Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program

Not later than 30 days after the date on which the Assistant Secretary begins awarding grants under section 1723(d) of this title, and not before that date, the Assistant Secretary shall establish in the Department of Commerce the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program (referred to in this section as the “Program”), the purpose of which is to award grants to support efforts to achieve digital equity, promote digital inclusion activities, and spur greater adoption of broadband among covered populations. In establishing the Program under paragraph (1), the Assistant Secretary— may consult a State with respect to— shall— consult with— The Assistant Secretary may award a grant under the Program to any of the following entities if the entity is not serving, and has not served, as the administering entity for a State under section 1723(b) of this title: A foundation, corporation, institution, or association that is— A partnership between— an entity that— An entity that wishes to be awarded a grant under the Program shall submit to the Assistant Secretary an application— that— includes— demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Assistant Secretary that the entity— is capable of carrying out— the activities described in subsection (h)— provides— In deciding whether to award a grant under the Program, the Assistant Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, consider— whether an application shall, if approved— In addition to the activities required under subparagraph (B), an entity to which the Assistant Secretary awards a grant under the Program shall use the grant amounts to support not less than 1 of the following activities: To implement, consistent with the purposes of this subchapter— An entity to which the Assistant Secretary awards a grant under the Program shall use not more than 10 percent of the grant amounts to measure and evaluate the activities supported with the grant amounts. An entity to which the Assistant Secretary awards a grant under the Program shall submit to the Assistant Secretary each measurement and evaluation performed under clause (i)— An entity to which the Assistant Secretary awards a grant under the Program may use not more than 10 percent of the amount of the grant for administrative costs in carrying out any of the activities described in subparagraph (A). With respect to a grant awarded to an entity under the Program, the entity— Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Federal share of any project for which the Assistant Secretary awards a grant under the Program may not exceed 90 percent. The Assistant Secretary may grant a waiver with respect to the limitation on the Federal share of a project described in paragraph (1) if— When applying for a grant under this section, an entity shall include in the application for that grant assurances that the entity shall— use any grant funds that the entity is awarded— adopt and use proper methods of administering any grant that the entity is awarded, including by— cooperate with respect to any evaluation— In addition to other authority under applicable law, the Assistant Secretary may— deobligate or terminate a grant awarded to an entity under this section if, after notice to the entity and opportunity for a hearing, the Assistant Secretary— presents to the entity a rationale and supporting information that clearly demonstrates that— The Assistant Secretary— shall— require any entity to which the Assistant Secretary awards a grant under the Program to, for each year during the period described in subsection (d)(2)(D) with respect to the grant, submit to the Assistant Secretary a report, in a format specified by the Assistant Secretary, regarding— create and maintain a fully searchable database, which shall be accessible on the internet at no cost to the public, that contains, at a minimum— A grant awarded to an entity under the Program shall supplement, not supplant, other Federal or State funds that have been made available to the entity to carry out activities described in this section. From amounts made available in a fiscal year to carry out the Program, the Assistant Secretary shall reserve— 5 percent for the implementation and administration of the Program, which shall include— The Assistant Secretary may prescribe such rules as may be necessary to carry out this section. There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section—