Online contact form

The Rural eConnectivity Broadband Loan and Grant Pilot Program (Short title: ReConnect) provides funding to expand broadband service to rural areas without sufficient broadband access, which is defined as 10 megabits per second (Mbps) downstream and 1 Mbps upstream.

Applicants are limited to one of the following project types:

1. 100% grant - The proposed funded service area for this category must be in an area where 100% of the households do not have sufficient broadband access.
2. 50% grant/50% loan - The proposed funded service area for this category must be in an area where 90% of the households do not have sufficient broadband access.
3. 100% loan - The proposed funded service area for this category must be in an area where 90% of the households do not have sufficient broadband access.

ReConnect provides funding for:

• Construction, improvement, and acquisition of facilities required to provide service at a minimum of 25 Mbps downstream and 3 Mbps upstream
• Acquisition of an existing system not currently providing sufficient access to broadband, under certain circumstances and with restrictions
• Some pre-application expenses may also be eligible for reimbursement

Eligible applicants include:

• Nonprofit entities
• For-profit corporations
• Limited liability companies
• Cooperative or mutual organizations
• States, local governments, or any agency, subdivision, instrumentality, or political subdivision thereof
• Territories or possessions of the United States
• Indian tribes (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act

The type and amount of award will depend on the type of financing or funding that best fits the applicant's business model, service area, and financial plan.

100% grant:

• Award ceiling: $25,000,000
• Total funding available: $200,000,000
• Match requirement: 25%

50% grant/50% loan :

• Award ceiling: $25,000,000 loan and $25,000,000 grant
• Total funding available: $200,000,000
• Interest rate: Set at the Treasury rate for the remaining amortization period at the time of each advance of funds

100% loan:

• Maximum loan request: $50,000,000
• Total funding available: $200,000,000
• Interest rate: Set at a fixed 2%

Links to application guidelines and the online application portal are posted on the program website.

Application deadlines:

100% grant: May 31, 2019
50% grant/50% loan: June 21, 2019
100% loan: July 12, 2019