Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority Accepting Applications for Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program

The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority is accepting applications for the Pennsylvania Broadband Infrastructure Program, which will provide $200 million in funding to businesses, nonprofits, local governments, and economic development organizations.

The Pennsylvania Broadband Infrastructure Program, funded through the Capital Projects Fund, will fund line extension and development projects, as well as large-scale regional infrastructure projects. Upon completion, projects must deliver service that meets or exceeds symmetrical download and upload speeds of 100 Megabits per second, with prioritization being given to fiber-optic deployment. Projects must include a viable sustainability strategy to maintain, repair, and upgrade networks to ensure their continued operation.

The application deadline is July 10, and the guidelines are posted on the Authority’s website at https://dced.pa.gov/programs-funding/broadband-in-pennsylvania/pennsylvania-broadband-development-authority.

Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority Executive Director Brandon Carson said, “This is the first grant program the Authority is offering, and we look forward to seeing the impact it makes as we work to close the Commonwealth’s digital divide.”

The Authority expects to award grants by the end of 2023. Funded projects must reach substantial completion, defined as services being delivered to end users, by December 31, 2026. The program will be administered in accordance with U.S. Treasury guidelines and Act 96 of 2021.