 50 percent of the population served by the proposed renewable energy project live in communities with populations of 20,000 or fewer. Eligible entities include: corporations, states, and territories, along with their subdivisions and agencies; municipalities; utility districts; cooperatives; nonprofits; Indian Tribes; Alaska Native, regional, or village corporations; Limited Liability Companies or other for-profit entities organized under the laws of any U.S. state or territory.
ReConnect
Department of Agriculture
Not Yet Open – To Be Announced
ReConnect offers loans, grants, and loan-grant combinations to fund construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to provide broadband service in areas of rural America that currently do not have sufficient access to broadband. Eligible entities include corporations, LLCs, limited liability partnerships, cooperatives or mutual organizations, states or local governments, a territory or possession of the United States, and Indian tribes. Grant matching fund requirements depend on the community served.
Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans & Loan Guarantees
Department of Agriculture
Open Year-Round
The Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans & Loan Guarantees program finances the construction, maintenance, improvement and expansion of telephone service and broadband in rural areas. Eligible applicants include entities that provide telecommunications in qualified rural areas, including state and local government entities, Federally Recognized Tribes, nonprofits (including cooperatives and limited dividend or mutual associations), and for-profit businesses. Qualified areas are rural areas and towns with a population at or below 5,000 people, areas without telecommunications facilities, or areas where the applicant is the recognized telecommunications provider.
Communities Local Energy Action Program
Department of Energy
Application Due: December 14, 2023
The Communities Local Energy Action Program (LEAP) aims to facilitate sustained community-wide economic and environmental benefits primarily through DOE’s clean energy deployment work. This opportunity is specifically open to low-income, energy-burdened communities that are also experiencing either direct environmental justice impacts, or direct economic impacts from a shift away from historical reliance on fossil fuels. Under Communities LEAP, the Department of Energy matches selected communities with technical assistance providers who assist them with bringing their clean energy planning and economic development vision to life. Communities that are eligible are low-income, energy-burdened communities that are also either disadvantaged or experiencing direct impacts from the shift away from fossil fuels. Learn more about community eligibility here.
Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment Program
Department of Energy
Rolling Application
The Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) Program will guarantee loans to projects that retool, repower, repurpose, or replace energy infrastructure that has ceased operations, or enable operating energy infrastructure to avoid, reduce, utilize, or sequester air pollutants or anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gasses. Eligible recipients include states, counties, cities/townships, Special Districts, Tribal governments, Independent School Districts, institutions of higher education, Public Housing Authorities, Indian Housing Authorities, nonprofit organizations, and businesses.
Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects Program
Department of the Interior
Application Due: November 6, 2023
The Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects (NSFLTP) Program provides grant funding to projects of national significance for construction, reconstruction, or rehabilitation of transportation facilities within, adjacent to, or providing access to Federal or Tribal lands. For applications for projects off of Tribal transportation facilities, this program will seek projects that: ensure equitable investment in the needs of underserved communities, represent priorities such as equity, climate and sustainability, and economic strength and global competitiveness; and support the creation of good-paying jobs with the free and fair choice to join a union, and the incorporation of strong labor standards and workforce programs. Eligible applicants include entities eligible to receive funds under the Federal Lands Access Program, the Federal Lands Transportation Program, the Tribal Transportation Program, and the Federal Lands Planning Program, except that a State, county, or unit of local government may apply for funding only if sponsored by an eligible Federal Land Management Agency (FLMA) or Federally recognized Tribe.
Tribal Electrification Program
Department of the Interior
Pre-Application Due: September 18, 2023
Application Due: December 22, 2023
The Tribal Electrification Program provides grant funding and technical assistance to Tribes to increase the number of Tribal homes with zero-emissions electricity. Successful applications will be limited to projects directly related to the planning and implementation of electrification through: the provision of electricity to unelectrified Tribal homes through zero-emissions energy systems, transitioning electrified Tribal homes to zero-emissions energy systems, and/or associated home repairs and retrofitting necessary to install and prepare for zero-emissions energy systems. Funding is available for three purposes, including 1) planning, 2) implementation, and 3) both planning and implementation. Recognizing each Tribe has its own energy and electrification related needs and implementation capacity, the program will meet the unique needs of individual Tribal communities. Eligible applicants include Federally recognized Indian Tribes and Tribal Organizations authorized by Indian Tribal governments, Tribal coalitions, and Tribal entities.
National Tribal Broadband Grant Program
Department of the Interior
Not Yet Open – To Be Announced
The National Tribal Broadband Grant program provides funding for feasibility studies to expand or deploy broadband in tribal communities. Funds may be used for service and engineering assessments, cost estimations, and other costs related to determining broadband feasibility. Eligible applicants include federally-recognized American Indian and Alaska Native tribes.
Healthcare Connect Fund
Federal Communications Commission
Rolling Application
The Healthcare Connect Fund, a program under the Rural Health Care Program, provides subsidies for high-capacity broadband connectivity to health care providers (HCPs) and encourages the formation of state and regional broadband HCP networks linking health care providers. Funds may be used for telecommunications and broadband services, as well as network equipment and (for consortia applicants) the cost of network facilities. Eligible applicants include public and nonprofit HCPs, including consortia of HCPs made up of majority-rural HCP sites.
Tribal Broadband Connectivity Grant Program
Department of Commerce
Application Deadline: January 23, 2024
The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Grant Program supports projects that expand broadband access on tribal lands. The TBCP provides grants for two types of projects: 1) Broadband Infrastructure Deployment Projects and 2) Broadband Use and Adoption Projects (including Digital Equity). Grants funds may be used for a range of projects related to broadband deployment, telehealth, distance learning, broadband affordability, and digital inclusion. Eligible entities include Tribal governments, Tribal colleges or universities, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, Tribal organizations, or Alaska Native Corporations. Consortium applicants are encouraged to apply.