The Tribal Competitive Outreach Program (TCOP) provides funding for outreach activities to increase awareness of and encourage participation in the Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program for households on Tribal Lands.
Donor Name: Federal Communications Commission
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 07/28/2023
Size of the Grant: $400,000
Grant Duration: 12 months
Details:
The ACP Outreach Grant Program is one tool among a comprehensive set of measures authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (Infrastructure Act) and implemented by the FCC to help bridge the digital divide. The ACP Outreach Grant Program will help increase awareness of and participation in the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) among eligible households. The ACP Outreach Grant Program provides federal funding for the FCC to grant eligible governmental and non-governmental entities with the funding and resources needed to increase awareness of and participation in the ACP among those households most in need of affordable connectivity.
This new funding opportunity for TCOP is intended to provide additional funding beyond the outreach targeted grant awards announced by the Commission in March 2023. Additional outreach grant funding will allow targeted eligible entities to receive grant awards to conduct this necessary outreach to increase participation among those Americans most in need of affordable connectivity. The Infrastructure Act and ACP rules require participating service providers to notify their broadband subscribers about the ACP and promote enrollment among eligible households within their service area. The ACP rules also require participating service providers to advertise the program in a manner reasonably designed to reach those consumers likely to qualify and in a format that is accessible to individuals with disabilities.
Goal
The goal of the ACP Outreach Grant Program is to facilitate the promotion of the ACP and increase awareness of and participation in the ACP among eligible households. To support this goal, the FCC is providing federal financial assistance through the ACP Outreach Grant Program to engage in targeted outreach to low-income households both to gauge existing levels of ACP awareness and to promote increased awareness of and participation in the program by eligible households.
Objectives
To support the ACP Outreach Grant Program goal, the FCC has identified three objectives:
- Expand and support diverse and impactful outreach efforts;
- Strengthen outreach partners by empowering them to mobilize people and organizations to help raise awareness about the ACP; and
- Increase ACP enrollment as a result of ACP Outreach Grant Program funded activities.
These objectives are consistent with the authorizing language in the Infrastructure Act and are also consistent with the Commission’s strategic goals and objectives.
Funding Information
- Estimated Total Program Funding: $5,000,000
- Award Ceiling: $400,000
- Award Floor: $50,000
- Period of Performance: 12 months
Eligibility Criteria
TCOP eligibility will be limited to governmental and non-governmental Tribal entities that will conduct ACP outreach and enrollment assistance to eligible households on qualifying Tribal Lands:
- Tribal governments and subdivisions thereof;
- Tribal designated housing entities;
- Tribal designated community-based organizations to include social service organizations;
- Tribal designated community anchor institutions;
- Tribal designated public service organizations; and
There are no exceptions to the above TCOP eligibility requirements, and submitted applications will only be reviewed if they meet the above-listed eligibility requirements.
Program Requirements
The following are TCOP program requirements for this funding round:
- Familiarity with the ACP and experience with or knowledge of bridging digital disparities and connectivity issues.
- Target underserved low-income households or individuals that are not currently on a low-income broadband plan or that do not have broadband service.
- Target outreach in communities that have low ACP participation rates, to include those that are hard to reach populations (including minorities, persons with disabilities, persons who live in rural or Tribal areas, and others who are or have been historically underserved, marginalized, or adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality).
- Experience with, and past success in, conducting outreach regarding government programs and resources, particularly providing resources and directing services (such as ACP application assistance) and education to people of color, persons with disabilities, persons who live in rural or Tribal areas, and others who are or have been historically underserved, marginalized, or adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.
- Existing, trusted relationships with the communities that grant applicants expect to target (e.g., as “trusted messengers”), or the ability to readily establish those relationships, particularly relationships with people of color, persons with disabilities, persons who live in rural or Tribal areas, and others who are or have been historically underserved, marginalized, or adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.
- Experience with or capability of providing multilingual outreach, including American Sign Language, as applicable.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
