Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program

The BEAD Regional Coordination and Planning Grant is open now. Learn more.

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program is a federal program that provides $42 billion nationwide to expand high-speed broadband access. BEAD was funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and is overseen by the National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA). BEAD prioritizes unserved locations that have no internet access or limited access under 25/3 Mbps and underserved locations that only have access under 100/20 Mbps.

Idaho was awarded $583 million in BEAD funds to ensure that every Idaho resident has access to high-speed, reliable, affordable broadband access.

The Idaho Office of Broadband is planning and currently determining exactly how BEAD funds will be spent in the state. The first step towards this planning was drafting and submitting the Initial Proposal, a document that contains two volumes and describes how the Idaho Office of Broadband will determine which addresses, called broadband serviceable locations (BSLs), in Idaho are eligible for these funds and how funds will be allocated.

Each volume of the final Initial Proposal that was submitted to the NTIA at the end of December 2023 is posted below.

BEAD Challenge Process

The Idaho Office of Broadband is preparing for the BEAD Challenge Process. More information on this challenge process will be provided soon. All challenges will be submitted within a 28-window. See what you can do to prepare for the Challenge Process and learn more here.

Additional information and resources can be found on the resources page here.

BEAD Regional Coordination and Planning Grant

The Idaho Broadband Advisory Board (IBAB) and the Idaho Office of Broadband are now accepting grant applications for the Idaho Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Regional Coordination and Planning Grant.

The Board approved $500,000 for broadband planning funds to be used to establish a Broadband Action Team and additional support.

Grant funds are available to bring affordable and reliable internet to Idaho communities. Eligible applicants include local governments, tribal governments and state agencies. The maximum amount awarded will be $50,000.

This first round of funding will closed on March 27, 2024.

View the grant guidelines here.

View the grant applications here.

View Planning Grant Scores here.

View Awarded projects here.

Learn more.

Idaho bead Initial Proposal volume i

The State has been working to identify Idaho’s internet needs, challenges and opportunities to develop internet expansion plans. The work is reflected in the State’s draft BEAD Initial Proposal.

Volume I establishes the groundwork for the State’s strategy to bring Internet to all and identify project areas and locations of interest.

Find a Spanish version of Draft #1 here.

Idaho Commerce submitted a final draft of this proposal on December 20, 2023. Click the button below to view this draft.

Do you have questions or concerns about the Initial Proposal? Even though the comment period has ended, we want to hear from you! We encourage residents, community organizations, businesses, local governments and more to review the proposal and email us with any questions. Email us here.

Final Draft

Idaho bead Initial Proposal volume iI

The State has been working to identify Idaho’s internet needs, challenges and opportunities to develop internet expansion plans. The work is reflected in the State’s draft BEAD Initial Proposal.

Volume II details the plans for distributing deployment funding, workforce and economic development initiatives, tribal coordination and more.

Find a Spanish version of Draft #1 here.

Idaho Commerce submitted a final draft of this proposal on December 20, 2023. Click the button below to view this draft.

Find the final scoring matrix here.

Final Draft