New York opens applications for $644M in broadband funding

New York has opened the application period for nearly $644 million in funding for projects to expand access to broadband across the state.Applications are due by May 5.The funding will be available through the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program and distributed by New York’s ConnectALL office. New York’s Request for Applications (RFA)is based on the state’s Volume II BEAD Proposal, which has been approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).The state’s scoring phase will have three elements:

• A grant area determination process to ensure subgrantees apply in appropriate geographic areas.
• Receipt of applications during which applicants will submit their proposed projects.
• A negotiation phase in which the ConnectALL office will engage with applicants to reach final project boundaries and costs.

New York’s deadlines are tentative and depend on action by the NTIA, which is managing the BEAD process nationally, the state said.Through ConnectALL, the state plans to mobilize more than $1 billion in public investments to expand broadband access to New Yorkers in rural and underserved areas.According to the state’s BEAD proposal, five grant programs provide a framework for ConnectALL’s signature public investments:

• A statewide digital equity plan and grant program to support internet access and digital literacy for New Yorkers.
• A rural broadband grant program for areas that lack broadband infrastructure.
• A local connectivity planning and municipal infrastructure grant program for municipalities, nonprofits and other entities to construct open and accessible public broadband infrastructure.
• An affordable housing connectivity grant program, which would be a partnership with New York Homes and Community Renewal to retrofit affordable housing with broadband installations as part of the agency’s overall housing plan.
• A program to develop creative broadband solutions and ensure New York is a global leader in pioneering future breakthroughs.

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