U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Under Secretary Dr. Basil Gooden announced USDA is accepting applications until May 21, 2024, for funding under the ReConnect Program.

This is the fifth round of funding under the program, which provides loans and grants to bring high-speed internet to the most remote and difficult-to-serve rural and Tribal communities in America.

A total of $700 million is available under four funding categories:

• Up to $200 million is available for loans.
• Up to $200 million is available for loan/grant combinations.
• Up to $150 million is available for grants.
• Up to $150 million is available for grants serving Alaska Native corporations, Tribal governments, colonias, persistent poverty areas and socially vulnerable communities.

USDA is making several program improvements for this round of funding. For instance:

• USDA will award priority points to applications proposing to serve areas in states with
  the highest concentrations of Unserved Broadband Serviceable Locations (UBSLs).
• Organizations, including Tribes, that can meet robust financial tests will have increased
  ability to streamline the required elements in a ReConnect application.
• At least 90% of households within a proposed service area must lack sufficient access to high-speed internet, which is now defined as fixed, terrestrial high-speed internet speeds of 25 megabits per second (Mbps) download and 3 Mbps upload.

Applications must be submitted electronically through the application system at usda.gov/reconnect by 11:59 a.m. ET on May 21, 2024.

More information is available in the Federal Register and on Grants.gov.

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