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.
Donor Name: Federal Communications Commission
State: All States
County: All counties
Territory: U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands;
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 01/09/2023
Size of the Grant: $1,000,000
Grant Duration: 2 years
Details:
The Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program (ACP Outreach Grant Program) is comprised of four complementary grant programs:
- National Competitive Outreach Program (NCOP)
- Tribal Competitive Outreach Program (TCOP)
- Your Home, Your Internet (YHYI) Outreach Grants
- Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) Navigator Pilot Program (NPP) Outreach Grants
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 nationwide 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 nationwide;
- Strengthen outreach partners nationwide 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
Priorities
For FY 2023, the FCC has prioritized the following evaluation factors for the application review process: The extent to which an applicant would target underserved low-income households or individuals that are not currently on a low-income broadband plan or that do not have broadband service.
- The extent to which an applicant would target outreach in communities that have low ACP participation rates, to include those that plan to target especially 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).
- In evaluating grant applications from state governmental entities or territorial governmental entities, CGB may also consider prioritizing grants based on whether the state or territory entered into or has committed to enter into a Computer Matching Agreement (CMA) with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) for purposes of verifying the eligibility of low-income consumers for the ACP. This does not apply to non-governmental entities.
Funding Information
- Award Ceiling: $1,000,000
- Award Floor: $50,000
- For the ACP Outreach Grant Program, grant recipients must expend awarded funding against their approved projects and supporting milestones within 24 months (2 years).
- Projected period of performance start date: March 2023
- Projected period of performance end date: March 2025
Eligibility Criteria
For FY 2023, eligible entities may include the following governmental and nongovernmental organizations to serve as outreach partners to the FCC to conduct ACP outreach and/or ACP application assistance to eligible households:
- State governments and subdivisions thereof (including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico);
- U.S. Territory governments and subdivisions thereof such as the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands;
- Local governments and subdivisions thereof (including county, borough, municipality, city, town, township, parish, local public authority, special district, intrastate district, council of governments, and agencies or instrumentalities of multi-regional or intrastate or local government);
- Tribal governments and subdivisions thereof, as well as tribal organizations;
- Public housing agencies
- Tribal designated housing entities;
- Social service providers (e.g., food banks, community transportation, childcare);
- Education organizations, such as schools and other institutions of higher education;
- Workforce development training organizations;
- Non-profit organizations (501(c)(3) status is not required);
- Community-based organizations (including faith-based organizations and social service organizations);
- Community anchor institutions;
- Public service organizations; and
- Consortia of the entities listed above.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
