NTIA Limits Community Anchor Institution BEAD Eligibility

What is a community anchor institution? The National Telecommunications and Information Administration recently changed its answer to this question. The change will affect which locations nationwide are eligible for a new or upgraded gigabit speed (1000 Mbps upload and download) internet connection through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program. NTIA’s June 6 BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice included a direction to states to revise lists of community anchor institutions to follow a “narrow interpretation” of the term Community Support Organization. The original BEAD Program Notice of Funding Opportunity had allowed states some flexibility, extending to them the option to propose additional types of institutions to be treated as CAIs, following the language about CSOs. At least 45 states had proposed additional types of CAIs, either by delineating criteria, naming an organization type (e.g., senior center, job training center), or doing both in their BEAD Initial Proposal Volume 1 documents approved by NTIA. On July 15, an FAQ document issued by NTIA redefined “community support organization” and created new questions for States.