ReConnect Program

Funding to facilitate 

broadband deployment in 

underserved rural areas

What does this program do?

The ReConnect program provides loans, 

grants, and loan-grant combinations 

to bring high-speed internet to rural 

areas that lack sufficient access to 

broadband. ReConnect program funds 

can be used to pay for the construction, 

improvement, or acquisition of facilities 

and equipment needed to provide 

broadband service. 

The ReConnect Program encourages 

private-sector investments in 

broadband infrastructure to deploy 

high-speed internet service to rural 

homes, businesses, and essential 

community facilities that support 

public safety, health care, schools, 

libraries, business and industry, and 

agricultural operations. 

Who can apply?

Eligible applicants can be either for- or 

nonprofit organizations and include: 

• Cooperatives or mutual associations 

• Corporations, limited liability 

companies, or limited liability 

partnerships

• States, local governments, or 

their agencies, subdivisions, 

instrumentalities, or political 

subdivisions 

• A U.S. territory or possession

• Tribes, Tribal organizations, and 

governments as defined in the 

current funding announcement. 

You must be able to supply broadband 

service — at the speeds defined in the 

most recent funding announcement — 

simultaneously to all customers in your 

proposed funded service area (PFSA).

What is an eligible area?

For a geographic area to be eligible, it 

must meet two criteria:

1. The area must be rural.

2. Ninety percent of households in the 

area must lack sufficient access to 

broadband service. 

What is considered “rural”? 

Service areas cannot be located in a 

city, town, or incorporated area with a 

population greater than 20,000, or an 

urbanized area adjacent to a city or town 

with a population greater than 50,000. 

Eligible areas must be fully contained 

within a rural area, or comprised of 

multiple rural areas. You can use our 

mapping tool (available at this link: 

usda.gov/reconnect) to help determine 

your project’s eligibility. 

What is “sufficient access”? 

Currently, sufficient access to 

broadband is defined as fixed 

terrestrial broadband service at 

25 megabits per second (Mbps) 

downstream and 3 Mbps upstream.

How can funds be used?

This program provides funding for: 

• To build or improve facilities capable 

of delivering 100 Mbps symmetrical 

service to every premises in the 

PFSA at the same time

• To acquire an existing system that 

does not currently provide sufficient 

access to broadband service (under 

certain circumstances and with 

restrictions)

• To offset the cost of pre-application 

expenses (up to 5 percent of the 

requested funding amount) and 

to cover the costs of the required 

environmental review (up to 3 

percent of the amount)

How do we apply? 

Applications must be submitted 

through USDA Rural Development’s 

online application system, available at 

this link: usda.gov/reconnect. 

All materials required for completing 

an application are included in the 

online system. The ReConnect webpage 

also includes basic program information 

and detailed application guidance.

Where can we find 

technical assistance?

USDA Rural Development will host 

several technical assistance webinars 

and workshops during the application 

window. Webinar and workshop dates 

and times, along with additional 

technical assistance, is available at 

this link: usda.gov/reconnect. 

You also can contact your 

Telecommunications General Field 

Representative (GFR) for assistance. 

A map and list of GFRs is available at 

this link: 

rd.usda.gov/contact-us/telecom-gfr. 
ReConnect Program

When are applications due?

The application deadline is determined 

by the latest funding announcemen, 

which can be found at this link: 

usda.gov/reconnect

What governs this program?

In 2018, Congress passed the 

Consolidated Appropriations Act 

(available at this link: go.usa.gov/xea7W), 

which established the broadband loan 

and grant pilot program known as 

ReConnect.

In 2021, USDA codified the 

program’s policies and procedures 

in a published ReConnect Program 

Regulation (available at this link: 

https://go.usa.gov/xexPT). 

In addition to the regulation, USDA 

Rural Development publishes a 

funding announcement in the Federal 

Register.

What kind of funding is available?

ReConnect offers grants, loans, 

and loan-grant combinations. The 

minimum request for funding across all 

categories is $100,000. You can submit 

only one application for one of the 

four following funding options:

Type of Funding Available Total Funding and 

Maximum Award Available

Key Funding 

Requirements

100 Percent Grant •$150 million total funds

•$25 million maximum, per project

•Competitive review based on scoring criteria.

•25 percent cash match requirement.

Loan-Grant 

Combination (50-50)

•$200 million total funds available

•$25 million maximum for the grant, per project

•$25 million maximum for the loan, per project

•Loan and grant amounts will always be equal

•Competitive review based on scoring criteria.

•Interest rate is set at the U.S. Treasury rate at 

the time of each advance of funds.

100 Percent Loan •$150 million total funds 

•$50 million maximum, per project

•Funds are awarded on a rolling basis until 

exhausted after the application window closes

•Interest rate is fixed at 2 percent.

100 Percent Grant for Tribal Governments, 

Alaska Native Corporations, Colonias, 

Persistent Poverty Areas, and SociallyVulnerable Communities

•$150 million total funds 

•$25 million maximum, per project

•Only available to those entities and areas 

defined in the funding annoucement. 

•No cash match is required if the applicant 

meets the requirements for this type of funding 

as set forth in the funding annoucement. 

NOTE: Because program information changes, always consult the program instructions in the Federal Register. You can also 

contact your General Field Representative for help. A map and list of GFRs is available at this link: rd.usda.gov/contact-us/telecom-gfr. 

You will find additional forms, resources, and program information at usda.gov/reconnect. 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Last Updated February 2024