The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) opened its first round of applications for $1.16 billion in federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grants to provide high-speed broadband access to unserved and underserved Pennsylvanians at affordable rates. Applications will be accepted until January 21, 2025.  

Local governments, public and private utilities, public utility districts, internet service providers, public-private partnerships, and cooperative organizations may apply and townships may partner with applicants. Funds can be used to install broadband infrastructure, long-term leases, software upgrades, personnel costs, planning, design, and engineering. A minimum 25% in matching funds is required for the total project cost. 

Per federal rules, a second application period will be held in 2025 and then all applications will be evaluated, proposals will be open for public comment, before submitting the finalists to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for final review. PBDA plans to announce final awards later next year after acceptance by the NTIA. 

Applicants are encouraged to work with local governments and will receive additional application points for local government coordination. BEAD projects must provide high-speed broadband access to eligible locations within Broadband Service Locations (BSL), which are identified on the PBDA’s map. BSLs are locations, which can be an individual residence or business or a multi-family structure, that has been identified as unserved or underserved. Note that the map (click here for the map) shows Broadband Service Areas (BSA) and available BSL’s within that area. Applications for BEAD funding must provide access to identified BSLs. 

To learn more about this program, what your township can do to work with applicants, and what to expect, sign-up for PSATS webinar on 12/3 at 10 a.m. for a presentation and question and answer session with the PBDA about this important program. Click here to sign-up for the webinar. 

Click here for the governor’s press release. Click here to learn more about the BEAD program. Click here for the PBDA’s broadband map (click once on a BSA to see the number of BSLs eligible for funding within that BSA.)