Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program

View the BEAD provisional project approvals.

Overview

Pennsylvania’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program is funded pursuant to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 to expand access to high-speed internet across the United States. The Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) is administering the BEAD program in accordance with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)’s BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice and Act 96 of 2021.

Eligibility
Eligible entities include those with the technical, managerial, and financial expertise to design, build, and operate high-speed broadband service infrastructure within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Eligible applicants include:
  • Cooperative organizations,
  • Not-for-profit organizations,
  • Public-private partnerships,
  • Private companies,
  • Public or private utility companies,
  • Public utility districts,
  • Municipalities or units of local government,
  • and internet service providers registered through the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
The PBDA has defined the BSAs for the BEAD Program. The boundaries for BSAs are based on U.S. Census Block Groups. An applicant’s proposed project area may consist of a single BSA or an aggregation of contiguous BSAs.
Funding
There is no minimum or maximum grant amount for any project. Projects require a minimum 25% share of the total project cost in matching funds.
Additional Information
Public Utility Commission (PUC) Resources NTIA Resources
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