Announcing BEAD Broadband Funding Guide for nonprofit, cooperative, municipal, and smaller ISPs

In November 2021, the Biden administration announced a $42.45 billion broadband infrastructure fund, known as the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, in the hopes of extending high-speed internet access to everyone.

Today, we have a better understanding of where and how Eligible Entities (U.S. states and territories) will deploy allocated funding. The bottom line? The BEAD Program’s complex rules make it difficult for smaller, community-centered internet service providers (ISPs) to compete.

With this in mind, the Center on Rural Innovation created BEAD application resources and an interactive rural broadband service map tool to help ISPs submit more competitive BEAD applications. These resources provide an overview of the BEAD Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) rules, strategies on scoring more points in weighted categories, and explanations of required certifications. Given that U.S. states and territories have different subgrantee rules and procedures, examples highlight how some Eligible Entities have interpreted NOFO rules and how differences can impact application strategies.

The resources also include guidance on potential prequalification requirements — like financial capacity — which helps ISPs understand the documentation needed to qualify as a BEAD applicant. When it comes to weighted scoring, the BEAD outlay guide can help users determine how to reduce project costs and negotiate with their broadband office, and the labor standards and workforce readiness guide explains labor standards and compliance requirements.

In conjunction with written resources, the Interactive Rural Broadband Service Map can be used for initial assessments of eligibility by census block, and for the creation of a high-level grant strategy based on that eligibility.

These resources are intended to bolster the applications of community-centric ISPs planning network expansion with BEAD funds to ensure as many communities as possible are supported by great ISPs for generations to come.