The Capital Projects Fund allows for investment in high-quality broadband infrastructure as well as other connectivity infrastructure, devices, and equipment. Treasury encourages consultation with the statewide entity or office that oversees broadband planning and implementation, where such an entity or office exists, when planning for the use of Capital Projects Fund grant funding. In addition to supporting broadband, it also provides flexibility for each State, territory, freely associated state, and Tribal Government to make investments in other Capital Projects designed to directly enable work, education, and health monitoring and that meet Treasury's other criteria. The Capital Projects Fund also provides flexibility for each Recipient to identify communities to be served by Capital Projects, so long as the Recipient can demonstrate that said communities have critical needs related to work, education, and health monitoring that the Capital Project intends to address.
Treasury expects many Recipients will choose to use Capital Projects Fund grant funding for Broadband Infrastructure Projects. The COVID-19 public health emergency highlighted that access to high-quality internet can enable work, education, and health access, and that individuals and communities that lack affordable access to such high-quality internet are at a marked disadvantage. Investing in broadband for communities sensitive to or that have historically experienced these inequities will be critical for improving digital equity and opportunity, especially in the case of communities that currently lack access to the affordable, reliable, high-quality broadband internet that is necessary for full participation in school, healthcare, employment, social services, government programs, and civic life.
For a Capital Project to be an eligible use of Capital Projects Fund grant funds, it must meet all of the following criteria:
- The Capital Project invests in capital assets designed to directly enable work, education, and health monitoring.
- The Capital Project is designed to address a critical need that resulted from or was made apparent or exacerbated by the COVID-19 public health emergency.
- The Capital Project is designed to address a critical need of the community to be served by it.
The Department of the Treasury presumes that the following types of projects are eligible:
- Broadband Infrastructure Projects
- Digital Connectivity Technology Projects
- Multi-Purpose Community Facility Projects
The first four awards to states are available to view on the program page: https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/coronavirus/assistance-for-state-local-and-tribal-governments/capital-projects-fund/.
A list of awards to tribes is available here: https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/CPF-Tribal-Awards.pdf.
General infrastructure projects, such as highways, bridges, transit systems, and ports, are ineligible under the Capital Projects Fund program. General construction and improvement of hospitals and traditional schools are not presumed to be eligible, although, there may be opportunities for such projects to receive funding under the Capital Projects Fund program if they meet the project eligibility criteria. Such projects will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.