ConneCTed Communities is a competitive grant program that will fund construction and deployment of broadband infrastructure designed to deliver service that supports the goal of universal access to affordable, resilient, and reliable broadband.
Donor Name: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
State: Connecticut
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: All Time
Size of the Grant: More than $1 million
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
The State of Connecticut’s ConneCTed Communities Grant Program (Program) is supported using funds allocated by the Connecticut General Assembly through the Capital Projects Fund (CPF) of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). DEEP will administer the Program and is seeking applications for grant funding to facilitate low-income and multi-family curb-tohome and business broadband infrastructure buildout in underserved areas.
Program Priorities
The Program will prioritize proposals with strong last-mile projects that provide for quality and reliable service that have already undergone extensive prior planning and are supported with substantial matching funds.
In addition to compliance with Program requirements, applications will be prioritized based on secondary factors, including:
- Delivery of end-to-end fiber optic infrastructure
- Delivery of 1Gbps/100 Mbps speeds, or scalability to deliver 1Gbps/100 Mbps
- A commitment to service quality and affordable service plans offerings
- A commitment to open access
- A higher contribution of matching funds, with some exceptions.
Funding Information
Approximately ten million dollars ($10,000,000.00) is targeted for this funding opportunity.
Eligible Projects
Eligible project activities and costs include, at the discretion of DEEP:
- Professional services or staff costs necessary for implementation including engineering, consulting, environmental, cultural, legal, accounting, and project management costs needed to design, build, and test the proposed network.
- Costs of repair, rehabilitation, construction, improvement, and acquisition of real property, equipment, and facilities (e.g., telecommunications equipment, including infrastructure for backhaul, middle, and last mile networks).
- Costs of laterals and drops up to the demarcation point for an end user.
- Cost of long-term leases (for terms greater than one year) of facilities required to provide qualifying broadband service, including indefeasible right-of-use (IRU) agreements and capital leases.
- Personnel costs including salaries and fringe benefits for staff and consultants required for carrying out the project.
- Middle mile buildout is allowed to the extent that it supports new and/or improved last-mile service.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must be eligible to receive Capital Projects Funds. Eligible entities that can apply for the grants from the Program include:
- Government entities: Tribal governments; local units of government (e.g., municipalities, counties, and other political subdivisions); State and local agencies
- Private for-profit entities: Commercial service providers (established or new entrants)
- Non-profit entities: Community organizations; institutes of higher education; etc.
- Other: Co-operatives, mutual organizations, utilities.
For more information, visit DEEP.
