California Opens Applications for $2B BEAD Program

California’s BEAD Program Will Submit Final Proposal to NTIA

The state of California has officially opened the application window for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to participate in the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Subgrantee Selection Process. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will be accepting applications from March 25 through April 23, 2025, a significant step in completing BEAD goals in 2025.

Subgrantee Selection Process

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will accept applications for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Subgrantee Selection Process from March 25 through April 23.

Recent and Future Funding

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

California’s BEAD Challenge Process was submitted to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in December 2024 and officially approved in January 2025, marking a key step in the state’s broadband expansion efforts.

That same month, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) announced it had surpassed $1 billion in grants dedicated to expanding broadband access throughout the state. This funding will be distributed to communities across California, from rural areas to urban centers, to enhance connectivity for residents and businesses alike.

A major milestone in this effort was the approval of $225 million in the 10th round of grants for last-mile broadband projects as part of the $2 billion Last Mile Federal Funding Account grant program. This initiative focuses on bringing broadband internet to underserved and unserved communities in California. The rolling process of awards and recommendations underscores the state’s commitment to closing the digital divide through its Broadband For All initiative.

California’s Plan to Award $1.8 Billion in BEAD Funds

As part of the national initiative to enhance broadband access, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) allocated nearly $2 billion to California in June 2023. This funding is part of the larger $42.45 billion BEAD program, which aims to provide high-speed internet to underserved communities across the United States.

In June 2024, the CPUC announced the first round of recommended awardees for the Last Mile Federal Funding Account Grant Program. The CPUC’s Federal Funding Account received an overwhelming response, with 484 grant applications requesting a total of more than $4.6 billion. The funding will be distributed to selected projects that aim to expand broadband infrastructure, ensuring equitable access to high-speed internet for all Californians.