Community Connect Broadband Grant Program

community.connect@wdc.usda.gov
202.720.0800

State level contacts

There is also an online contact form at the bottom of the program website.

The Community Connect Grant Program supports broadband deployment into rural communities where it is not yet economically viable for private sector providers to deliver service. Broadband service should benefit residential and business customers in a service area, as well as critical community facilities, such as healthcare, public schools, fire stations, and libraries.

Grant funds may be used to help fund:

• The construction, acquisition, or leasing of facilities, spectrum, land, or buildings used to deploy broadband service within the proposed service area
• The improvement, expansion, construction, or acquisition of a community center that provides online access to the public
• The cost of providing broadband service free of charge to critical community facilities for 2 years

Fact sheet

Eligible applicants include:

• State and local governments
• Federally recognized Tribes
• Incorporated organizations
• Other legal entities, including cooperatives, private corporations, or limited liability companies organized on a for-profit or nonprofit basis

Rural areas that lack any existing broadband speed of at least 10 Mbps downstream and 1 Mbps upstream are eligible.

According to the 2026 Application Guide, the minimum grant request amount is $100,000 and the maximum grant request amount is $5,000,000.

A non-federal cash match of at least 15% of the total amount of financial assistance requested is required and can be used for operating costs.

Links to additional guidance and application instructions are available on grants.gov and the program website.

Applicant webinar #1
(Registration required)
May 27, 2026
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Eastern

Applicant webinar #2
(Registration required)
June 17, 2026
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. Eastern