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Community Connect Grant Program

US USDA Rural Utilities Service (RUS) grant open #RDRUS-CC-2026
Response due Jun 29, 2026 · 00:00 UTC

Summary

The USDA Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is offering grants through the Community Connect Grant Program. This federal grant program is designed to fund broadband infrastructure deployment in rural communities that lack sufficient access to broadband service. The program aims to help rural areas achieve community connectivity by supporting the build-out of broadband networks that serve community anchor institutions and residents. The opportunity is posted on Grants.gov under number RDRUS-CC-2026.

What they want

The Community Connect Grant Program, administered by the USDA Rural Utilities Service, provides financial assistance to eligible applicants to fund broadband deployment projects in rural areas. Applicants are expected to deploy broadband service to all residential and business customers in a defined service area, as well as provide broadband service to community facilities (e.g., schools, libraries, medical facilities, public safety) at no cost for a period defined by program rules. Specific deliverables, matching requirements, and eligible costs are governed by program regulations (7 CFR Part 1739) and the published Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA).
Deliverables
  • Broadband service deployment to all residential and business customers within the proposed service area
  • Free broadband service to eligible community facilities (e.g., schools, libraries, medical centers, public safety) for a prescribed period
  • Buildout of broadband network infrastructure in rural underserved areas
Technical requirements
  • Broadband service must meet minimum speed thresholds as defined by the NOFA and 7 CFR Part 1739
  • Service area must be in a rural community lacking sufficient broadband access
  • Applicant must demonstrate technical and financial capability to complete the project

How they evaluate

Submission: Grants.gov electronic submission portal

Eligibility & certifications

SAM.gov registration required for federal grant applicantsGrants.gov account registration required for submission

Risks & flags

  • Extremely limited information provided in the synopsis — no funding amount, no eligibility criteria, no detailed requirements disclosed; prospective applicants must independently locate the full NOFA
  • No contacts listed, making pre-application engagement difficult
  • Short response window of approximately 47 days from open to close date

Market context

inferred from NAICS
Information (software, telecom, media)
NAICS 517311
US market size
$1.5T
Typical award
$50K – $50M
Typical buyers
DoDFCCall federal IT
Commonly required
FedRAMPCMMC L2

Sector-level estimate — full code lookup not yet in catalog.

Construction
NAICS 237130
US market size
$2.1T
Typical award
$50K – $200M+
Typical buyers
USACEGSA PBSStatesCities
Commonly required
GC licenseBondingOSHA 30

Sector-level estimate — full code lookup not yet in catalog.

Community Connect Grant Program
Due Jun 29
Onboard ↗