The Rural Utilities Service (RUS or the Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announces the acceptance of applications for Broadband Technical Assistance (BTA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. Broadband Technical Assistance provides competitive cooperative agreement funding to eligible entities to receive or deliver broadband technical assistance and training that promotes the expansion of broadband. Program funds must be used to support broadband technical assistance activities that promote the expansion of broadband into rural areas. Examples of broadband technical assistance projects may include conducting feasibility studies, completing network designs, and developing broadband financial assistance applications.
The Agency encourages applicants to consider projects that will advance the following key priorities.
Assisting rural communities recover economically through more and better market opportunities and through improved infrastructure;
Ensuring all rural residents have equitable access to RD programs and benefits from RD funded projects; and
Reducing climate pollution and increasing resilience to the impacts of climate change through economic support to rural communities.
All applicants should carefully review and prepare their applications according to instructions in the BTA Application Guide and program resources. This Application Guide and program resources can be found on the BTA website at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/telecommunications-programs/b…. Additionally, program requirements can be found in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) available in the Federal Register at https://federalregister.gov/d/2024-13691
Special district governments
Independent school districts
Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
County governments
Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
City or township governments
Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Private institutions of higher education
Small businesses
For profit organizations other than small businesses
Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
State governments