Native Entities Grant Program

The Native Entities Grant Program, authorized under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 and codified in the Digital Equity Act of 2021, is designed to expand broadband access and digital equity for Indian Tribes, Alaska Native entities, and Native Hawaiian organizations. NTIA is administering this program through a single application process that consolidates funding from two statutory programs—the State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program and the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program—to reduce administrative burden. Applicants must be eligible Native Entities with a valid Unique Entity Identifier and an active System for Award Management registration, and must provide formal authorization from their governing body to apply. The total funding available is at least $250 million, with individual awards typically ranging between $500,000 and $2.5 million, though justification is required for proposals outside this range. Administrative and program evaluation costs are capped at 10 percent each, and pre-award expenses are limited to $50,000 or 5 percent of the award amount, whichever is less. All projects must align with statutory purposes, improve broadband adoption, and avoid duplication with other federal programs, particularly the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, while prioritizing alignment with BEAD Program investments and geographic distribution favoring rural areas. Applications must be submitted via Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on September 17, 2026, and must include standardized forms such as the SF-424, SF-424-B, CD-511, and Standard Form LLL, along with program-specific documents including the Project Information Form, Funded and Unfunded Entity Form, and Consolidated Budget Form. Proposals are evaluated through a multi-stage process beginning with a merit review that assigns points based on project purpose and need (35 points), implementation plan and budget (25 points), organizational capability (25 points), and performance measures and sustainability (15 points), with a minimum passing score of 65 points required for funding consideration. Final selection is made by the NTIA Assistant Secretary based on additional criteria including maximum utilization of other federal broadband investments, provision of matching funds beyond the required 10 percent, and avoidance of program duplication. Awards are governed by the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (2 C.F.R. Part 200), including updated provisions effective April 22, 2024, and are subject to the Build America