Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Community Connect Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2023
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Issuing agencies
Abstract
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS or the Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), published a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) in the Federal Register on March 20, 2023, to announce the acceptance of applications under the Community Connect Grant (CCG) program for Fiscal Year 2023. The NOFO also announced the availability of approximately $79 million for FY 2023 that would be made available to eligible applicants to construct broadband networks that provide service on a community-oriented connectivity basis in rural areas. This correction notice is amending the definition of an Eligible Service Area and announcing an extension of the application window until February 20, 2024. Existing and new applicants should refer to the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice for additional guidelines on being considered for funding under this opportunity and the public notice requirement that applies.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 242 (Tuesday, December 19, 2023)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 242 (Tuesday, December 19, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 87750-87751]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-27813]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
[Docket #: RUS-22-TELECOM-0058]
Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Community Connect Grant
Program for Fiscal Year 2023
AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice, correction, and extension of application window.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS or the Agency), a Rural
Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA), published a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) in the Federal
Register on March 20, 2023, to announce the acceptance of applications
under the Community Connect Grant (CCG) program for Fiscal Year 2023.
The NOFO also announced the availability of approximately $79 million
for FY 2023 that would be made available to eligible applicants to
construct broadband networks that provide
[[Page 87751]]
service on a community-oriented connectivity basis in rural areas. This
correction notice is amending the definition of an Eligible Service
Area and announcing an extension of the application window until
February 20, 2024. Existing and new applicants should refer to the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice for additional
guidelines on being considered for funding under this opportunity and
the public notice requirement that applies.
DATES: The changes in this correction notice are effective December 19,
2023. Completed applications for grants must be submitted
electronically by no later than 11:59 a.m. Eastern Time (ET), February
20, 2024.
ADDRESSES: All applications must be submitted electronically at:
<a href="https://www.rd.usda.gov/community-connect">https://www.rd.usda.gov/community-connect</a>. This correction to the
funding opportunity will also be posted to <a href="https://www.grants.gov">https://www.grants.gov</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Randall Millhiser at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e99b88878d888585c78480858581809a8c9ba99c9a8d88c78e869f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6012010e04010c0c4e0d090c0c080913051220151304014e070f16">[email protected]</span></a>, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of
Loan Origination and Approval, RUS, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
1400 Independence Avenue SW, Mail Stop 1590, Room 4121-S, Washington,
DC 20250-1590, or call (202) 578-6926.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority: The CCG program is authorized under the Rural
Electrification Act of 1936 (RE Act) and implemented by 7 CFR part
1739.
Application Submission: Existing applicants that submitted an
application under the original application window will need to review
their application to determine if the submission remains eligible as a
result of the change made to an eligible Proposed Funded Service Area
in this notice. If the application is still eligible or is adjusted to
become eligible, applicants must resubmit their application under this
new window to be considered for funding. New applicants that meet the
eligibility requirements of 7 CFR 1739 and the NOFO as amended by this
notice may also submit an application for consideration.
Public Notice Requirement: The Public Notice requirement applies to
all submitted applications. Once the application window closes, the
Agency will publish a public notice of each application in accordance
with 7 CFR 1739.15(l).
Corrections
In FR Doc. 2023-05549 of March 30, 2023 (88 FR 16579),
1. Column 3, page 16579, revise the DATE section to read as
follows:
DATES: Completed applications for grants must be submitted
electronically by no later than 11:59 a.m. Eastern Time (ET), February
20, 2024.
2. Column 3, page 16580, under Section C.3(a), Other, revise
subparagraph (i) in its entirety and the first sentence of subparagraph
(iv) to read as follows:
(i) RUS will validate that broadband service does not exist in
areas that applicants describe as having no broadband access or access
that is less than 10 Megabits per second (Mbps) downstream plus 1 Mbps
upstream.
* * * * *
(iv) Areas receiving, or areas that have received final approval
for, other federal funding to construct terrestrial facilities
providing at least 10/1 Mbps service in the project Proposed Funded
Service Area as of the date of this notice, and which have been
reported to the agency, are ineligible. * * *
Andrew Berke,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service, USDA Rural Development.
[FR Doc. 2023-27813 Filed 12-18-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.