Technical Assistance & Funding

Economic Development Administration Grant

Using funding from the US Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA), Golden State Finance Authority, an affiliate of Golden State Connect Authority, was awarded $2.7 million in American Rescue Plan funding to assist rural California counties with establishing foundational plans that will help guide the expansion of high-speed internet. Specifically, the EDA grant funded the development of broadband strategic plans for 26 rural member California counties and two Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS), one for Colusa County and one for the combined counties of Alpine, Mono, and Inyo. Golden State Connect partnered with those counties in the development of those plans, which were all completed in 2024.

Local Area Technical Assistance (LATA) Grant

The Local Area Technical Assistance (LATA) grant provided up to $500,000 per applicant to fund pre-broadband deployment projects to help in expanding broadband services to unserved and underserved residents. Golden State Connect Authority worked with grant awardees from 32 member counties and seven cities (within Golden State Connect Authority member counties), to evaluate priority project areas, review financial feasibility, and ensure efficient and effective network design outcomes

The work under each of these projects has now concluded, representing a major foundational milestone in preparing rural jurisdictions for broadband deployment. The final deliverables—comprising of construction-ready network designs, environmental assessments, feasibility studies, and associated permit packages—have been received from LATA consultants, distributed to awardees, and submitted to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). On average, each project produced approximately 40 miles of initial low-level broadband project area designs that are now shovel-ready.

Federal Fund Account/Last-Mile Program

In Fall of 2023, Golden State Connect Authority submitted thirty-seven applications to the CPUC, with two additional counties joining the mix in 2024. These applications cover proposed broadband project areas in 39 jurisdictions, including 32 Golden State Connect Authority member counties and seven cities therein, as the foundational investment for Golden State Connect Authority’s deployment of an open-access, last mile municipal fiber network in rural California.

In Round One of the FFA/Last-Mile Program, the CPUC awarded Golden State Connect Authority a total of $185.4 million for seven broadband deployment projects. Specifically, Golden State Connect Authority was awarded funding in Alpine County for $6.9 million, Amador County for $57 million, Glenn County for $23 million, Imperial County for $13.8 million, Mono County and the Town of Mammoth Lakes for $6 million and $4.1 million respectively, and Tehama County for $74.8 million.

Pre-construction activities—including environmental clearances, permitting, and engineering design—are underway alongside funding preparations for these Round One projects.

Golden State Connect Authority still has applications pending for additional projects in Round Two of the FFA/Last-Mile Program.

Broadband Loan Loss Reserve

The Broadband Loan Loss Reserve (LLR) program, established under Senate Bill 156, is intended to securitize public and tribal broadband project financing to reduce borrowing costs and enable broadband deployment projects to reach more locations. Golden State Connect Authority received a $50 million LLR allocation on November 7, 2024, lowering interest rates and enhancing the financial viability of its Round One FFA Last Mile awarded broadband projects.

Visit Golden State Connect Authority’s Fiber Network Deployment page for information on our broadband model and the status of our projects.