Broadband Access Grant

Digital connectivity is integral to everyday life and necessary for community participation, employment, lifelong learning, and access to essential services. An important requirement of the Broadband Access Grant is for internet service providers to offer low-cost, high-speed, affordable options.

The Broadband Access Grant program, administered by the Utah Broadband Center, offsets capital expenses in deploying “last-mile broadband” in unserved rural and underserved economically distressed areas.

Last-mile infrastructure is broadband that serves as the final leg connecting the broadband service provider’s network to the end-user customer’s on-premises telecommunications or internet equipment.

Grant funds will go to areas unlikely to receive broadband service without grant funding. The federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) has set aside $10 million for this grant.

Please review the Utah Broadband Access Grant Program Terms and Conditions to learn more about the grant.

Update: Grant Progress

Grant Awards Announcement

2022 Grant Awardees

Map of Proposed Projects

Qualifications

Eligible applicants:

Telecommunications providers or internet service providers
Public-private partnerships: local government entities and one or more private entities established to expand affordable broadband access in the state
Tribal governments

Applicants can be awarded up to $7.5 million in grant funds. A match of at least 25% of the money needed to complete the project is required. Applicants will be mandated to engage with the community and provide higher-speed, scalable, affordable broadband.

Required Documentation & Information

Required application documents and other important information includes:

W-9
File map showing proposed service area (in .shp, .kml, or .kmz format)
Project scope of work
Project budget
Resolution from the local governing body in support of the project and the minutes that support the resolution
Show how the project is scalable and makes the greatest investment in last-mile connections
Number of users and current speeds available in the proposed area
Proof of applicant’s ability to fund the match and the project prior to reimbursement
Projected
- Speeds
- Pricing
- Data usage caps

Apply

Please read the Broadband Access Grant Program Terms and Conditions before applying.

If you are new to Go Utah opportunities, please complete the New Portal User Request Form to receive login credentials. This process takes about 24 hours.

If you already have login credentials, you can access the Go Utah Portal by clicking on the Apply Now button, where you’ll find the application.

The application is now closed.

The challenge form is currently closed.

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The Broadband Access Grant provides the opportunity for an existing broadband service provider in or proximate to the proposed project area to challenge any grant application for three weeks following the posting of the applications. The existing broadband service provider may submit a written challenge with supporting documentation identifying the criteria the application does not meet and providing a basis for the challenge including the following:

Evidence the provider, or incumbent, currently provides or has begun construction to provide broadband service to the proposed project area at speeds that meet or exceed the state speed goal of at least 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload with a latency of less than 100 milliseconds, and a packet loss of less than 2 percent
If construction has begun, the provider commits to complete construction and provide broadband service in the proposed project area at speeds equal to or greater than the minimum state speed goal no later than 18 months after the date grant awards are made for the grant cycle under which the application was submitted, or
Evidence, provided by the provider or incumbent, showing the impact of planned builds.

Evidence, such as that described above, will be evaluated, and if found credible, then the Utah Broadband Center may choose not to grant the application or may revoke a grant award. Decisions will depend on the certainty of any builds as demonstrated by the supporting documentation and timeline for expansion. The Utah Broadband Center reserves the right to award a grant to an applicant that proposes to provide significant improvement to a challenged area that is meeting only minimum service requirements.

Upon receiving notice that the Utah Broadband Center has received a challenge, applicants may, within three (3) business days:

Submit a response to the challenge containing specific evidence showing that the applicant meets the challenged criteria;
Modify the application to meet the criteria; or
Withdraw their application.

Upon review of the application, the challenge, the applicant's response, and any additional information requested or provided to the Utah Broadband Center, the Office shall approve or deny the application. If approved, the contract will be sent to the awardee for review and signature.