California Opens BEAD Funding Window to ISPs

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, 2025 – The California Public Utilities Commission will be accepting applications for participating in the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Subgrantee Selection Process from March 25 through April 23.

In June 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration announced state allocations for a high-speed internet grant program. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration was tasked with allocating more than $42.45 billion across 56 states and territories as part of the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program. Nearly $2 billion was allotted to California.

In June 2024 the California PUC announced the first round of recommended awardees for the Last Mile Federal Funding Account Grant Program. The CPUC’s Federal Funding Account received 484 grant applications within the grant window, totaling more than $4.6 billion in requests.

In February 2025, CPUC awarded $9 Million in the final round of broadband grants. The CPUC has now awarded over $1 billion in broadband grants for projects spanning 52 counties across California. An additional $550 million is set to be allocated to the Last Mile program in the 2027–2028 state budget.