Texas launches $3.8bn broadband grant programme

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The Texas Comptroller’s office has officially commenced the application process for more than $3.8 billion in funding to advance broadband infrastructure across the state. This substantial investment, administered by the Broadband Development Office (BDO), combines federal dollars from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program with state contributions from the Texas Match Assistance Program (TMAP). The initiative aims to extend reliable high-speed internet service to over 245,000 unserved and underserved locations, encompassing homes, businesses, and schools.

Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock described access to high-speed internet as a necessity in the modern era, critical not only for education and business but also for healthcare and daily life. He underscored that expanding broadband connections, especially in rural and underserved communities, is a transformative step that supports job creation, stimulates local economic development, and equips Texans across all ZIP codes with essential tools to thrive in a connected economy.

The official Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), published on the Texas SmartBuy website on June 26, provides detailed guidelines for prospective applicants. Eligible projects must focus on deploying broadband with minimum speeds of 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload, with latency at or below 100 milliseconds, to meet the program’s benchmarks for service quality. Applications are being accepted through August 1, 2025, via the state’s BEAD Application Portal, where applicants can also find application guidance and register for program updates.

The BEAD funding of $3.3 billion from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) is supplemented by an additional $500 million from the state’s TMAP, designed to assist applicants in meeting matching fund requirements. Eligible applicants include cooperatives, nonprofits, public-private partnerships, private companies, and local governments, reflecting a broad eligibility to attract diverse entities capable of accelerating broadband deployment.

This effort marks part of Texas’s ongoing commitment to close the digital divide, which saw the establishment of the BDO within the Comptroller’s office in 2021. The BDO is charged with overseeing broadband expansion activities and additional programs such as the Broadband Infrastructure Fund and the Pole Replacement Program, ensuring a comprehensive suite of funding opportunities beyond BEAD and TMAP.

However, in a related development earlier this year, the BDO paused all grants and contracts associated with the federal State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program in March 2025 due to federal government realignment and the need to ensure compliance with evolving program guidelines. This pause highlights the complexities of coordinating broadband initiatives amid shifting federal priorities, though the pause has not directly affected the newly opened BEAD and TMAP grant application window.

Prospective applicants had the opportunity to ask questions about the NOFA during a formal public inquiry period in May, with responses made publicly available by mid-June, reflecting transparency efforts by the BDO to assist applicants in navigating the funding process effectively.

As Texas moves forward to deploy this transformative broadband infrastructure funding, the successful expansion of high-speed internet access remains a crucial priority for enabling equitable economic and social participation across the state’s diverse regions.

Source: Noah Wire Services
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