Title page
Contents
Abstract 3
Acknowledgments 3
Key Abbreviations Used in This Report 5
A report summary from the Economic Research Service 6
Introduction 8
Federal Broadband Programs 10
USDA Broadband Infrastructure Projects, 2009-21 14
Broadband Initiatives Program 17
Community Connect Grant Program 20
ReConnect Program 21
Data and Methods 24
Areas and Populations Served by Selected USDA Broadband Programs 27
Broadband Initiatives Program 27
Community Connect Grant Program 33
ReConnect Program 37
Discussion and Conclusions 43
Summary of Findings and Implications 43
Study Limitations and Directions for Future Research 46
References 48
Appendix: Classifying Eligible Areas for Community Connect and ReConnect Using Federal Communications Commission Data for December 2018 50
Table 1. Summary of broadband programs of the Federal Communications Commission, National Telecommunications and Information Administration,... 11
Table 2. Number of approved USDA, Rural Utilities Service broadband projects, by program, FY 2009-21 15
Table 3. Value of obligations (net of recissions) of USDA, Rural Utilities Service broadband project loans and grants, FY 2009-21 16
Table 4. Number of nonrescinded USDA, Rural Utilities Service broadband projects, by type of project, FY 2009-21 17
Table 5. Eligibility requirements of selected USDA, Rural Utilities Service broadband programs 18
Table 6. Number of ReConnect applications, FY 2019 and FY 2020 22
Table 7. Types of entities applying for ReConnect, number of applications, FY 2019 and FY 2020 23
Table 8. Reasons ReConnect applications rejected, first two funding rounds 24
Table 9. Inflation-adjusted program obligations for Broadband Initiative Program, Community Connect, and ReConnect in approved proposed service areas,... 44
Figure 1. Broadband Initiatives Program project service areas, projects approved in 2010 and completed by 2015 28
Figure 2. Percent of 2010 U.S. population in Broadband Initiatives Program project service areas, by race and ethnicity 29
Figure 3. Percent of 2010 U.S. population in Broadband Initiatives Program project service areas by geographic type of census tract 30
Figure 4. Characteristics of populations in and outside of Broadband Initiatives Program project service areas, 2006-10 31
Figure 5. U.S. areas eligible and approved for Community Connect project service areas, FY 2018-FY 2021 34
Figure 6. Percent of 2020 population in areas eligible for Community Connect Grants in 2020 and percent of eligible population in project service areas... 35
Figure 7. Percent of 2010 population in areas eligible for Community Connect Grants in 2020 and percent of eligible population in project service areas... 36
Figure 8. Population characteristics of Community Connect Grant-ineligible areas in 2020, eligible areas, and areas with approved projects in FY 2018-21 37
Figure 9. U.S. areas eligible for ReConnect and areas with ReConnect approved and unapproved project applications in FY 2019 and FY 2020 38
Figure 10. Population in areas with ReConnect applications and approved projects as a percent of 2020 eligible population, and population with approved... 40
Figure 11. Population in areas with ReConnect applications and approved projects as a percent of 2020 eligible population, and population with approved... 41
Figure 12. Population characteristics in 2015-19 of areas not eligible, eligible, with applications, and with/withoutapproved ReConnect Program projects... 42
Figure A.1. Percent of 2020 population in areas eligible for Community Connect Grants in 2018 and percent of eligible population in project service areas... 50
Figure A.2. Percent of 2010 population in areas eligible for Community Connect Grants in 2018 and percent of eligible population in project service areas... 51
Figure A.3. Population characteristics in 2015-19 of areas eligible and not eligible for Community Connect Grants in 2018, and areas with approved projects... 52
Figure A.4. Population in areas with ReConnect applications and approved projects as a percent of 2018 eligible population, and population with approved... 53
Figure A.5. Population in areas with ReConnect applications and approved projects as a percent of 2018 eligible population, and population with approved... 54
Figure A.6. Population characteristics in 2015-19 of areas not eligible for ReConnect Program in 2018, eligible areas, areas with applications, and approved... 55