STATE News:

ALBUQUERQUE — The Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) today announced three new broadband planning grants, bringing the program’s total awards to $3.1 million while $1.9 million in funding remains available for immediate use.

Critical funding deadline: The remaining $1.9 million in Grant Writing, Engineering and Planning Program (GWEP) funds must be expended by June 2026. OBAE strongly encourages eligible entities to apply now to secure these vital resources for broadband infrastructure development.

Valencia County, the Pueblo of Laguna, and the Pueblo of Acoma each received a $100,000 award to advance broadband deployment planning in their communities. These grants support critical infrastructure planning and help communities compete for additional federal funding, including resources from the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program.

“These underserved communities desperately need connectivity, and these awards will help transform community landscapes and change lives,” said Jeff Lopez, director of OBAE.

The GWEP program offers significant advantages for eligible applicants:

• No matching funds required
• Non-competitive assistance grants designed to spur broadband infrastructure projects in areas without broadband service
• Multiple awards allowed – entities can receive a second grant
• Broad eligible uses including strategic planning, engineering services, grant writing, and infrastructure analysis

Tribal governments, local governments, rural telephone cooperatives, and rural electric cooperatives are eligible to apply immediately.

With 31 total awards issued to date—including 14 Tribal communities, 14 local governments, and three rural cooperatives—the program has a strong track record in advancing broadband access across New Mexico’s underserved areas.

Don’t let this opportunity expire. Apply today at: https://obae.submittable.com/submit.

For more information about the program, visit: https://connect.nm.gov/gwep.html.