News and Funding Opportunities
Important Dates
March 31, 2023
Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority Annual Report due to General Assembly and Governor
August 12, 2023
BEAD: State Five-Year Action Plan Due
Late 2023 (Pending Start Date)
BEAD: Initial Proposal Due – 180 days after release of new data maps & notice of funding amounts issued
March 31, 2024
Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority Annual Report due to General Assembly and Governor
2025 (Pending Start Date)
BEAD: Final Proposal Due – 365 days after Initial Proposal approval
Broadband Program Information
Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). An FCC program that helps connect families and households struggling to afford internet service, providing:
--Up to $30/month discount for broadband service
--A one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet purchased through a participating provider if the household contributes more than $10 but less than $50 toward the purchase price.
Broadband Infrastructure Program (BIP). Broadband Infrastructure Program (BIP) is funded pursuant to the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund (Capital Projects Fund) established under The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. BIP is a $200 million competitive grant program which will target locations that do not currently have access to 25/3 Mbps reliable service. Eligible applicants include local units of government, non-profits, cooperatives, and private entities. The Program will fund extensions of existing last-mile cable modem and fiber-to-the-premise broadband networks, and large-scale regional projects that can transform broadband availability by serving large numbers of eligible addresses.
Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD). There is $42.5B available nationally (IIJA funding) with each state receiving $100M at least with funding need determined by FCC broadband availability map. PA is anticipated to receive $1.3B+. PBDA will allocate funding through a competitive grant program that is expected to open late 2023.
Capital Projects Fund (CPF) Program. PA was allocated $279M from the U.S. Treasury (ARPA funding) for broadband-related programs. CPF will include three programs that benefit unserved and underserved areas of the commonwealth, specifically:--$200M to the Broadband Infrastructure Program (BIP)--$45M for Multi-Purpose Community Facility Projects--$20M for Digital Connectivity Technology Projects
Digital Equity (DE) Act Programs. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) received $2.75 billion (IIJA funding) to establish three grant programs that promote digital inclusion and equity to ensure that all individuals and communities have the skills, technology, and capacity needed to reap the full benefits of our digital economy. Programs include:
--State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program: $60M formula grant program for states and territories to develop digital equity plans.
--State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program: $1.44B formula grant program for states and territories distributed via annual grant programs over 5 years to implement digital equity projects and support the implementation of digital equity plans.
--Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program: $1.25B discretionary grant program distributed vial annual grant programs over 5 years to implement digital equity projects.
Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure (MMBI). This competitive NTIA program provides $1 billion for the construction, improvement, or acquisition of middle mile infrastructure. The grant program provides funding to expand and extend middle mile infrastructure, reducing the cost of connecting unserved and underserved areas to high-speed internet service networks.
General Resources
County Broadband Project Information
- Adams County
- Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon, and Somerset Counties (Alleghenies Broadband, Inc.)
- Berks County
- Carbon County - Feasibility Study
- Centre County
- McKean County
- York County
Submit Your County's Projects and Resources
Want to have your county project page or resources included on this webpage? Email PACountiesGR@pacounties.org with those materials.
CCAP Reports and Resources
- County Broadband Report (July 2021)
- Broadband Provider List
- Connecting Your Community: Working with Local Governments and Community Partners on Broadband Expansion (CCAP Spring Conference, 2023)
State and Federal Resources
NACo Resources
- Broadband Web Page
- Broadband Task Force Report (July 2021)
Broadband Mapping Resources
County Challenge Map Resources
- Bulk Challenge Map Spreadsheet (PBDA)
- Challenge Process FAQs (PDBA)
- Step-by-Step Guide to Submitting Challenges (PBDA)
- Sample News Release (CCAP)
- Sample Video Scrips/Social Media Posts (CCAP)
- Broadband Map Challenge Commercial (CCAP)
- Press Release (Centre County)
- Public Challenge Instructions (Clearfield County)
- Public Challenge Instructional Video (Clearfield County)
- Call for Public Challenge Web Post (Cumberland County)