Tips for State Broadband Offices Prepping for Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program Funding

The federal government is in the midst of distributing an unprecedented amount of broadband funding to states. In 2021 the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) created the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, which is poised to grant states a historic amount of funding totaling $42.45 billion in order to expand high-speed Internet access. To get the money, however, eligible states and territories in the US must submit initial planning funds applications ahead of the  August 15 deadline to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). At stake for each applicant is $5 million in initial planning funds. Ahead of the August 15 deadline, Government Technology spoke with stakeholders and experts to glean some key advice.