Beginning on June 21, counties can begin to submit applications for the National Telecommunication and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program. Enacted in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL/P.L. 117-58), the Middle Mile Grant Program provides $980 million in competitive grant funds to eligible entities to expand middle mile broadband infrastructure and reduce the cost of broadband deployment in unserved and underserved communities, as well as promote broadband connection resiliency through the creation of alternative network connection paths that are designed to prevent single points of failure on a network. The program allows for eligible entities, which includes counties, the industry sector and non-profits, to submit applications individually or in partnership with another eligible entity.

The middle mile is generally defined as any broadband infrastructure that does not connect directly to an end-user, and provides a backbone for local providers to build off the infrastructure and extend connectivity services to individual customers. Generally, the Middle Mile Grant Program expects to make awards to successful applicants within the range of $5 million to $100 million, and the grant program will carry a 70 percent federal cost share for eligible projects. The NTIA stipulates that grant funds have the following eligible uses:

• Construction, improvement, or acquisition of middle-mile broadband facilities and/or equipment
• Engineering design, permitting and work related to project reviews
• Personnel costs associated with middle-mile broadband projects, including salaries and benefits
• Additional costs related to and necessary for programmatic activities

In early May, NTIA published a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to help counties and other eligible entities prepare their applications. NTIA also published a Frequently Asked Questions resource about the program and hosted webinars to provide an overview of the Middle Mile program as well as technical assistance for its NOFO. NACo also hosted a webinar on NTIA’s notice of funding opportunities for all broadband programs funded under the BIL.

Middle Mile Grant Program applications must be received by NTIA no later than 11:59 p.m. EDT on September 30, 2022. Awards are expected to be selected and processed by February 2023 and the start date for awards is expected no earlier than March 2023.

NTIA’s Middle Mile Grant Program NOFO can be accessed here.

Counties can submit their application through the NTIA Application Portal using this link.