2026-27 Digital Divide Grant Program Round 4

Public Utilities Commission$50,000–$100,000Due Oct 31, 2026

Unofficial — verify with the issuing agency before applying.

Nonprofits 501(c)(3) only Government / tribal Schools & universities Narrow eligibility

Deadline: Oct 31, 2026
Posted: Jul 6, 2026
Award amount: $50,000–$100,000
Focus areas: Disadvantaged Communities Education Housing Community and Economic Development Science Technology and Research & Development

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We’ll email you before Oct 31, 2026 so you have time to apply.

In plain English

Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) nonprofit community-based organizations with a demonstrated track record addressing the digital divide, partnered with a low-income urban or rural public school or district. The California Public Utilities Commission will award about three grants of $50,000 to $100,000 (roughly $200,000 total) for projects that address broadband access, affordability, device access, or digital-skills training. Applicants must be in good standing with the California Franchise Tax Board, submit at least three letters of recommendation, and already have a partnership agreement with the beneficiary school or district. Applications are due by October 31, 2026.

AI-generated summary to help you decide quickly — verify the official eligibility rules before applying.

Who can apply

Nonprofit; Public Agency

About this grant

The Digital Divide Grant Program (DDGP) will provide three grants for a total of $200,000. The DDGP is funded by fees collected from leases of state-owned property to wireless telecommunications service providers, pursuant to Government Code Section 14666.8. Eligible projects will serve a beneficiary public school or district located in an urban or rural low-income small school district and two non-profit Community Organizations. Projects may address physical gaps in local broadband networks, affordability, access to personal devices and digital skills training. Projects must provide a holistic solution. Grant recipients must be a non-profit community-based organization (CBO) with a demonstrated record of work in addressing the digital divide. For public schools or districts, the CBO will partner with an eligible public school or district to deploy the project. The beneficiary of the project will be the partner school or district. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will evaluate and score applications and award grants for up to three projects using the competitive process described in CPUC Administrative Letter No.33. Eligible non-profit CBOs may submit applications for grant funding. Applicants must have demonstrated record of successful and satisfactory work deploying community technology projects and/or projects to bridge the digital divide. Applicants must have an agreement with a beneficiary school or district to execute a proposed project. In the first stage of review, panelists will evaluate the baseline requirements to determine if the CBO's application can progress to the second stage of review. The baseline requirements include: The application must be complete and submitted timely. The applicant is a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The applicant must be in good standing with the California Franchise Tax Board. The applicant must submit at least three letters of recommendation. The applicant must have a written agreement with the beneficiary public school or district to execute a proposed project. The applicant must submit at least two letters of endorsement per the beneficiary public school or district supporting the project. One letter is required from the beneficiary public school or district office and one letter from the beneficiary's school Parent Teachers Association. The beneficiary public school or district must be located within the boundaries of an urban or rural small school district as identified by the California Department of Education. The beneficiary public school or district must have a Free or Reduced Price Meal (FRPM) of at least 50 percent. In the second evaluation stage, panelists will review the remaining applications to assign scores on each of the following categories: Scope of Work, Experience, Budget and Overall. The application window is open from July 1, 2026, and will close on October 30, 2026. For more information on the DDGP, CBO eligibility criteria, the application process, schedules and forms, please go to: www.cpuc.ca.gov/ddgp.

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Related grants

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Also listed under Education Grants.

Source: public records via Grants.gov. UseGrants is an independent aggregator, not affiliated with any funding agency. Always confirm details on the official listing before applying.