Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program
The Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program provides funding for broadband infrastructure and the preparation of a plan by each Eligible Entity (state) for how to achieve "Internet for All". Federal BEAD program funding for broadband infrastructure deployment included a minimum of $100 million for each state. Allocations to each state above the initial funding were announced on June 26, 2023. Minnesota will receive a total of $651,839,368. The individual state amounts were calculated from the number of unserved locations (locations without reliable broadband service of at least 25Mbps download and 3Mbps upload) within each state based on new maps that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) developed as well as the number of such locations in areas deemed to be high cost.
Additional information on the federal BEAD program is available on the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) website.
View materials and resources from the Minnesota BEAD program before NTIA’s BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice (6/6/2025) in the Archived BEAD Materials dropdown below.
BEAD Grantor Portal
Access the BEAD Grantor Portal
- Register to access the BEAD Grantor Portal. Download and view the updated BEAD Portal User Guide and BEAD Pre-Qualification Guide.
- Approved BEAD Applicants (4/14/2025)
- Watch a walkthrough on how to select locations in the BEAD Grantor Portal.
- If you have any technical questions on the portal, please email mnhelpdesk@ready.net.
Policy Notices
BEAD Applicant Resources
- BEAD Restructured Application Guide
- Section 3: BEAD Network Tech Form Fillable Upload Q 5
- Section 3: BEAD Geospatial Data Upload Guide Q 6
- Section 6: BEAD Minnesota Letter of Credit TEMPLATE Q 18
- Section 11: BEAD Budget Schedule Proforma Pricing Workbook (xlsx) Q 48
- Section 11: BEAD Affidavit Template Upload Q 49
- BEAD Waiver Request Form Guide
- BEAD Call for Applications
- BEAD Pre-Qualification Guidance
- BEAD Grantor Portal Pre-Qualification User Guide
- BEAD Grant Contract Agreement DRAFT (some sections obsolete due to BEAD Restructuring)
BEAD Eligible Locations
- BEAD Eligibility Map
- Resources available to assist with using the Minnesota interactive broadband map are available from Connected Nation, Map Product How-To Videos. A downloadable PDF is also available as a quick-start guide, BEAD Mapping Portal Guide.
- List of BEAD Eligible Locations with No BEAD locations (6/30/2025)
BEAD FAQs
- Submit FAQs on BEAD through the form above.
- Restructured BEAD FAQs (7/22/2025)
Additional guidance and technical assistance from NTIA on BEAD is available on the NTIA webpage.
BEAD Information Sessions
Registration links for sessions will be added here as they are scheduled.
Materials from recent BEAD Office Hours sessions: