Image of city building skyline with Wi-Fi symbols connected over the top.

Community Wi-Fi Grant Program

The Community Wi-Fi program is a $10 million competitive reimbursement subgrant under the CEN Broadband Infrastructure Program, funded by the ARPA Capital Project Fund and supported by Governor Lamont’s Connecticut’s Plan for the American Rescue Plan of 2021. Designed to aid COVID-19 recovery, the program enhances internet infrastructure for work, education, health, and wellness. By leveraging the CEN infrastructure platform, the program will expand high-quality, secure, 802.11-based wireless internet access through Community Anchor Institutions (CAIs) across Connecticut, with a focus on underserved and economically disadvantaged communities. The program also promotes the adoption of eduroam®, a global platform for secure, authenticated Wi-Fi access, further extending connectivity and support to users across institutions.  Any CAI can apply for grant funds to attach to CEN and expand high-quality and secure Wi-Fi in their communities.

 

Community Wi-Fi Program Info Session Webinars

Info Session 1 (Applicants)

Thursday 1/9 at 11:00AM-12:00PM

View Recording Here

  Slide Deck Here  

Info Session 2 (Applicants)

Tuesday 1/14 at 11:00AM-12:00PM

View Recording Here

  Slide Deck Here  

OEM, Resellers, Integrators' Session

Tuesday 1/21 at 11:00AM-12:00PM

      Register Here      

Info Session 3 (Applicants)

Thursday 1/16 at 11:00AM-12:00PM

Friday 1/24 at 11:00AM - 12:00PM

    Meeting Link Here    

Program Objectives

Equity of Access to Internet

Expand high-quality internet access to Connecticut citizens by targeting communities in need and leveraging existing infrastructure.

 

 

Partnerships

Encourage partnerships between municipalities, schools, libraries, other community anchor institutions, and private partners.

 

Transformational Recovery

Directly support recovery from the COVID-19 public health emergency by strengthening and improving the infrastructure necessary for participation in work, education, health and wellness. 

 

Sustainability

Ensure sustainability of solutions by requiring the applicants to commit to the wireless service through the funding period and beyond.

 

 

Expanding eduroam

Expanding the reach of eduroam so that every teacher, learner, and education-based staff person or administrator can connect to Wi-Fi safely, securely, and across any institution in the state.

 

Learn more about eduroam

 

Project Objecti

Preliminary Dates

*Dates are subject to change

 

Submit Program Guidance Comments Here:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here, you will find answers to common questions about the Community Wi-Fi Grant Program.

This section will be regularly updated to include new questions as they arise. Stay tuned for the latest information!

 

Who can applicants reach out to for guidance through the application process?

Applicants can contact CEN at CENwifigrant@cteducation.net for assistance.

Is CEN able to offer any consultative time or guidance if I have questions throughout the application process?

Yes, reach out to us as CENwifigrant@cteducation.net to get started. You can also attend one of our "office hours" blocks available on the program website: https://ctedunet.net/cwifi. Scroll to the bottom of the webpage to view our "office hours" blocks, and find a date that works best for you.

How do I define and demonstrate community need?

Demonstrating a community is unserved, economically disadvantaged or a community in-need is largely up to the applicant.  There is not a specific definition of what qualifies as underserved, economically disadvantaged or in-need since this can look different in each community.  Proposals are asked to provide a project narrative, supporting data and conclusions drawn that demonstrate why the referenced project area(s) or community was considered underserved, economically disadvantaged or in-need.

Examples of data points that may help demonstrate community needs are listed below:

  • Supporting population data that the project area(s) is part of an underserved, typically economically disadvantaged group or community of color
  • Anticipated regional impact, including but not limited to whether the project is coordinated with or builds upon other nearby projects and addresses a region of the state with high need but relatively few funded projects
  • Supporting data on the socio-economic status of the project area(s)
  • Number of disconnected users
  • Subscription rates in served areas
  • The number of households without access to reliable, high-speed internet service
  • Number of students without adequate internet access for remote learning
  • Describe the affordability of existing internet service options
  • Current availability of public Wi-Fi access points in the project area(s)
  • Implement a community engagement strategy and communication
  • Target services to communities with the greatest need
  • Address language barriers
  • Provide digital literacy training
  • Are there devices available for public use
  • Devices to loan to the public

How to locate and cite valuable substantiating data

Valuable data sources that can be used to help demonstrate a community is unserved, economically disadvantaged or a community in-need, or to help measure project effectiveness and impact are listed below.  Please note, this is not an exhaustive list.

  • ACS
  • NTIA Indicators of Broadband Need
  • Microsoft Digital Equity Maps
  • Connecticut’s Digital Equity Program’s Broadband Mapping Tool
  • Office of Policy and Management (OPM) Broadband Availability Map: Availability data shows unserved and underserved locations in Connecticut (for purposes of this program, underserved locations include those labeled unserved) based on OPM data collection process, which started in March of 2022, with the cooperation of internet service providers in the state.
  • Survey Data: Involve direct input from end-users regarding their broadband service's speeds, technologies, and other performance features. CEN encourages applicants to provide survey-based data, especially if the maps may potentially label an area as “served” when, in fact, part of the project area is underserved.
  • Speed Test Data: Speed test data is helpful to support other data sets. Speeds are influenced by several factors, some of which do not reflect the available network type and capacity (e.g., subscribed level of service).
  • Distressed Municipalities: Updated annually, the distressed municipalities' lists identify the state’s most fiscally and economically distressed municipalities and are used by state agencies to target funds for needs which may include housing, insurance, open space, brownfield remediation, and economic development programs, among others.
  • Content Filtering Capabilities
  • Security Requirements – Secure Wi-Fi vs Guest

How to locate and cite subscription rates for a project area via the Connecticut Digital Equity’s online broadband mapping tool

Applicants can visit the Connecticut Digital Equity’s online broadband mapping tool website at https://broadbandmaps.ct.gov/ and use the interactive map to explore subscription rates by entering a specific address or area. 

The map allows users to view data on broadband availability, technology types, and subscription rates across different regions. This can help applicants identify gaps in broadband adoption.  This data can be utilized to support applicant proposals by highlighting areas with lower subscription rates, thereby illustrating a strong need for improved broadband access in the community.

Can funds be used anywhere within the state of CT, including both rural and urban environments?

Yes. These grant funds are bound to the State of CT and can be used in rural and urban settings, so long as the application demonstrates how it will meet the needs of an underserved community.

What should applicants include in their application to properly document funds for a facility build-back?

When completing the online application via CEN’s online portal, ensure that the portion of the total funding amount allocated for a build-back to a facility is clearly designated. This should be done when drafting a response to the question, “Provide a brief summary of the project,” in the Project Overview section. Additionally, make sure that these funds are included in the “Total Funding Amount Requested” response in the Project Budget section of the application.

Can those who want to offer eduroam connectivity still offer other SSIDs, like a guest network for community members that wouldn’t have eduroam compatible login credentials from an educational institution?

Yes. eduroam does not need to be the only SSID.

For entities that will offer eduroam, do they need to post any signage?

Posting signage is encouraged but is not required.

Where can entities obtain additional information about eduroam?

The Program Guidance outlines a bit about eduroam, but more information is available online at https://ctedunet.net/eduroam/ or https://eduroam.org/.

Is eduroam limited only to schools?

Anyone can be a host site for eduroam, they do not need to be a school.

Is CIPA compliance mandatory in order to use these grant dollars?

No, CIPA compliance is not mandatory and is not part of the grant program.

Can grant dollars be used to upgrade current internet speeds?

Grant funds can only be used for projects that would expand coverage, and can't be used on expenses that would be considered operational expenses.  If an institution were to upgrade current internet speeds, expenses that go into hardware to make those upgrades possible could be paid for with grant dollars, but not the cost of operating those speeds as regular recurring costs.

For entities who already have CEN and eduroam connectivity, can they use funds from this grant to expand that coverage to additional buildings/locations within their area?

Yes, however any projects proposed need to demonstrate how they would expand coverage and reach specifically for target communities.

 

How do instances of supplanting and supplementing look different?

Supplant refers more to replacing state, local or tribal funds with federal funds. Supplementing refers more to adding federal funds to state, local or tribal funds for a program or service. The Department of Justice drafted a guide sheet that shows an example, viewable here.

Am I required to submit documentation with the Reimbursement Request Form?

Though documentation is not required to be submitted with the Reimbursement Request Form (Appendix J), sub-recipients should retain these records in case of audits. 

Will the recorded info sessions and slide decks be made available online?

Each info session covers the same content, however the recordings and slide decks from each will be available on our Community Wi-Fi Grant Website. These can be found near the top of the webpage under the section titled "Community Wi-Fi Grant Program Info Session Webinars." Additionally, questions and concerns raised during each session will be addressed in this FAQ section.

Can grant dollars be used to expand wi-fi coverage over sports fields?

Yes, however any projects proposed need to demonstrate how they would expand coverage and reach specifically for underserved communities.

Are there any limitations on additional SSIDs that may be used and their use cases? For example, internal use and pass point?

No, there are no limitations on additional SSIDs that may be used.  However if you think you may have a specific situation that may propose an issue, contact us at CENwifigrant@cteducation.net to start a discussion.

What does the ideal partnership and target project area look like?

Aiming to partner and establish projects across CAIs such as libraries, school districts and universities in a municipal area is a great approach that helps pool resources across different kinds of partners.  However, applications can be more ambitious and get creative so long as their proposals demonstrate how they can get it done.

Is matching funds a requirement?

No, matching funds (or giving in-kind contributions) is not a requirement, though it is encouraged and is given preference during the application scoring process.  If an agency will be pouring a lot of resources into executing a project, these can be considered in-kind contributions so long as they are very clearly articulated and quantified in the program budget (i.e. anticipated hours required to install equipment).

Can funds from this grant be used on top of another grant?

Stacking grants or braiding of funds is possible. However, in the application you need to be clear and articulate what the grant funds are covering, how they are additive, and ensure no dependencies exist between the two (i.e. the projects can stand on their own if only one is funded). 

After the grant is spent, who is responsible for paying ongoing costs (like licensing, bandwidth or hardware replacement etc) to continue providing this service to the community?

Any ongoing costs beyond the 5-year term would be on the applicant(s) to cover as part of ownership and management. Since the period of performance is 5 years, any initial licensing for equipment licensing should be at least 5-years. Check warranties on new equipment to confirm where and when equipment failure is covered.

Specifically regarding eduroam, there is no fee since CEN covers that as the regional support organization.  This means anyone who does implement eduroam would benefit from its seamless user experience and minimal support, while also receiving better reporting that shows who guests/users are and their home institutions.

Does work have to be performed by a licensed and certified professional?

Yes, per state and federal guidance, work must be performed by licensed and certified personnel.  Some are also protected trades for prevailing wage where applicable as required flow down language from federal guidance and state of CT statute.

Can funds be used anywhere within the state of CT, including both urban and rural environments?

Yes, these grant dollars are bound to the State of CT and can be used in rural and urban settings so long as the application demonstrates how it will meet the needs of an underserved community.

How can organizations cover internal staffing costs? When would they be considered overhead versus a direct cost?

Internal staffing costs can be quantified either way, as a direct expense or as an ‘in-kind’ matching contribution, or alternatively by subcontracting out labor so it becomes a direct reimbursable expense.  The in-kind contribution option would receive some preference during the application review process.  

Regardless of how things are set up, operations would need to remain in compliance with the same federal uniform guidance required for any other grant program.  

If you have any questions about a potential set up, contact CENwifigrant@cteducation.net for guidance. 

Is there a minimum or maximum for the amount of funds being requested?

No.

Office Hours

We are holding weekly "Office Hours" sessions during the grant application window, where applicants can drop in during the hour for guidance through the application process. These sessions are held each Tuesday from 2/4/2025 to 3/11/2025. If in-depth assistance is needed, we can schedule time blocks with you outside of these "Office Hours" windows. See the available dates below, and be sure to add your preferred time slot to your calendar for your convenience!