New Rules for Tribal Broadband Program Planned for Spring 2026, NTIA Says

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12, 2025 – The National Telecommunications and Information Administration is updating the rules for another of its broadband infrastructure programs, the agency said Wednesday.

A new notice of funding opportunity for the agency’s Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program is planned for release in spring 2026. NTIA said in its announcement that it would soon solicit input from Tribal governments on the new funding round, which it estimated would be at least $500 million.

“NTIA’s goal is simple: stretch every dollar as far as possible to achieve universal Tribal connectivity and better serve Tribal communities’ needs,” NTIA Administrator Arielle Roth said in a statement.” This strategic realignment of our Tribal grant programs will reduce administrative burdens, prevent duplication, and ensure consistency across NTIA’s broadband initiatives. Most importantly, it will maximize the impact of this funding, helping to connect as many Tribal households as possible.”

The Tribal initiative is a $3 billion program aimed at supporting broadband deployments and adoption efforts on Tribal lands. NTIA awarded more than $1.8 billion in the first round of funding, and took applications early last year on a second tranche of funding totalling $980 million.

At the end of the Biden administration, the agency announced $360 million in awards under the second round. NTIA said Wednesday that “all further infrastructure and use and adoption grants will be awarded under the Trump Administration’s new rules.”

An agency spokesperson told Broadband Breakfast NTIA would not rescind any of the previously announced awards, including the second round awards.

The change comes after Sens. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, sent a letter to NTIA last week expressing concern about the status of the funding.

The lawmakers said the agency had left participants unsure of the program's future, in part because NTIA had not distributed money awarded to round two participants or made any new awards despite applications coming in March 2024.

“We are concerned that the agency is reportedly applying additional, unnecessary standards and requirements to applications, resulting in uncertainty that threatens the success of existing and planned projects,” the senators wrote. 

NTIA said Wednesday it would also fold in to its new funding round the money set aside for Tribal governments and organizations under the Digital Equity Act – about $95 million of the law’s $2.75 billion in funding. The Trump administration rescinded all awarded grant funding under the law earlier this year, a move that has been challenged in court. 

The agency will still make “equitable distribution” awards under the round two rules. Those are small awards up to $500,000 given to tribes that don’t end up qualifying for the full amount they sought in their applications.