Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced his agency’s intent to solicit an initial round of grant applications totaling $120 million for broadband infrastructure projects as part of the Bringing Online Opportunities to Texas program. A Notice of Funding Availability has been posted and applicants have until March 17 to submit questions. Applicants for the BOOT program can begin submitting their proposals April 3. The NOFA was published on the TXSmartBuy website. Applicants also can visit the Comptroller’s Broadband Development Office website for more information.
Eligible broadband infrastructure projects must be designed to deliver, upon completion, broadband service that reliably meets or exceeds symmetrical speeds of 100 Mbps. Awarded applicants must also provide a universally available low-cost option for locations being served by the project and participate in a federal broadband subsidy program. Applications must only include unserved and underserved broadband serviceable locations in eligible areas as identified by the BDO’s Texas Broadband Development Map.
The BOOT program is the state’s first competitive broadband grant program focused on last mile connectivity. Through the BDO, Texas has been allocated $363.8 million through the federal Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund to carry out critical infrastructure projects related to expanding access to high-speed internet. The BDO will distribute funds allocated to Texas through a multi-round competitive grant process, with the first round of funds totaling $120 million.