Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 appropriated $14.2 billion for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides qualifying low-income households discounts on broadband service and connected devices, and expressly authorizes the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) outreach for the ACP, including providing grants to outreach partners. The ACP plays an integral role in helping to bridge the digital divide, which is an ongoing priority for Congress, the FCC, and across the federal government.

Recognizing the importance of effective outreach to eligible households from trusted messengers to historically underserved communities, Congress authorized the FCC to establish the ACP Outreach Grant Program. The ACP Outreach Grant Program provides eligible governmental and non-governmental entities with the funding and resources needed to increase awareness of and participation in the ACP among those eligible households most in need of affordable connectivity.

Round Two Funding Opportunities

On May 25, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB) announced  Notices of Funding Opportunity for the National Competitive Outreach Program (NCOP) and Tribal Competitive Outreach Program (TCOP) . 

NCOP Round 2 Eligibility

Eligible Entities:

Only eligible governmental and non-governmental entities in the following States and Territories are eligible to apply for NCOP – Round 2 funding: American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Delaware, Guam, Idaho, Iowa, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming. Within these States and Territories, the following governmental and non-governmental entities may apply for NCOP funding:

• State or territory governments and subdivisions thereof;
• Local governments and subdivisions thereof;
• Public housing agencies;
• Social service providers;
• Education organizations;
• Workforce development training organizations;
• Non-profit organizations (501(c)(3) status is not required);
• Community-based organizations;
• Community-anchor institutions;
• Public service organizations; and
• A consortia of the entities listed above.

Other Eligible NCOP Entities: Nationally-based nonprofit organizations (i.e., those that have a national presence and are not registered [based on SAM registration status] and operating in the above listed States or Territories) may be deemed eligible to apply for NCOP funding if they meet one of the following conditions:

• Condition 1: Named sub-recipients that are located in and will be conducting ACP outreach and/or enrollment activities in at least three (3) or more of the following States/Territories: American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Delaware, Guam, Idaho, Iowa, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming; OR
• Condition 2: Demonstrate a meaningful multi-state, multi-faceted ACP outreach and enrollment grant strategy that covers seven (7) or more States, to include at least four (4) from the above States or Territories in an proportional manner.

There are no exceptions to the above-listed NCOP eligibility requirements, and submitted applications will only be reviewed if they meet the above eligibility requirements.

TCOP Round 2 Eligibility

Eligible Entities:

TCOP eligibility will be limited to governmental and non-governmental Tribal entities that will conduct ACP outreach and enrollment assistance to eligible households on qualifying Tribal Lands:

• Tribal governments and subdivisions thereof;
• Tribal designated housing entities;
• Tribal designated community-based organizations to include social service organizations;
• Tribal designated community anchor institutions;
• Tribal designated public service organizations; and
• Consortia of the entities listed above.

There are no exceptions to the above TCOP eligibility requirements, and submitted applications will only be reviewed if they meet the above-listed eligibility requirements.

Ineligible Entities

Grant recipients and sub-recipients that received funding under the initial ACP Outreach Grant Program funding opportunities (NCOP, TCOP, Your Home, Your Internet Outreach Grants, and ACP Navigator Pilot Program Outreach Grants) are ineligible to apply for and be considered for funding under the ACP Outreach Grant Program – NCOP Round 2 or TCOP Round 2.

In addition to any restrictions in 2 CFR Part 200, as implemented by 2 CFR 6000.1, broadband providers and their subsidiaries, affiliates, representatives, contractors, and agents are not eligible to participate in the ACP Outreach Grant Program – NCOP Round 2 or TCOP Round 2 or receive grant awards, either as grantees, pass-through entities, or subrecipients.

How to Prepare to Apply

Applying for a federal grant program is a multi-step process and requires time to complete. The FCC recommends getting started on registration requirements applicable to any entity that is interested in applying for federal grants. Full instructions and application templates are included in the NCOP and TCOP Round 2 NOFOs.

Follow the below instructions if you are eligible and interested in applying:

 Organizations need to complete the preliminary steps outlined here in sufficient time to ensure they do not impact their ability to meet the required application submission deadline. For this funding opportunity, the FCC requires applicants to submit their application through Grants.gov. To access application forms and instructions, go to https://www.grants.gov under Assistance Listing (CFDA) Number: 32.011 – Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program. By submitting an application, organizations agree to comply with the requirements of this NOFO.

A. Obtaining Employer Identification Number (EIN)

All entities applying for funding must provide an EIN. It will be required to register your organization in SAM.gov. If your organization doesn't have an EIN, one can be obtained from the IRS by visiting: Apply for an Employer Identification Number (EIN) Online | Internal Revenue Service (irs.gov).

B. SAM Registration

Applicants must have a Login.gov account in order to register with SAM or update their SAM registration. Login.gov provides a streamlined process with a single sign on for participating federal government agencies, eliminating the need to remember multiple usernames and passwords. Applicants can create a Login.gov account here: SAM Registration. Applicants only have to create a Login.gov account once.

Once a Login.gov account is created, applicants can begin the SAM registration process which can take up to four weeks to complete. To ensure an application meets the deadline, applicants are advised to start the required steps well in advance of their submission. Specific instructions on how to apply for, update, or verify a SAM registration, are available at SAM.gov Home. Applicants are advised that the FCC may not accept applications or make a federal award until the applicant has complied with all applicable SAM requirements. An applicant's SAM registration must be active throughout the entire application process, that is not only at the time of application, but also during the application review period, when the FCC is ready to make a funding announcement and issue a Notice of Award.

If an applicant's SAM registration is expired at the time of application submission, expires during application review, or expires any other time before award, the FCC may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a federal award to another applicant. Due to the competitive nature of the ACP Outreach Grant Program, the FCC will not reach out to entities with expired SAM registration prior to making a federal award to another applicant. Further, a recipient's SAM registration must remain active, and its information current, for the duration of an active federal award.

After registering with SAM.gov, applicants will be issued a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). All entities applying for funding must have a UEI number and enter it in the applicable data entry field on the applicable Application Template and application form (SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance).

For more detailed instructions on registering with SAM, refer to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-withsam.html.

Help with SAM: The SAM quick start guide for new recipient registration and SAM video tutorial for new applicants are tools created by the General Services Administration to assist those registering with SAM. If applicants have questions or concerns about a SAM registration, please contact the Federal Support Desk at GSAFSD Service Portal Landing – GSA Federal Service Desk Service Portal or call toll free (866) 606- 8220.

C. Grants.gov Registration Information

• Creating a Grants.gov Account: The next step in the registration process is to create an account with Grants.gov. Applicants must know their organization's UEI number to complete this process. For more information, follow the on-screen instructions or refer to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html.
• Adding an Organization Profile to a Grants.gov Account:A profile in Grants.gov corresponds to a single applicant organization the user represents (i.e., an applicant). If you work for or consult with multiple organizations and have a profile for each, you may log in to one Grants.gov account to access all your grant applications. To add an organizational profile to your Grants.gov account, enter the UEI number for the organization in the UEI field while adding a profile. For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/add-profile.html.
• Assigning User Roles: After adding an Organization Profile, the applicant's request for Grants.gov roles and access will be sent to their Ebiz point of contact (as entered into the organization's SAM.gov account). The Ebiz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and authorize the appropriate roles, which will include a Workspace Manager (WM) and authorized organization representative (AOR), thereby giving your organization permission to complete and submit applications. Organizations will be able to submit applications online any time during the application submission window after they have assigned the AOR role. Applicants must ensure key points of contact assigned to various roles on Grants.gov are active personnel within their organization and available and able to complete key functions when required, such as submitting a grant application on behalf of the organization. Applicants are reminded that assigning key roles can take time and requires verification; as such, applicants are strongly encouraged to establish and verify roles weeks prior to the application submission deadline to avoid access and role issues. Applicants are also strongly encouraged to designate multiple individuals within their organization with key roles. For more detailed instructions about authorizing profile roles on Grants.gov, refer to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/authorize-roles.html.

Help with Grants.gov: Grants.gov provides applicants 24/7 support via the toll-free number 1-800-518-4726 and email at support@grants.gov. For questions related to 32.011 – Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program, contact the number listed in the application package of the grant to which you are applying. If you are experiencing difficulties with your submission, it is best to call the Grants.gov Support Center and get a ticket number. The Support Center ticket number will assist the FCC with tracking your issue and understanding background information on the issue.

D. FCC Registration Number (FRN)

In order to apply for NCOP or TCOP, applicants are required to register for an FRN, using the Commission Registration System (CORES).  This unique 10-digit FRN is used to identify the registrant's business dealings with the FCC.  Applicants must enter their FRN as part of completing the NCOP or TCOP Application Template. FRN is only required for applicants; sub-recipients will not be required to register and obtain an FRN.

To register with CORES, please use the following link: https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/userLogin.do.  The first step to setting up an account in CORES is creating a username and account in the FCC User Registration System using the following link: https://apps2.fcc.gov/fccUserReg/pages/login.htm.  Before the account is activated, the user will receive an automated email titled "FCC Account Request Verification" and must verify its account email address as prompted.  Once the user is logged in to CORES, the user should select the "Register New FRN" or "Associate Username to FRN" option as applicable from the menu options that appear and provide the information as prompted by CORES.  Users will need to provide their taxpayer identification number or TIN to register.  The TIN is a nine-digit number that the IRS requires of all individuals, businesses, and other employers to identify their tax accounts with the IRS.  Once the user provides the information required in CORES and clicks "Submit," CORES will generate a new FRN or associate the user's existing FRN with its account.

Program Goal and Objectives

The Goal and Objectives for the ACP Outreach Grant Program are as follows:

• The goal of the ACP Outreach Grant Program is to facilitate the promotion of the ACP and increase awareness of and participation in the ACP among eligible households.
• To support the ACP Outreach Grant Program goal, the FCC identified three objectives:
  • Expand and support diverse and impactful outreach efforts nationwide;
  • Strengthen outreach partners nationwide by empowering them to mobilize people and organizations to help raise awareness about the ACP; and
  • Increase ACP enrollment as a result of ACP Outreach Grant Program funded activities.

Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program – Pilot Program Grants

On Wednesday, March 15, 2023, the FCC announced target funding allocations for 32 applicants selected to receive grant funding through the ACP Pilot Program Grants.

The announcement on March 15 included information regarding grants for the two pilot programs:

• Your Home, Your Internet (YHYI): 23 applicants selected to receive grant funding with a combined funding total of $4,995,831
• The ACP Navigators Pilot Program (NPP): 9 applicants selected to receive grant funding with a combined funding total of $2,449,311

The FCC's Wireline Competition Bureau announced April 6, 2023 the full list of participants, confirming the 32 grant-funded participants announced on March 15, and two additional entities that will participate without grant funding.

The Pilot Programs have a one-year (12 month) duration and performance period. These programs will test the use of navigators with access to the National Verifier to help households enroll and submit ACP applications to help eligible households overcome enrollment barriers. The Your Home, Your Internet Pilot has a particular focus on recipients of federal housing assistance.

• Learn more about ACP Pilot Programs