White House Announces Critical BEAD Funding Allocations

Dear Colleagues,

Today, President Biden announced the state funding allocations for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. 

President Biden speaks at the White House to announce state funding allocations from the $42.45 billion BEAD Program. 

BEAD provides $42.45 Billion in funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to expand access to high speed internet in America’s under- and unserved communities and neighborhoods. This announcement follows the release of the updated FCC National Broadband Map based on refinements made through the Location Challenge process since the map’s initial release in November of last year. The most recent version updated the service availability for 3 million locations, including the identification of 330,000 completely unserved locations. It is important to note that the FCC Map’s Location Challenge process will remain ongoing and the map’s continued updates will guide how state’s deploy their allocated funds.  

Since the BEAD NOFO was released in May of 2022, AFA has repeatedly urged mayors and local leaders to direct staff to closely coordinate with their state broadband offices, ensuring their local communities’ connectivity gaps and broadband priorities are represented in statewide implementation plans. Now that funding allocations have been announced, each state and territory will have six months to submit those initial plans for approval in order to receive the first 20% of their allocation and begin implementation. NTIA will begin accepting state submissions on July 1, 2023. 

“This is a watershed moment for millions of people across America who lack access to a high-speed Internet connection. Access to Internet service is necessary for work, education, healthcare, and more… States can now plan their Internet access grant programs with confidence and engage with communities to ensure this money is spent where it is most needed.”

– Alan Davidson, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communication and Information 

The BEAD Program is managed by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) within the US Department of Commerce.  

Mary Ellen Wiederwohl
President & CEO
Accelerator for America