ConneCTed Communities Grant Program
Program Description
ConneCTed Communities is a competitive grant program that will fund the construction and deployment of broadband infrastructure designed to support the goal of universal access to affordable, resilient, and reliable broadband. DEEP is seeking applications for grant funding to facilitate low-income and multi-family curb-to-home and business broadband infrastructure buildout in underserved areas that will result in service at speeds of at least 100 Mbps/100 Mbps. All projects funded through this program must reach substantial completion within twenty-four (24) months of the award or before December 31, 2026, whichever occurs earlier.
Application deadline extended to May 14, 2024. See schedule below for details.
Application Package:
Application Portal Instructions and Upload Checklist
Project Schedule Template
Project Budget Template
Nonstandard Installation Costs Template
Location Data Submission Template
Awardee Sample Contract Template
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, but not limited to:
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Delivery of end-to-end fiber optic infrastructure
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Delivery of 1Gbps/100 Mbps speeds, or scalability to deliver 1Gbps/100 Mbps
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A commitment to service quality and affordable service plans offerings
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A higher contribution of matching funds, with some exceptions
Funding Amount
Up to $40.8 million may be utilized for the ConneCTed Communities Grant Program. The Program is supported using funds allocated by the Connecticut General Assembly through the Capital Projects Fund (CPF) of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
Who Can Apply
Applicants must be eligible to receive Capital Projects Funds. Eligible entities that can apply for grants from the Program include:
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Government entities: Tribal governments; local units of government (e.g., municipalities, counties, and other political subdivisions); State and local agencies
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Private for-profit entities: Commercial service providers (established or new entrants)
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Non-profit entities: Community organizations; institutes of higher education; etc.
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Other: Co-operatives, mutual organizations, utilities
Applicant Webinar
An applicant webinar was held on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. EST. See the Agenda , Notice and Recording.
Applicant Conference
An applicant conference will be held on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. EST. To register for the webinar, click here.
Important Dates
The deadline to submit applications has been extended. See the full announcement here.
Applicants that submitted an application on or before DEEP’s original RFA deadline, April 30, 2024, will have the opportunity to revise or amend their previously submitted application. Any such revisions or amendments will replace the previously submitted application, which shall be clearly identified by the applicant.
Completed applications and attachments must be submitted by Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. EST.
| Application Release Date | Friday March 1, 2024 |
| Applicant Webinar | Wednesday March 20, 2024 |
| Submission of Questions Deadline | Friday May 3, 2024 |
| DEEP Responses to Questions Published | Tuesday May 7, 2024 |
| Application Deadline |
Tuesday May 14, 2024 |
| Award Announcements | Friday June 28, 2024 |
| Award Acceptance Deadline |
Sunday July 28, 2024 |
Resources
- ConneCTed Communities Grant Program FAQ (updated 5/3/24)
- Additional ConneCTed Communities Grant Program FAQ (5/7/2024)
- Capital Projects Fund Guidance for States, Territories, and Freely Associated States
- CPF Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) from U.S. Treasury
Contact