Up to $200 Million Available in Rural Development Broadband ReConnect Loan & Grant Program - USDA
The ReConnect Loan and Grant Program
By the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the ReConnect Loan and Grant Program furnishes loans and grants to provide funds for the costs of construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to provide broadband service in eligible rural areas.
Additional Resources:
Click to access ReConnect Program Fact Sheet
Click to access View FY2024 Program Awardees
Overview
The USDA created the ReConnect Program, which offers loans, grants, and loan-grant combinations to facilitate broadband deployment in areas of rural America that currently do not have sufficient access to broadband. Such as Alaska Native Corporations, Native American Tribal Governments, Colonias, Persistent Poverty Areas and Socially Vulnerable Communities.
In facilitating the expansion of broadband services and infrastructure, the program will fuel long-term rural economic development and opportunities in rural America.
Dates
Applications accepted March 22, 2024.
The application portal closed on May 21, 2024.
It’s never to early to prepare for next grant and loan cycle.
Programs
100% Grant - No Match - Up to $150M Available
For Alaska Native Corporations, Tribal Governments, Colonias, Persistent Poverty Areas and Socially Vulnerable Communities.
Potential awardees must meet a 100 Mbps symmetrical minimum service requirement in all proposed service areas. The maximum award amount is $25M, and no match is required. The applications are evaluated in a competitive process.
100% Loan - Up to $200M available
Potential awardees must meet a 100 Mbps symmetrical minimum service requirement in all proposed service areas. The maximum award amount is $50M, and the interest rate is set at a fixed 2%. The applications for this product are reviewed on a rolling basis and are not evaluated competitively.
Combo - 25% Match - Up to $200M available
Potential awardees must meet a 100 Mbps symmetrical minimum service requirement in all proposed service areas. The maximum award amount is $25M, and a 25% match is required. The applications are evaluated in a competitive process.
Who May Apply
The entities considered eligible to apply for assistance under the ReConnect Program include:
Corporations
Limited Liability Companies and Limited Liability Partnerships
Cooperatives or mutual organizations
States or local governments, including any agency, subdivision, instrumentality of political subdivision thereof
A territory or possession of the United States
An Indian Tribe, as defined in Section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. §450b)
Co-Applicants are not eligible entities. If two entities would like to partner with each other in delivering broadband to areas without sufficient access, then one entity must take the lead on submitting an application.