Overview
The Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program is a $3 billion program directed to Tribal Governments, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Tribal Organizations and Native Corporations, and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to be used for broadband deployment on tribal lands, as well as for telehealth, distance learning, broadband affordability, and adoption.
TBCP awards have been made under two separate Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs).
Get Ready: Application Prep for the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program 3 and Native Entities Grant Program
In November 2025, the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced reforms to its Tribal broadband programs to reduce red tape for Tribal governments, promote flexibility, and align NTIA’s grant opportunities to better serve Tribal connectivity. Specifically, these reforms will streamline the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP 3) and the Native Entities Grant Program (NEGP) set-aside from the Digital Equity Act of 2021 through two new Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) to expand Tribal broadband access and adoption.
Prior to issuing new funding guidance, NTIA hosted two virtual Tribal Consultations with more than 200 Tribal leaders and received more than a dozen written comments. These contributions will help inform the upcoming TBCP 3 and NEGP NOFOs. For more details, you may access the Tribal Consultation summary and transcript below.
The TBCP 3 and NEGP Get Ready Primer provides information to help you prepare before the NOFO release.
Tribal Consultation on the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) and the Digital Equity Act of 2021 set aside for Native Entities (NE)
This is a letter inviting Tribal Leaders to join the NTIA Virtual Consultations on January 13th and 20th, 2026 on the restructuring of the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program and the Digital Equity Act of 2021 set aside for Native Entities prior to issuing new funding guidance.
NTIA Announces Tribal Broadband Program Reforms to Maximize Tribal Connectivity and Reduce Red Tape