Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program – Tribal Communities is a grant from the FCC that funds outreach efforts to connect Tribal community members with the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a federal benefit that helps low-income households pay for broadband service.

Authorized by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, this program addresses the digital divide by supporting organizations conducting education, enrollment assistance, and outreach in Tribal areas. Eligible applicants include Tribal designated housing entities, social service providers, education organizations, workforce development organizations, nonprofits, and community anchor institutions serving Tribal communities.

Funding amounts vary by project scope and community served.

Note: This Assistance Listing was not updated by the issuing agency in 2026. Please contact the issuing agency listed under "Contact Information" for more information. Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program Millions of low-income households experience difficulty paying for broadband service needed to participate in 21st Century society, including for work, education, healthcare, and civic engagement.

Addressing affordability is a critical component of closing the digital divide. On November 15, 2021, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Infrastructure Act) was enacted, providing $14. 2 billion for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).

The ACP plays an integral role in helping to bridge the digital divide, which is an ongoing top priority for Congress and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). To date, a significant number of qualifying households have not yet enrolled in the ACP.

Recognizing the importance of outreach to eligible households, Congress expressly authorized the FCC to conduct outreach to encourage households to enroll in the ACP, including providing grants to outreach partners. The FCC establishes the Outreach Grant Program to provide eligible entities grant funds to conduct outreach in support of the ACP.

Through this Outreach Grant Program, the FCC seeks to enlist partners around the country to help inform ACP-eligible households about the program in their local communities, and to provide those partners with the funding and resources needed to increase participation among those Americans most in need of affordable connectivity.

[This program is no longer making new awards; however, financial reporting on outstanding expenditures is still ongoing.] The Outreach Grant Program is comprised of four interconnected grant programs: Competitive Outreach Program; Tribal Competitive Outreach Program; Your Home, Your Internet Pilot Program; and ACP Navigator Pilot Program.

The Outreach Grant Program is one tool among a comprehensive set of measures authorized by the 2021 Infrastructure Act and implemented by the FCC to help bridge the digital divide and increase enrollment in the Affordable Connectivity Program. CONSUMER PROTECTION - DM lnformation and Educational Services 47 US Code 1752(b)(10)(c) The Infrastructure Act appropriates $14.

2 billion to the Commission “to establish an Affordable Connectivity Program, under which low-income households may receive a discount off the cost of broadband service and certain connected devices, and participating providers can receive a reimbursement for such discounts. ” Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Pub. L.

No. 117-58, 135 Stat. 429 (2021). It also permitted “…outreach authority including grant authority”.

_These funding amounts do not reflect the award amounts that are displayed on USASpending. gov_ **This listing is NOT funded for the current fiscal year. ** Prospective applicants should expect to submit the required standard forms as part of applying for any federal financial assistance as well as a project summary, detailed budget, and budget narrative supporting the budget.

Specifics on what should be captured as part of the application package will be outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). And specific application template(s) will be made available as part of the NOFO release. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program.

Local (includes State-designated lndian Tribes, excludes institutions of higher education and hospitals, Public nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), Federally Recognized lndian Tribal Governments, Private nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), Native American Organizations (includes lndian groups, cooperatives, corporations, partnerships, associations) Types of entities eligible to participate in the Outreach Grant Program include, but are not limited to: tribal governments and subdivisions thereof, as well as tribal organizations; state governments and subdivisions thereof; 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 intra-state or local government); public housing authorities; social service providers; education organizations such as schools and other institutions of higher education; workforce development training organizations; nonprofit organizations; community-based organizations; community anchor institutions; public service organizations; and consortia of listed entities.

Beneficiary eligibility is the same as applicant eligibility. Support from the ACP Outreach Grant Program will become available in FY 2023. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Grant recipients will have up to a 24 month period of performance to administer and closeout grant funds.

The Outreach Grant Program is comprised of four interconnected grant programs: Competitive Outreach Program; Tribal Competitive Outreach Program; Your Home, Your Internet Pilot Program; and ACP Navigator Pilot Program.

The Outreach Grant Program is one tool among a comprehensive set of measures authorized by the 2021 Infrastructure Act and implemented by the FCC to help bridge the digital divide and increase enrollment in the Affordable Connectivity Program. Specific deadlines for the competitive Outreach Grant Program will be specified in the NOFO. Preapplication coordination is not applicable.

Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E. O.

12372. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. To ensure compliance with the applicable federal statutes and regulations, as well as to appropriately gauge the impact of proposed projects against the Outreach Grant Program’s priorities, submitted applications will undergo compliance, merit, and risk assessment review processes.

The compliance review will assess whether application materials are complete and comply with NOFO eligibility requirements. Merit review will use review and scoring criteria, which will be outlined in the NOFO, to objectively evaluate an applicant’s outreach proposal for likely efficacy in meeting the grant program’s objectives.

Risk assessment review will examine an applicant’s fiscal stability and operational capability, including the risk associated with allowing the applicant to expend federal funds.

The FCC will make up to $80 million of competitive funding available under the Outreach Grant Program, which will include the following amounts for each program: Competitive Outreach Program ($60,000,000); Tribal Community Outreach Program ($10,000,000); Your Home, Your Internet Pilot Program ($5,000,000); and ACP Navigator Pilot Program ($5,000,000).

FCC will make funding determination within approximately 60 days following receipt of grant applications. Specific deadlines will be provided in the NOFO. Due to the competitive nature of the Outreach Grant Program, awards will be made at the discretion of the FCC following the application review and scoring criteria as outlined in the NOFO.

Therefore, appeals will not be considered.

The following 2CFR policy requirements apply to this assistance listing: Subpart B, General provisions Subpart C, Pre-Federal Award Requirements and Contents of Federal Awards Subpart D, Post Federal; Award Requirements Subpart E, Cost Principles Subpart F, Audit Requirements The following 2CFR policy requirements are excluded from coverage under this assistance listing: Additional Information: In accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements, nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $750,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year.

Non-Federal entities that expend less than $750,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR 200. 503. Per 2 CFR 200.

1, a Non-Federal entity means a State, local government, Indian tribe, Institution of Higher Education, or nonprofit organization that carries out a Federal award as a recipient or subrecipient. **Program Reports:**FCC will include reporting requirements and terms and conditions for award recipients in the NOFO. Additional audit requirements: Per 2 C.

F. R. § 200.

337, the FCC has the right, at all reasonable times, to make site visits or conduct desk reviews to review project accomplishments and management control systems to review award progress and to provide any required technical assistance. , Per 2 C. F.

R. § 200. 334, financial records, supporting documents, and all other non-Federal entity records pertinent to a Federal award must be retained for a period of three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report to FCC or pass-through entity in the case of a subrecipient.

The FCC and pass-through entities must not impose any other record retention requirements upon non-Federal entities. The record retention period may be longer than three years due to an audit, litigation, for equipment used beyond the period of performance or other circumstances outlined in 2 C. F.

R. § 200. 334.

Specific regulations and guidelines will be published in the NOFO, as well as other FCC Public Notices, forms, and announcements for the Program. Please see also FCC 22-64, which is the FCC’s Order establishing the ACP Outreach Grant Program. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Domestic Assistance Program that uses Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA): None.

Federal Communications Commission, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau. Federal Communications Commission, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program