Glenn Hegar
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Glenn Hegar
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Skip navigation
Glenn Hegar
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
Skip navigation
Top navigation skipped

Main Search

programs Texas Broadband Development Office

Funding

The Texas Broadband Development Office (BDO) was established by the state Legislature in 2021 to award grants, low-interest loans and other financial incentives to applicants seeking to expand access to and adoption of broadband service in designated areas determined to be eligible by the office.

Below are current and upcoming funding opportunities for applicants seeking to expand broadband in their territories.

In November 2023, Texas voters passed Proposition 8, which created the BIF to improve broadband access and services in the state. With an initial investment of $1.5 billion, the BIF will fund 9-1-1 services and upgrades, support the Texas Broadband Pole Replacement Program and provide matching funds for the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. Other uses of the fund being considered include establishing a Texas middle mile program, supporting new and existing workforce development programs, and connecting locations such as community anchor institutions and multi-dwelling units. The fund will be in effect from 2024 to 2035.

The Pole Replacement Program aims to speed up rural broadband deployment by reimbursing a portion of eligible pole replacement costs. Eligible participants can receive reimbursements per pole, ranging from 50 percent of eligible costs to $5,000, whichever is less.

Program Guidance

Texas has been allocated $500.5 million through CPF to fund critical capital projects that enable work, education and health monitoring in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Administered by the U.S. Treasury with funding directed to the BDO, CPF is intended to address many challenges stemming from the pandemic, especially in rural and low- to moderate-income communities, and help ensure all communities have access to the high-quality modern infrastructure, including broadband, needed to access critical services.

Each year the BDO will develop and publish an annual report to detail the progress of CPF funding in Texas.

The BOOT Program is funded by the CPF, and it will ensure Texans have the connectivity they need by funding critical broadband infrastructure projects that bring last-mile connectivity to homes and businesses across the state.

The BOOT Program NOFA was published on March 6, 2023.

The BOOT Program outlines awardees and program impacts.

The BOOT II NOFA was published on July 11, 2024. This second round of funding will use the remaining $426.9 million to bring last-mile connectivity to targeted counties across the state. In addition to federal funds, the BDO is allocating up to $303 million of state BIF funds, making a total of $729.9 million available to support this program.

The BOOT II Program page outlines next steps.

The BDO established TAP to augment local government and community capacities to prepare for forthcoming state and federal funds.

Any county in Texas seeking technical assistance was eligible to apply to TAP. Those awarded will be provided with direct access to broadband planning and consulting services at no cost.

The TAP page provides a list of awarded counties.

To further serve community needs for accessing high-quality internet, the BDO has partnered with three state agencies to expand broadband access across the state. Through June 30, 2024, the BDO has expended more than $537 million to fund broadband expansion through the following state agency-driven broadband project proposals.

  • The Texas State Library and Archives Commission’s Infrastructure and Facility Access Improvement Grant Program, which was approved by the U.S. Treasury in June 2023, was awarded $7.8 million to expand broadband access to libraries throughout the state.
  • The Texas Department of Agriculture’s Texas Rural Hospital Broadband Program, which was approved in September 2023, was awarded $22.9 million to build the digital capacity of rural hospitals in Texas.
  • The Texas Department of Transportation’s El Paso District Safety Rest Area Broadband Infrastructure Project, which was approved in January 2024, was awarded $6 million to add to six safety rest areas located in west Texas.

Authorized by the IIJA, the BEAD Program will fund projects that help expand high-speed internet access and use. It supports infrastructure deployment, mapping and adoption, including planning and capacity-building in state offices. It also supports outreach and coordination with local communities. The program is designed to expand internet access to these priority areas:

  • Unserved locations (speeds less than 25/3 Mbps).
  • Underserved locations (speeds greater than 25/3 Mbps but less than 100/20 Mbps).

On June 26, 2023, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced Texas’ allocation totaling $3.3 billion in federal funding for the BEAD Program.

  • The Five-Year Action Plan was submitted to NTIA on Aug. 28, 2023.
  • The Initial Proposal Draft was posted for public comment in November and submitted to NTIA on Dec. 23, 2023.

The BDO expects the program to be operational in 2024.

Visit the BEAD Program page for more details.

Coming in 2024

Authorized by the IIJA, the DEA of 2021 will fund projects that help ensure Texans and Texas communities have the information technology capacity needed for full participation in our society, democracy and economy by promoting a diverse array of digital advancement projects.

These projects may include providing digital literacy and digital skills education to low-income populations, improving the online accessibility of social services for individuals with disabilities, and more accurately measuring broadband access and adoption in rural communities.

The BDO expects programs related to the DEA to be operational in 2024. In the meantime, we have developed a draft of the Texas Digital Opportunity Plan through various engagement opportunities.

The BDO expects programs related to the DEA to be operational in 2024.

DEA Program Guidance

Interested in participating and providing feedback on IIJA programs? Visit our outreach page for information.

Need assistance?

If your question is not addressed here, Email us.

Sign up now to receive the latest Broadband Development Office news, updates and resources directly to your inbox.

Required Applications: