Connecticut expanding broadband infrastructure through community grant program

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is announcing the recipients for the first round of the ConneCTed Communities Grant Program. Utilizing $28 million from the program, recipients in this round will expand broadband internet infrastructure and connect residents in distressed communities around the state to reliable broadband connections.

To fund the state’s endeavor, DEEP will pull funding from Connecticut’s share of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Capital Project Fund to fund 11 projects supporting 88 towns and cities throughout the state. These projects will build out broadband infrastructure in more than half of Connecticut’s communities and benefit 26 distressed municipalities in accordance with the state’s Distressed Municipalities list.

The program’s first round of grants underscores the Connecticut’s commitment to closing the digital divide that primarily affects underserved and economically challenged areas. Projects supported in this round of DEEP funding will connect over 3,300 locations to broadband internet along and develop a more resilient and digitally inclusive environment for residents and businesses.

The ConneCTed Communities Grant Program will deliver the largest grant, $21.26 million, to internet service provider Comcast to expand its services across 75 municipalities. This project will connect almost 2,100 locations to reliable high-speed internet, particularly in regions that have struggled with inadequate service in the past.

Other entities receiving grants under this round include:

Verizon (Greenwich) – $1.8 million for a project spanning 148 locations.

Frontier Communications (Sharon-Cornwall) – $953,909 for a project connecting 148 locations.

Frontier Communications (East Lyme) – $837,734 for a project encompassing 53 locations.

Frontier Communications (Putnam-Killingly) – $837,400 for a project covering 196 locations.

GoNetspeed (East Windsor) – $836,718 for a project containing 237 locations.

Frontier Communications (Sterling-Plainfield) – $434,521 for a project connecting 138 locations.

Frontier Communications (Salem) – $359,184 for a project housing 182 locations.

Frontier Communications (Waterford) – $225,116 for a project encompassing 41 locations.

GoNetspeed (Meriden) – $206,452 for a project covering 46 locations.

Frontier Communications (Torrington) – $204,030 for a project containing 32 locations.

Following this announcement, the ConneCTed Communities Program will initiate a second grant application period on a rolling basis in advance of the December 2026 ARPA funding deadline. Allocated $12.8 million, this second round of funding will continue to build out infrastructure for broadband connections and target multi-dwelling units in distressed communities. Applicants that seek funding for broadband infrastructure projects can apply to the program until funds are expended.

For more resources, a list of round one award recipients and application details for round two for the ConneCTed Communities Grant Program and resources on the DEEP’s broader efforts in broadband deployment, visit DEEP’s Broadband Deployment webpage.

Additionally, DEEP is also administering funding from the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program, which funds the deployment of broadband infrastructure throughout the nation. Connecticut’s share, approximately $144 million, will be available for eligible entities to kickstart the state’s broadband connection efforts later this month.

Photo by Thomas Jensen on Unsplash