Advance-Local Grant Program

The Advance Colorado Broadband State & Local Dollars grant program, known as Advance-Local, is administered by the Colorado Broadband Office and authorized by HB24-1336. The program builds on Colorado's prior High-Cost Support Mechanism grant program and consolidates the grantmaking process under the Colorado Broadband Office. Advance-Local is designed to improve broadband and digital access across Colorado by supporting a broader set of projects than the prior program, including middle-mile infrastructure, last-mile infrastructure, short-term construction, and localized non-deployment activities. The current application window is for Advance-Local Middle Mile projects and is open from April 30, 2026 through June 29, 2026. This phase supports critical network backbone infrastructure intended to improve connectivity and set the stage for broader broadband access across Colorado. Middle-mile infrastructure projects must use fiber-optic technology, must not connect directly to an end-user location, and must be built to include direct interconnection facilities that support broadband service at speeds of at least 10 Gbps symmetrical. Middle-mile projects may also include interconnection to community anchor institutions located within 1,000 feet of the middle-mile infrastructure. Advance-Local is funded annually in varying amounts based on Universal Service Fund contributions through the High-Cost Support Mechanism. The program is expected to have an annual estimated funding amount of about $14 million on average, although the amount may decline as landline subscribers decline. The program is generally administered on a cost-reimbursement basis. Up to 60 percent of available grant funding must be used for Tier I Middle Mile projects, and up to 40 percent must be used for Tier II projects, including last-mile, short-term construction, and non-deployment projects. Eligible costs are costs incurred after execution of the Advance-Local grant agreement, and work performed before grant agreement execution cannot be reimbursed unless authorized in writing by the Colorado Broadband Office. Eligible applicants include internet service providers, including community and city-owned providers, nonprofits, Tribes, cooperatives, electric companies, municipalities, city-owned ISPs, local community internet service providers, partnerships between ISPs, municipalities with partnerships, and units of state or local government. Applicants must provide organizational information, ownership information, business or organizational structure, signature authority details, entity type confirmation, financial capability documentation, and compliance disclosures. Applicants must also submit audited financial statements for the last two fiscal years, or unaudited financial statements if audited statements are not available, and most organizations must provide a Colorado Secretary of State Certificate of Fact on Good Standing. Applicants must generally commit a cash match of at least 25 percent of total project cost unless a waiver is granted by the Colorado Broadband Office. Match expenses are subject to the same eligibility rules as grant expenses, and grantees must maintain financial records documenting the source, amount, receipt date, and expenditure of matching funds. In-kind match is not allowable without prior approval from Colorado Broadband Office staff. Applicants may request a match waiver by describing the special circumstances that make the full match infeasible, documenting efforts to obtain matching funds, and explaining how the waiver serves the public interest and advances the goals of Advance-Local. Applications are submitted through the Advance-Local application portal available through the program website. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their application materials include sufficient proof that the proposed project meets all applicable minimum requirements. Application materials include applicant background, organization identifiers, ownership and partnership information, financial documentation, project contacts, an executive summary, a detailed project narrative, community engagement information, community impact narratives, project budget and financial information, match details, qualifications and skills, and certification. The Colorado Broadband Office will provide guidance, office hours, webinars, a weekly updated FAQ, and support through Advance_CBO@state.co.us. Applications are reviewed against minimum requirements and award criteria that vary by project type. Minimum requirements include support for broadband deployment in unserved or underserved areas, applicable speed requirements, a minimum 25 percent matching funding requirement unless waived, applicant eligibility, reliability and performance standards for deployment projects, project completion timelines, reasonable project costs, compliance standards, reporting and accountability requirements, and clear non-deployment or digital equity objectives where applicable. Award criteria include project purpose and impact, geographic distribution, network redundancy, diversity and latency, network speeds, applicant match, cost-effectiveness, support for low-income households, and support for unserved and underserved locations or areas. After review, the Colorado Broadband Office makes recommendations to the Advance-Local Work Group and publishes an intent-to-award list. Appeals and challenges run for fourteen calendar days after the intent-to-award list is posted. Grants are not final until a grant agreement is executed with the State of Colorado.

Provide complete proof for all minimum requirements; submit the best and final proposal; clearly document unserved or underserved impact, project timeline, budget, match, workforce, local coordination, Tribal coordination if applicable, and community impact; strengthen the application through higher match where feasible; avoid pre-agreement costs because costs incurred before grant agreement execution are not reimbursable unless authorized in writing.