The Federal Communications Commission is seeking applications for its Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program – Pilot Program Grants.
Donor Name: Federal Communications Commission
State: All States
County: All Counties
Territory: American Samoa, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and U.S. Virgin Islands
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 01/09/2023
Size of the Grant: $10,000,000
Grant Duration: 1 year
Details:
Goal
The goal of the Pilot Program Outreach Grants is to facilitate the promotion of the ACP to increase awareness of and participation among eligible households by providing assistance with the completion and submission of the ACP application. While the NPP and YHYI both have this goal, grants for YHYI focus specifically on funding outreach activities (including application assistance) for federal housing assistance recipients.
Objectives
To support the Pilot Program Outreach Grants goals, the FCC has identified four objectives:
- Expand and support diverse and impactful outreach efforts nationwide;
- Strengthen outreach partners nationwide by empowering them to mobilize people and organizations to help raise awareness about the ACP;
- Learn how the assistance of a navigator helps eligible households overcome enrollment barriers; and
- Increase ACP enrollment as a result of ACP Outreach Grant Program funded activities.
Priorities
For FY 2023, the FCC will prioritize Pilot Program Outreach Grants applications that:
- Target a broad geographic area and/or large number of people in the target audiences for ACP outreach; Incorporate effective tracking and performance measurements to provide valuable information, especially relating to enrollment barriers and under-enrolled communities, to the Commission;
- Encourage participation by those in the applicant’s target community(ies) that have a low participation in the ACP, including participation by those in Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA) programs;
- Target unserved low-income households or individuals (i.e., households or individuals that are not currently on a low-income broadband plan or that do not have broadband service); and
- Whether an applicant proposes a cost-share or cost match.
Note: This information will be used as a tie breaker during the funding determination process.
2023 Pilot Program Outreach Grants
YHYI Outreach Grants: YHYI Outreach Grants provide funding to eligible state, local, and Tribal housing agencies (including housing authorities) or non-profit organizations, community-based organizations, and tenant association partners to federal, state, local, or Tribal housing agencies (including housing authorities) for outreach activities (including application assistance) to increase awareness and encourage participation in the ACP for households receiving federal housing assistance. YHYI funding will only be provided to entities that are selected to participate in the YHYI Outreach Grants.
NPP Outreach Grants: NPP Outreach Grants provide funding to support outreach activities (including application assistance) by trusted, neutral third-party entities, such as schools and school districts, or other local or state government entities to increase awareness and encourage participation in the ACP among eligible households. NPP funding will only be provided to entities that are selected to participate in the ACP Navigator Pilot Program.
Funding Information
- Funding Availability for this NOFO: $10,000,000
- YHYI Available Funds: $5 million
- NPP Available Funds: $5 million
- Period of Performance
- For Pilot Program Outreach Grants, grant recipients must expend awarded funding against their approved projects and supporting milestones within 12 months (1 year).
- Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s): March 2023
- Projected Period of Performance End Date(s): March 2024
- For Pilot Program Outreach Grants, grant recipients must expend awarded funding against their approved projects and supporting milestones within 12 months (1 year).
Eligibility Criteria
- YHYI Outreach Grants: Entities eligible to apply for YHYI Outreach Grants include state, local, and Tribal housing agencies (including housing authorities). Tenant associations and non-profit and community-based entities that have a partnership with a federal, state, local, or Tribal housing agency participating in the Your Home, Your Internet Pilot may also apply for YHYI funding.
- NPP Outreach Grants: Entities eligible to apply for NPP Outreach Grants include public and government entities, such as public schools and public school districts, and local, state, or Tribal government entities. Examples of such eligible entities include, but are not limited to, state and local institutions of higher learning, state veterans’ affairs offices, state and community libraries, and Tribal schools and libraries.
- State and U.S. Territorial governments are not required to submit a single application for funding consideration. Government agencies within a State or U.S. Territory may submit separate applications. However, to facilitate coordination, States and U.S. Territories may choose to establish a single point of contact to coordinate among entities within the State or U.S. Territory that have relevant outreach responsibilities related to implementing the Pilot Program Outreach Grants. States and U.S. Territories are encouraged to coordinate with trusted messengers and leaders from underserved and unserved communities in their states. Non-profit organizations eligible to apply for YHYI Outreach Grants are not required to have 501(c)(3) status.
Note: Grantees may not make a profit from or otherwise financially benefit from conducting ACP outreach through the Pilot Program Outreach Grants.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
