State Broadband Expansion Grants
Forecasted
State Broadband Expansion Grants support organizations, telecommunications utilities, and local government partnerships building broadband infrastructure to bring reliable service to unserved areas of Wisconsin.
Funder: Public Service Commission of Wisconsin
Due Dates: July 20, 2026 (Questions) | July 27, 2026 (Applications) | July 28, 2026 (Geospatial files) | September 6, 2026 (Provider challenges)
Funding Amounts: Approximately $60 million available in the FY 2026 round; projects planned for no more than 24 months
Summary: State grants support construction of broadband infrastructure that brings service to unserved areas of Wisconsin.
Key Information: Cities, villages, towns, and counties must apply with a qualified organization or telecommunications utility.
Description
The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin administers the Broadband Expansion Grant Program to encourage deployment of advanced telecommunications capability in unserved parts of the state. Established in 2014 under Wisconsin statute, the program funds construction of broadband infrastructure and connection of service. Applicants must show a clear, achievable plan to improve communications service in one or more unserved areas.
For this program, an unserved area lacks available, reliable wired or terrestrial fixed wireless internet service at actual speeds of at least 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload. The commission publishes presumptively eligible locations and proposed project areas, but makes the final determination of location and project eligibility. Projects serving areas with actual speeds of 25/3 Mbps or less receive priority in scoring.
