The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today announced the award of more than $4.82 million in grants to local governments across the state to support efforts to close the digital divide.

Twelve Local Agency Technical Assistance grants were the first awards from 46 applications the CPUC received in August 2022. The funds were awarded to communities across California, from the Sierras to the North Coast and from the Central Valley to urban Los Angeles.

The Local Agency Technical Assistance grant program supports tribes and local governments – who are most knowledgeable about the state of broadband in their communities – in their efforts to expand broadband service to unserved Californians. The $50 million in grant funds available will help to facilitate high-speed broadband infrastructure projects, including a $5 million set-aside for tribes. It’s a key first step in California’s $6 billion Broadband for All investment.

“With this funding, the state is helping provide local governments with the capacity to develop, design, and build their own networks. These grants will usher in a new era of scalable, future-proof public broadband,” said CPUC President Alice Busching Reynolds. “This is a game changer for tackling the digital divide in the State of California and is another building block in the foundation for achieving Broadband For ALL.”

“We are looking forward to working with local governments and tribes and following the progress of these projects brought to us by these applicants,” said Commissioner Darcie L. Houck, who added she was encouraged by the response to the program. “Local agencies and tribes are pivotal partners in the state’s efforts to close the digital divide and we are honored to be able to provide the support that will allow them to develop the infrastructure necessary for the health and well-being of their communities.”

Added Commissioner Genevieve Shiroma, “Access to reliable and affordable Internet and Broadband resources is essential for families and communities to thrive. In order to provide that access towards constructing the connectivity, you need a vision for your community, a viable design, and a plan for success. The Technical Grants awarded today will empower local governments to do just that.”

With these funds, local governments will launch complex broadband infrastructure planning to improve broadband speeds and access in their communities. The grants awarded are:

• $498,035: City of Chico for the “Chico Fiber Utility Network Design” project to fund development of conceptual network designs and cost estimations; foundational planning; and engineering.
• $500,000: County of El Dorado for its “Broadband Network Design and Engineering” project to fund the final design and engineering for fiber-to-the-premise networks for several areas.
• $479,529: City of Fort Bragg for “Broadband Infrastructure Planning” to result in project-specific details and a bid-ready construction packet to improve connectivity on the Mendocino Coast.
• $496,874: City of Fresno to fund its “Connecting Fresno” project for a design engineering study and public engagement in five areas leading to a shovel-ready project.
• $320,000: County of Los Angeles (led by its Internal Services Department) to fund pre-construction technical assistance to support implementation of community broadband networks in South and East Los Angeles.
• $499,853: County of Marin for broadband infrastructure planning leading to development of shovel-ready projects to address gaps in service, reliability and speeds in several unincorporated areas across Marin.
• $500,000: County of Napa for a “Broadband Development Feasibility Study” to develop a network design, market analysis, and identify last-mile deployment partnerships for bringing service to 13 areas throughout the County.
• $210,300: City of Sacramento for the “Sacramento Digital Expansion Project” to develop a comprehensive conceptual broadband design plan for the state’s capital.
• $100,300: City of San Luis Obispo to fund a needs assessment and the development of a broadband strategic plan.
• $417,033: County of Tuolumne for completion of a broadband strategic plan and a programmatic environmental impact report to design and install broadband infrastructure in Tuolumne County.
• $311,005: City of Ukiah for the “Ukiah Design and Implementation Plan” project to develop a working plan for high-quality advanced communications services in the city.
• $491,420: County of Ventura for the “Ventura County Technical Assistance Project,” which will conduct design engineering to build a fiber network within the county.

As of today, there are 34 grant requests pending disposition from the August grant cycle. The application window remains open for new applications.

The CPUC regulates services and utilities, protects consumers, safeguards the environment, and assures Californians’ access to safe and reliable utility infrastructure and services. For more information on the CPUC, please visit www.cpuc.ca.gov.

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Press Release