1.15 BILLION IS AVAILABLE THROUGH USDA'S RECONNECT PROGRAM
Goochland, Va., Oct. 26, 2021 – U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small joined U.S. Rep Abigail community leaders and Virginia telecommunications officials in Goochland County on Monday to announce that $1.15 billion is available in broadband funding for rural communities through the USDA ReConnect Program. They also discussed ongoing efforts to expand broadband internet access in Central Virginia and across the Commonwealth.
“Every student deserves to be able to do their homework from home; every small business owner deserves the tools necessary to compete in a world-wide marketplace; and every person, whether in a skyscraper or at the end of a dirt road, needs public safety and emergency information quickly and reliably,” said USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small. “Thanks to Congresswoman Spanberger, and Under the leadership of President Biden, Vice President Harris and Agriculture Secretary Vilsack, Rural Development is making up to $1.15 billion available through the ReConnect Program to expand high-speed broadband infrastructure for people who live in communities just like Goochland across the country.”
The Roundtable was attended by state and local leaders County and state officials, along with representatives from area electric cooperatives and Virginia farm organizations.
On November 24, USDA will begin accepting applications for up to $1.15 billion in loans and grants to expand the availability of broadband in rural areas. USDA is making the funding available through the ReConnect Program.
To be eligible for ReConnect Program funding, an applicant must serve an area without broadband service at speeds of 100 megabits per second (Mbps) (download) and 20 Mbps (upload) and commit to building facilities capable of providing broadband service at speeds of 100 Mbps (download and upload) to every location in its proposed service area. In making funding decisions, USDA will prioritize projects that will serve low-density rural areas with locations lacking internet access services at speeds of at least 25 Mbps (download) and 3 Mbps (upload). In making funding decisions, the USDA will also consider, among other things, the economic needs of the community to be served; the extent to which a provider will offer affordable service options; a project’s commitment to strong labor standards; and whether a project is serving tribal lands or is submitted by a local government, Tribal Government, non-profit or cooperative.
USDA has simplified the application process and has expanded the program significantly. For example, ReConnect will now offer 100 percent grants for certain projects on tribal lands and in socially vulnerable communities.
The Department plans to make available up to $200 million in ReConnect Program loans, up to $250 million in loan/grant combinations, up to $350 million in grants with a 25 percent matching requirement, and up to $350 million in grants with no matching requirement for projects in tribal and socially vulnerable communities.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs, and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, Tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.