W.Va. Seeks Applications For Federal Funding To Broadband Projects

Applications for funding through the federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program open Thursday for new and revised broadband projects in West Virginia.

Overseen by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the BEAD program has sought to expand high-speed internet access since it was established in 2021, funding broadband infrastructure projects nationwide.

The program faced restructuring announced in June under the new administration of President Donald Trump. This effort aimed to remove “red tape” around the application process, and also sought to make the selection process “technology neutral” by deprioritizing evaluation criteria like the environmental impact of project applications, according to the NTIA.

The revised process also created a new 90-day window for states to submit final BEAD project proposals for the current cycle. 

The Office of Broadband, a branch of the West Virginia Department of Commerce’s Division of Economic Development, has prepared new application procedures for the state to comply with the shift in federal guidelines. That begins with an application window for West Virginia broadband projects seeking financial support from the federal government.

The application is open from July 10 to July 20 in a period dubbed the “Benefit of the Bargain Round,” Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced Tuesday.

“Our office continues to complete the requirements to submit our final BEAD proposal,” Morrisey said. This round marks “the next step toward securing this critical funding and getting West Virginia connected.”

In August, final proposals will be reviewed and become available for public comment before they are submitted to the NTIA. West Virginia aims to submit a final version of its project proposals to the NTIA by Sept. 3.

For more information on the application process and guidelines, visit the West Virginia Broadband Enhancement Council website.