WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that it has awarded 18 additional grants as part of the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP). These new grants – totaling $224,479,717 – bring the total of the program to $1.5 billion awarded to 112 tribal entities.
With funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, these grants will expand high-speed internet network deployment and digital skills training to improve access to education, jobs, and health care on tribal lands.
Tribes in 11 states received grants including Alaska, Arizona, California, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, South Dakota, and Virginia.
“This Native American Heritage Month, our Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program is continuing its historic investment in Native communities to ensure reliable, affordable high-speed internet for all,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “These grants – made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – highlight the Biden administration’s unprecedented commitment to close the digital divide in Native communities.”
These awards are part of the Biden Administration’s commitment to nation-to-nation engagement and an effort to connect everyone in America, including Native Americans and Alaskan Natives, to affordable, reliable, high-speed internet.
The projects funded by these awards will directly connect 21,468 unserved Native American households that previously had no connectivity to high-speed internet, as well as businesses and anchor institutions. Additionally, the 18 grants will create 137 new jobs.
The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program is a nearly $3 billion grant program and part of the Biden-Harris administration’s Internet for All Initiative. The funds are made available from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law ($2 billion) and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 ($980 million). Additional grants will be announced on a rolling basis. In total, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes $65 billion to provide affordable, reliable, high-speed internet across the country.
A Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for $1 billion in funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be announced in the coming months. NTIA held three tribal consultations with tribal leaders to solicit their input on the NOFO.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes a historic $65 billion investment to expand affordable and reliable high-speed internet access in communities across the U.S. NTIA recently launched a series of new high-speed internet grant programs funded by the law that will build high-speed internet infrastructure across the country, create more low-cost high-speed internet service options, and address the digital equity and inclusion needs in our communities.
Additionally, the Federal Communications Commission’s Affordable Connectivity Program provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying tribal lands.
| Applicant | Location | Type of Project | Funding Amount | Brief Description |
| Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska | AK | Broadband Infrastructure Deployment | $49,899,103.51 | The Broadband Infrastructure Deployment project proposes to install fixed wireless and deploy Low-Earth Orbiting Satellite-enabled service to directly connect 14,032 unserved Native American households with qualifying broadband service of no less than 25/3 Mbps for all with options up to 100 Mbps symmetrical speeds, where available. |
| Kenaitze Indian Tribe (IRA) | AK | Broadband Infrastructure Deployment | $7,000,000.00 | The Broadband Infrastructure Deployment project proposes to install fiber directly connecting 1,055 unserved Native American households of which 45% are below the 150% poverty line with qualifying broadband service at speeds up to 336/36 Mbps |
| Metlakatla Power and Light | AK | Broadband Infrastructure Deployment | $10,471,447.00 | The Broadband Infrastructure Deployment project proposes to install fiber directly connecting 586 unserved Native American households, as well as businesses and government entities, with fiber to the home service of 1 Gbps symmetrical. |
| NANA Regional Corporation, Inc. | AK | Broadband Infrastructure Deployment | $68,479,799.00 | The Broadband Infrastructure Deployment project proposes to install fiber directly connecting 1,379 unserved Native American households, 451 businesses, and 212 anchor institutions, such as libraries and schools, with 1 Gbps symmetrical service. |
| Cocopah Indian Tribe | AZ | Broadband Infrastructure Deployment | $5,214,719.67 | The Broadband Infrastructure Deployment project proposes to install fiber directly connecting 210 unserved Native American households with qualifying broadband service of at least 25/3 Mbps. |
| Havasupai Tribe of the Havasupai Reservation, Arizona | AZ | Broadband Infrastructure Deployment | $7,077,145.00 | The Havasupai Tribe of the Havasupai Reservation, Arizona, will connect 102 Native American households, 33 anchor institutions and 1 tribal business. The project consists of the deployment of a wireless broadband network composed of three access sites operating in the 2.5Ghz EBS spectrum and a fiber route spanning up to 140 kilometers. Broadband services of 50/10 and 100/20 will be offered, meeting and exceeding the minimum required speed of 25/3. |
| Big Sandy Rancheria Band of Western Mono Indians | CA | Broadband Infrastructure Deployment | $1,125,675.59 | The Broadband Infrastructure Deployment project proposes to install fiber to directly connect 46 unserved Native American households and 6 unserved Native American community anchor institutions with 100 Mbps/20 Mbps qualifying broadband service. |
| Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians | CA | Broadband Infrastructure Deployment | $951,684.00 | The Broadband Infrastructure Deployment project proposes to install an FTTP deployment. Fiber will be deployed to directly connect 90 unserved Native American households and unserved Native American businesses and community anchor institutions with qualifying broadband with symmetrical 100 Mbps service. |
| Susanville Indian Rancheria | CA | Broadband Infrastructure Deployment | $612,604.00 | The Broadband Infrastructure Deployment project proposes to install a Microwave Base Station Tower and provide 1 Gbps symmetrical fixed wireless service connecting 300 unserved Native American households plus the SIR Educational Resource Center and Library, the Lassen Indian Health Center, and the Tribal Administration and Education building with qualifying broadband. |
| Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa | IA | Broadband Infrastructure Deployment | $424,652.29 | The Broadband Infrastructure Deployment project proposes to replace hardware in tribal homes in order to take advantage of existing fiber. Additionally, the project intends to establish a workforce development program that will train individuals to having a working knowledge of installing and troubleshooting internet fiber. |
| Lower Sioux Indian Community in the State of Minnesota | MN | Broadband Infrastructure Deployment | $1,995,787.00 | The Broadband Infrastructure Deployment project proposes to install fiber directly connecting 47 unserved Native American households, 3 businesses, and 13 community anchor institutions with fiber to home qualifying broadband service at speeds up to 10 Gbps symmetrical. |
| Northern Cheyenne Tribe | MT | Broadband Infrastructure Deployment | $52,870,390.74 | The Broadband Infrastructure Deployment project proposes to install fiber directly connecting 1,730 unserved Native American households with qualifying broadband service of 10 Gbps symmetrical speeds. |
| Pueblo of Zia | NM | Broadband Infrastructure Deployment | $4,695,868.82 | The Broadband Infrastructure Deployment project proposes to install fiber to directly connect 228 unserved Native American households and 13 unserved community anchor institutions with qualifying broadband service with up to 1 Gbps symmetrical speeds. |
| Ely Shoshone Tribe | NV | Broadband Infrastructure Deployment | $788,001.00 | The Broadband Infrastructure Deployment project proposes to install a 96-strandfiber network to include service drops, strand and lash aerial fiber, and FTTH, directly connecting 118 unserved Native American households, the Tribal Library, and the Tribal Healthcare Clinic with between 50 Mbps and 1 Gbps symmetrical service. |
| Haudenosaunee Environmental Task Force | NY | Broadband Infrastructure Deployment | $1,500,000.00 | The Broadband Infrastructure Deployment project proposes to install fiber to directly connect 440 unserved Native American households and 2 unserved Native American community anchor institutions with broadband service between 200/10 Mbps and 1000/500 Mbps. |
| Shinnecock Indian Nation | NY | Broadband Infrastructure Deployment | $8,197,449.36 | The Broadband Infrastructure Deployment project proposes to install fiber directly connecting 301 unserved Native American households and 60 near-territory households, government buildings, and anchor institutions providing 536 Native American-enrolled members with broadband at a base level of 50/10 Mbps and a top level of 1000/1000 Mbps services. |
| Lower Brule Sioux Tribe | SD | Broadband Infrastructure Deployment | $2,675,390.85 | The Broadband Infrastructure Deployment project proposes to install wireless LTE services directly connecting 455 unserved Native American households and about 30 anchor institutions, such as the library, youth programs, and health programs, with qualifying wireless broadband service up to 400/100 Mbps. |
| Pamunkey Indian Tribe | VA | Broadband Infrastructure Deployment | $500,000.00 | The Broadband Infrastructure Deployment project proposes to install fiber to home to directly connect 48 tribal homes and 9 community anchor institutions with 1 Gbps/1 Gbps fiber service. |