[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 52 (Friday, March 19, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14882-14883]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-05747]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Telecommunications and Information Administration


Broadband Grant Programs Webinar Series

AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration, 
U.S. Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of open meetings--NTIA broadband grant programs 
webinars.

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SUMMARY: The National Telecommunications and Information Administration 
(NTIA) will host a webinar series in April through July 2021 in 
connection with the three new broadband grant programs authorized and 
funded by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021: The Broadband 
Infrastructure Program, the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, and 
the Connecting Minority Communities Program. The webinars are designed 
to help prospective applicants understand the grant programs and to 
assist applicants to prepare high quality grant applications.

DATES: NTIA will hold the webinars based on the following schedule:
    1. Broadband Infrastructure Program: The second Wednesday and 
Thursday of each month, 2:30-4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET), starting 
April 14, 2021.
    2. Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program: The third Wednesday and 
Thursday of each month, 2:30-4:00 p.m. ET, starting April 21, 2021.
    3. Connecting Minority Communities: The fourth Wednesday and 
Thursday of each month, 2:30-4:00 p.m. ET, starting April 28, 2021.

[[Page 14883]]


ADDRESSES: These are virtual meetings. NTIA will post the registration 
information on its BroadbandUSA website, https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov, under Events.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher Holt, National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of 
Commerce, Room 4872, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230; 
telephone: (202) 482-4884; email: [email protected]. Please 
direct media inquiries to NTIA's Office of Public Affairs, (202) 482-
7002; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Division N, Title IX--Broadband internet 
Access Service, of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub. L. 
116-260) authorized and funded three new broadband grant programs to be 
administered by NTIA: The Broadband Infrastructure Program, the Tribal 
Broadband Connectivity Program, and the Connecting Minority Community 
Program. The Broadband Infrastructure Program is a $300 million 
broadband deployment program directed to partnerships between a state, 
or one or more political subdivisions of a state, and providers of 
fixed broadband service to support broadband infrastructure deployment 
to areas lacking broadband, especially rural areas. The Tribal 
Broadband Connectivity Program is a $1 billion program directed to 
tribal governments to be used for broadband deployment on tribal lands, 
as well as for telehealth, distance learning, broadband affordability, 
and digital inclusion. The Connecting Minority Communities Program is a 
$285 million pilot grant program targeting Historically Black Colleges 
and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Minority 
Serving Institutions, and their anchor communities for the purchase of 
broadband internet access service, or any eligible equipment, or to 
hire and train information technology personnel. During April through 
July 2021, NTIA will host a webinar series in connection with each of 
these broadband grant programs to help prospective applicants 
understand the grant programs and to assist them as they prepare high 
quality grant applications. Details on specific webinars, their 
contents, and webinar registration information will be posted on the 
BroadbandUSA website, https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov, under Events.
    These webinars are subject to change. Webinar time changes will be 
posted on the BroadbandUSA website, https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov, 
under Events. Any webinar cancellation will also be posted on the same 
website. Any date change in a scheduled webinar will be provided in a 
notice in the Federal Register.
    The presentation and recording of each webinar will be posted on 
the BroadbandUSA website at https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/ and 
NTIA's YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/ntiagov within 7 
days following the live webinar.
    The public is invited to participate in these webinars. The 
webinars are open to the public and press. Pre-registration is required 
as space is limited to the first 1000 participants. NTIA asks each 
registrant to provide their first and last name, city, state, zip code, 
job title, organization and email address for registration purposes.
    Individuals requiring accommodations, such as sign language 
interpretation or other ancillary aids, are asked to notify the NTIA 
contact listed above at least ten (10) business days before the 
meeting. General questions and comments are welcome via email to 
[email protected].

    Dated: March 16, 2021.
Kathy Smith,
Chief Counsel, National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration.
[FR Doc. 2021-05747 Filed 3-18-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-60-P