Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) was signed into law on November 15, 2021. It provides approximately $65 billion for broadband nationally. Two programs that will be administered directly by the Office of Broadband Development with this funding are the Digital Equity Planning Act and the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) grant.
Digital Equity Act
On May 9, 2025, DEED received notification from the federal government that it was immediately terminating the state’s $12 million grant from the State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program.
Learn more on the OBD Digital Opportunity webpage.
Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD)
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 NTIA website.
Learn more on the OBD BEAD webpage.
Other Broadband Programs Funded by IIJA
The IIJA also included funding to assist eligible households with the monthly cost of broadband service. That program was called the Affordable Connectivity Program and administered by the FCC. Unfortunately, federal funding for that program has run out and no new applications are being accepted and the benefit will expire in May 2024. More information is available on the FCC's website. More information is available on the FCC's website.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) also received funding under the IIJA for its ReConnect program. Information on our website regarding ReConnect and on the USDA website. The Round 4 ReConnect window for submitting applications was September 6, 2022 to November 2, 2022. In April, USDA began to announce recipients of ReConnect Round 4 awards.
The IIJA includes an additional $2 billion for NTIA's Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, a program that NTIA previously implemented under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program directs funding to tribal governments to be used for broadband deployment on tribal lands, as well as for telehealth, distance learning, broadband affordability, and digital inclusion. NTIA is the administering agency for this funding and has information on its website on how to apply and eligible uses. Several Minnesota tribes have received funding through this program, including the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, Lower Sioux Indian Community, and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.
