NTIA opens $980M round of broadband grants for tribal entities

WASHINGTON – The Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced today the availability of nearly $1 billion in funding to expand Internet access and adoption on Tribal Lands. This additional funding, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is part of President Biden's Investing in America agenda and his economic plan – Bidenomics – to grow the economy from the bottom up and middle out and lower costs for more families.

This second round of funding from the Internet for All initiative's Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) will make up to approximately $980 million available for Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities for the deployment of Internet infrastructure on Tribal Lands, affordability programs, telehealth and distance learning initiatives.

TBCP has already awarded $1.78 billion to 191 Tribal entities since the program began in 2021. By expanding high-speed Internet access and providing digital training and inclusion programs, the program will improve quality of life, spur economic development, and create opportunities for remote employment, online entrepreneurship, remote learning, and telehealth for Native American communities.

NTIA expects to make awards in this round of funding within the following ranges:

More information about the program, including application requirements, can be found in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. Applications are due within 180 days of publication of the Notice via Grants.gov.

Internet for All and Investing in America

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes a historic $65 billion investment to expand affordable and reliable high-speed Internet access in communities across the U.S. NTIA recently launched a series of new high-speed Internet grant programs funded by the law that will build high-speed Internet infrastructure across the country, create more low-cost high-speed Internet service options, and address the digital equity and inclusion needs in our communities.

Additionally, the Federal Communications Commission's Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward Internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal Lands.

For more information on the Biden-Harris Administration's high-speed Internet programs, please visit InternetforAll.gov.

President Biden's Investing in America agenda and his vision for growing the economy from the middle out and bottom up – Bidenomics – is creating opportunity across the country. Already, as a result of legislation passed by President Biden, the Biden-Harris Administration has awarded $260 billion in funding for 35,000 infrastructure projects across the country. Companies have announced over $500 billion in investments in the United States since President Biden took office, and the Administration has helped over 19 million households save money on their internet costs.

Read the full press release here.

NTIA