States Have the Broadband Money. Now They're Funding the Workers — Inside the $25M Texas Program, New Mexico's Free Academy, and Ohio's RAPIDS Pivot

BEAD put tens of billions into the ground, but there aren't enough fiber technicians to install it. In 2026, states are opening a second funding stream — workforce grants for community colleges, nonprofits, and training providers. Here is where the money is, who can win it, and how to position a broadband-training proposal.