The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) through the Office of Statewide Broadband (OSB) is administering funding for the Connected Communities Grant Program (MD-GAPS).
Donor Name: Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development
State: Maryland
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/15/2022
Size of the Grant: $25,000 – $250,000
Details:
The MD-GAPS grant program is designed to assist local jurisdictions, local community-based organizations, non-profits, and anchor institutions in creating Gap Networks and Community Networks. These networks are designed to address the affordability challenge many low to moderate-income households face in subscribing to the internet. Given their purpose, the grant opportunity will help communities close existing gaps and lay the groundwork for improved broadband access, adoption, and utilization.
Funding Information
The maximum grant request amount is $250,000 and the minimum amount is $25,000.
Eligible Uses of Funds
The use of these funds is to make available equipment, instrumentation, networking capability, hardware, software, or digital network technology for broadband services to covered populations at low or no cost. This includes but is not limited to:
- The building and deployment of new gap networks/community networks at the required speed for covered populations.
- To upgrade or expand existing gap networks/community networks at the required speed for covered populations.
- To operate and maintain new or existing gap networks/community networks at the required speed for covered populations.
- Electronics are necessary to deliver service to an end-user including, but not limited to Optical Line Terminals (OLT’s), Optical Network Terminals (ONT’s), routers, switches, firewalls, wireless radio equipment, antennas, access points, and modems, and any necessary equipment shelters.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to apply, an applicant must meet one of the following criteria:
- be a local government (Counties & Municipalities);
- be a foundation, corporation, institution, association, or coalition that is – (i) a not-for-profit IRS approved 501(c) entity and (ii) providing services within the State of Maryland; or
- a community-based anchor institution; or
- other community-based organizations; and
- must be registered and, if applicable, in good standing with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation.
For more information, visit Connected Communities.
