Department of Treasury

On May 29, 2026, the Office of Management and Budget proposes to revise the Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance. The proposals might be among the most consequential changes to federal grant administration in more than a decade, particularly in the breadth of its policy conditions.

There is a glimmer of hope that internet service providers that won state grants that were funded from the Capital Project Fund can get an extension of six months to complete grant construction. The Capital Project Fund was created by the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act and provided almost $10 billion to states and territories for making broadband-related grants. The program was administered by the Department of the Treasury, which gave block grants to States. Each State then made awards through State Broadband grant programs to ISPs.

The Maryland Office of Statewide Broadband is making up to approximately $11.8 million available through Connect Maryland’s Network Infrastructure Grant Program Round 2. This competitive funding opportunity, supported through the American Rescue Plan Act Capital Projects Fund, will support strategic middle-mile broadband infrastructure projects across Maryland. Funding will support projects that improve broadband transport capacity, interconnection, resiliency, redundancy, and long-term network scalability.

The Healey-Driscoll Administration and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s Massachusetts Broadband Institute announced the distribution of nearly 27,000 internet-enabled devices through the Connected and Online Program to improve quality of life for Massachusetts residents by providing access to essential services and resources online.

Paul Bunyan Communications has started construction on expanding its all-fiber optic network to over 600 more locations in Itasca and St. Louis County (MN) across five townships. This project includes areas south and west of the city of Cook including parts of the following townships: Alango, Carpenter, Field, Sturgeon, and an unorganized township east of Carpenter. The construction phase of the project is now underway and is expected to take up to three months.

Michigan's Realizing Opportunity with Broadband Infrastructure Networks (ROBIN) program supports service providers and public-private partnerships in expanding high-speed internet access to underserved areas across the state.  Construction activities are ramping up as weather becomes favorable again and subgrantees are preparing for a productive season ahead with the intention of completing ROBIN program construction in 2026.

As part of the American Rescue Plan Act, Congress allocated $350 billion to state, territorial, local, and Tribal governments across the country to support their response to and recovery from the COVID-19 public health emergency. Through the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) program, over 30,000 recipient governments across the country invested funds to address their unique needs, including broadband infrastructure.

State and local leaders joined ConnectLA in Woodworth (LA) to mark the completion of a broadband expansion project bringing high-speed internet access to hundreds of households and businesses in Rapides Parish. Provided by Optimum, the project connects 865 households and 68 businesses in areas that previously lacked dependable service.

Connect Humanity recently announced we are on track to become a Communicty Development Financial Institution. What does that mean, and why does it matter? The digital divide is a financing challenge not a technical one. 30 million Americans are still out of reach of broadband because their communities—typically rural communities, tribal lands, and low-income neighborhoods—don’t fit the risk-return profile traditional investors look for.

The Oregon Broadband Office is pleased to announce the awardees of the American Rescue Plan Act Capital Projects Fund Digital Connectivity Technology Program, distributing $6.8 million in grant funding to organizations across Oregon.