How to apply for grants from the Capital Projects Fund?
The application process to receive Capital Projects Funding grants, according to Treasury’s guidance, involves three main steps:
1. Submit an application to Treasury to establish eligibility.
2. Execute a Grant Agreement with Treasury.
3. Submit Grant Plan to Treasury.
*An applicant’s eligibility to receive grants from this program will be determined by Treasury. They will use the Grant Plan to assess the use of funds proposed in the applicant’s Grant Plan, and ensure that the project aligns with the objectives and requirements of the Capital Projects Fund.
Application and Grant Plan requirements
The Treasury’s guidance mentions that in order for an applicant to receive funding grants under the Capital Projects Fund, each applicant’s Application and Grant Plan must include these key requirements to reach eligibility:
- Demonstrate that it is an Eligible Applicant
- Demonstrate that funds will be used for eligible Capital Projects, including how the funds will address critical needs of the communities to be served
- Provide a Grant Plan for use of the funds
- Demonstrate that program performance will be measured in a robust manner, measuring outputs and outcomes for Projects and Programs, through a program evaluation plan
- Comprehensively respond to all Application and Grant Plan requirements
- Provide additional information as required by Treasury
What to include in your Application for the Capital Projects Fund
- Requested grant amount
- Requested amount for program administrative costs
- Designation Letter
- Points of contact
- Eligibility and payment information
How to submit your Application:
- First, you need to gain access to the Capital Projects Fund Portal by the having your authorized representative and/or points of contact for this fund register a username and password through the ID.me identity verification service.
- Second, submit your application through the Capital Projects Fund Portal accessible at: https://portal.treasury.gov/
- Third, submit your application by December 27th, 2021
Capital Projects Fund – Grant Agreements
After Treasury has validated the Applicant’s eligibility and Application completeness, the Eligible Applicant’s authorized representative will execute a Grant Agreement.
According to Treasury’s guidance, the Grant Agreement should cover the following:
- Roles and responsibilities
- Grant payments
- Eligible uses of funds
- Period of performance, which ends on December 31, 2026
- Accounting and reporting requirements
- Compliance requirements and remedies for noncompliance, including but not limited to return of funds where appropriate
- Audits, recordkeeping, and internal controls
- Other terms required or permitted by federal law
The Grant Plan for Capital Projects
Once the Capital Projects Fund Portal launches, recipients must submit a Grant Plan for how they plan to use the Capital Project Fund grants fund within 365 days (September 24, 2022).
What your Grant Plan should include:
- Executive Summary
- An Allocation Table showing the broadband categories of Capital Projects the Recipient plans to take with awarded funds (ex. Broadband Infrastructure Projects, Digital Connectivity Technology Projects, Multipurpose Community Facility Projects)
- How much the Recipient plans to spend in each category
- One or more Program Plans
How to submit Grant Plan:
- First, get access to the Capital Projects Fund Portal by the having your authorized representative and/or points of contact for this fund register a username and password through the ID.me identity verification service.
- Second, submit your Grant Plan through the Capital Projects Fund Portal accessible at: https://portal.treasury.gov/
- Submit Grant Plan within 365 days of the Capital Projects Fund Portal launch
Source:
1 – U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY. (2021, September). Guidance for the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund. Retrieved October 25, 2021, from https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/Capital-Projects-Fund-Guidance-States-Territories-and-Freely-Associated-States.pdf
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