NTIA Announces Tribal Broadband Program Changes

The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced that it is working on reforms across its Tribal broadband programs to reduce red tape for Tribal governments, promote flexibility, and align NTIA’s grant opportunities to better serve Tribal connectivity. Specifically, these reforms will streamline the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program and the native entity set-aside from the Digital Equity Act through a new Notice of Funding Opportunity to support Tribal broadband access.  NTIA intends to launch the new NOFO in Spring 2026 and will make available any remaining tribal broadband funding (estimated to be at least $500 million).  NTIA will continue to award equitable distribution grants, but all further infrastructure and use and adoption grants will be awarded under the Trump Administration’s new rules. NTIA will also soon be announcing a formal Tribal Consultation to allow Tribal governments to provide input on the next funding round.