Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority Announces Provisional Approval of Nearly $800 Million in BEAD Grants That Will Connect All Pennsylvanians with High-Speed Internet

Following a seven-day public comment period that begins today, the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program provisional selections will be submitted to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for final approval and disbursement of funds.

Governor Josh Shapiro and his Administration have moved quickly to close the digital divide and connect Pennsylvanians to reliable, affordable, high-speed internet.

Harrisburg, PA – Today, Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority (PBDA) Executive Director Brandon Carson announced the PBDA Board of Directors has provisionally approved $793.4 million in Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grants that will universally connect all Pennsylvanians to high-speed internet once fully approved by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The federal funding will connect all remaining locations across the Commonwealth that currently lack high-speed internet service.

Following a seven-day public comment period which begins today and ends at 5:00 PM (ET) on Friday, August 29, 2025, the BEAD provisional selections and final proposal will be submitted to the NTIA by September 4, 2025. The NTIA has committed to approving and disbursing the BEAD funds by the end of this year. 

“My Administration is working to drive out this historic funding as quickly as possible so we can extend access to high-speed, affordable internet all across our Commonwealth by the end of this decade,” said Governor Josh Shapiro. “When people are connected to reliable, affordable internet, they have better health outcomes, better education outcomes, and better economic outcomes. We’re committed to closing the digital divide in the Commonwealth, and this is another significant step forward in creating real opportunity for all Pennsylvanians.”

The final BEAD proposal, which builds on the recently completed program application round, is the final critical submission by states and territories to unlock their BEAD broadband deployment funding. Pennsylvania, which was originally awarded $1.16 billion in BEAD funding, is connecting all residents for less than originally anticipated thanks to the PBDA’s diligent work to connect all areas of our Commonwealth to high-speed internet at a reasonable cost. The provisional grant selections outlined in the proposal include a diverse mix of technologies such as fiber, hybrid-fiber coaxial, fixed wireless, and low-Earth orbit satellite.

“Reliable, high-speed internet is essential for education, health care, and economic opportunity. By posting the proposal for public comment, we’re engaging Pennsylvanians directly in our effort to close the digital divide,” said PBDA Executive Director Carson. “This comment period is a critical step in ensuring transparency and community input before submitting our plan to NTIA.” 

The full list of provisional selections is available online.

BEAD funds can be used for physical improvements; long-term leases; multi-family residential deployment; planning, design, and engineering; personnel costs; and network software upgrades. There is no minimum or maximum grant amount for any project — projects require a minimum 25 percent share of the total project cost in matching funds.

The BEAD program, established in accordance with the NTIA’s Notice of Funding Opportunity,  NTIA’s BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice, and Act 96 of 2021 utilizes funds allocated to Pennsylvania through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021.

This past January, Governor Shapiro and PBDA Executive Director Carson visited the Cambria County Library in Johnstown to highlight the Shapiro Administration’s progress in providing more residents with affordable high-speed internet access. In addition to $1.16 billion in BEAD funding, the PBDA approved $45 million in Multi-Purpose Community Facilities Program grants for 49 projects in 27 counties across Pennsylvania last year to provide high-speed internet at public facilities such as schools, local libraries, and community health centers.

The Commonwealth has also awarded $204.1 million in federal funding through the Broadband Infrastructure Program (BIP) for projects to bring high-speed internet to over 100,000 Pennsylvanians in 42 counties across the Commonwealth that currently have no service or struggle with poor service and $20 million to provide technology devices such as laptops for distribution to schools, libraries, municipalities, workforce training organizations, and other non-profits who can make them available to individuals that lack the technology needed to access the internet.

Updated resources for the BEAD program, including FAQs, can be found on the PBDA’s BEAD Program Page.

Visit the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority’s website to learn more about its work to close the digital divide in the Commonwealth.

For more information about the Department of Community and Economic Development, visit the DCED website, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

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