On December 19, 2023, the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) published a correction notice in the Federal Register. The correction notice makes important changes to the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Community Connect Program for Fiscal Year 2023, published on March 20, 2023, and extends the Fiscal Year 2023 Community Connect Program application window until February 20, 2024.
We encourage this opportunity for rural and Tribal areas that are more remote and challenging to serve.
Highlights from the Correction Notice Include:
- Interested applicants or entities who are not Telephone/Broadband or Internet (ISPs) Service Providers, will need to contact and a service provider to participate in the application together in either a public/private or private/private capacity (see the application guide).
- Entities applying MUST be able to run and operate the network and serve all the public essential facilities in the proposed funded service area.
- DATES: Completed applications for grants must be submitted electronically by no later than 11:59 a.m. Eastern Time (ET), February 20, 2024.
- RUS will validate that broadband service does not exist in areas that applicants describe as having no broadband access or access that is less than 10 Megabits per second (Mbps) downstream plus 1 Mbps upstream.
- Areas receiving, or areas that have received final approval for, other federal funding to construct terrestrial facilities providing at least 10/1 Mbps service in the project Proposed Funded Service Area as of the date of this notice, and which have been reported to the agency, are ineligible.
For more information, please contact Brad Clausen, Utah Rural Utilities Service (RUS) Telecom General Field Representative, at Brad.Clausen@usda.gov.
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.