Notice of Funding Availability #009

NOTE: The application window is now closed.

OFFICIAL NOTICE. September 4, 2025. The Department of Management has announced the Notice of Intent to Award to Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) #009 for the Empower Rural Iowa Broadband Grant Program, Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Funds (BEAD).  This opportunity is now closed.

Download Notice of Intent to Award for NOFA #009

FINAL PROPOSAL. August 28, 2025. The Iowa Department of Management has released its BEAD Final Proposal for a 7-day public comment window. This window will closed at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, September 3rd.

• BEAD Final Proposal

  • Subgrantees (fp_subgrantees) 

  • Deployment Projects (fp_deployment_projects) 

  • Locations (fp_locations) 

  • Locations No Longer Eligible for BEAD Funding (fp_no_bead_locations)

  • Community Anchor Institutions (fp_cai) 

  • BEAD Program Monitoring Plan 

  • Agency Policy Documentation 

  • Environmental and Historic Preservation 

  • BEAD Waiver

Notable Changes to BEAD

On June 6, 2025, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (“NTIA”) issued new guidance requiring changes to the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (“BEAD”) program. See Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program: BEAD Restructuring Policy Notice. This new federal guidance significantly impacts the State of Iowa’s BEAD Notice of Funding Availability No. 009 (“NOFA 009”).  

Notable Changes to the BEAD Program  

• Timeline:  As stated in the new guidance, Eligible Entities, which include Iowa, must comply with the guidance and submit the state’s Final Proposal to NTIA no later than September 4, 2025, which will obligate the State to complete its NOFA 009 subgrantee selection process and provide NTIA the State’s BEAD Final Proposal with selected subgrantees by that date.  Thereafter, the federal government will have 90 days to evaluate the submission, and assuming no delays in the process, this will result in NOFA 009 grant agreements being executed in early December 2025.
• Technology Neutrality: NTIA is adopting a technology-neutral approach for the BEAD subgrantee selection process, meaning all broadband technologies that meet performance requirements (fiber-optic, cable modem, low earth orbit satellite, terrestrial fixed wireless) are eligible to compete for each eligible service location on equal footing and based primarily on the lowest overall cost to the federal government. The previous "fiber-first” preference is eliminated.
• Elimination of Some Program Requirements: The new federal guidance eliminates certain prior BEAD requirements, including fair labor practices, workforce development, local and Tribal coordination, open access, net neutrality, and climate change resilience.
• Scoring Rubrics: The scoring criteria for subgrantee selection are revised to focus exclusively on the qualifying broadband offering at each eligible location that can be provided with the smallest outlay of federal funds.  If competing applications for a specific location are within 15% of the lowest-cost offering, then competing applications will be evaluated based on scoring of (1) the speed of the network and other technical capabilities, and (2) the speed to deployment.
• Optimizing BEAD Locations: BEAD-eligible location lists will be modified to include locations no longer served due to defaults or changes in service areas of federally enforceable commitments. In addition, certain providers of Unlicensed Fixed Wireless (“ULFW”) will be given an opportunity to prove that locations within their networks are in fact currently served and should be removed from BEAD eligibility. These updates will be included in the map, which will also be moved to the most recent FCC fabric and availability data. DOM-DoIT will post an updated map and .CSV data file to the website before releasing NOFA 009.
• Low-Cost Service Option: BEAD grant recipients must offer one Low-Cost Service Option (“LCSO”) for subscribers who meet the eligibility requirements for the FCC’s Lifeline Program. The LCSO must offer speeds of at least 100/20 Mbps and latency performance of no more than 100 milliseconds. Consistent with the new guidance, the State will not establish a specific LSCO cap.
• Modification of Initial Proposal: The new guidance directs states to submit a letter agreeing to comply with the new guidance and run their subgrantee selection processes accordingly as opposed to updating previously submitted Initial Proposals.  Therefore, Iowa will be submitted the form letter and following the new guidance.  

Schedule of Important Dates

The timeline for Notice of Funding Availability #009 including steps and dates, are described below (all dates are subject to change):

Applications Received

Program Documentation

Information concerning the grant application process, including all application materials, agreements, and program information are provided below. All Applications to this NOFA are required to be submitted electronically through the Iowa Grants System. 

• Notice of Intent to Award for NOFA #009 (Posted as of September 4, 2025)
• Exhibit A - Notice of Funding Availability #009 (Updated as of July 30, 2025)
  • Amendment 2 to Notice of Funding Availability #009 (Posted as of July 30, 2025)
  • Amendment 1 to Notice of Funding Availability #009 (Posted as of July 18, 2025)
  • Addendum 1 to NOFA #009 - Written Responses to Questions (Posted as of July 18, 2025)
• Broadband Grants Core Application, including
  • Exhibit B - Project Worksheet
  • Exhibit C - CPF Forms
  • Exhibit D - Budget Plan
• Exhibit E - Grant Agreement
• Exhibit F - Certification, Authorization, and Release of Information
• Exhibit G - Request for Confidentiality - Form 22
• Exhibit I - Wireless Project Design Worksheet
• Exhibit N - NOFA #009 ESL Update Form (Posted as of July 18, 2025)
• NOFA #009 Grants Management Policies and Procedures Guide (Coming Soon)
• Pre-Application Webinar Slides
• Pre-Application Webinar Recording
• Applicant Toolkit
  • General Application Instructions
    • Exhibit H - Application Checklist
    • Exhibit J - Iowa Grants Registration and Application Instructions
    • Exhibit K - Project Selection and Data Export/Import Instructions
    • Core Application Instructions
  • Cybersecurity and Supply Chain Risk Management
    • NIST - Key Practices in Cyber Supply Chain Risk Management
    • NIST - Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management Practices for Systems and Organizations
    • Sample Supply Chain Risk Management Plan
    • Sample Cybersecurity Risk Management Plan
  • Environmental and Historic Preservation Pre-Screening
    • NTIA FirstNet PEIS
    • NTIA BMPs and Mitigation Measures
    • BEAD Permitting Conference Notes
    • NEPA Review: Categorical Exclusions
    • DNR - Permit and Environmental Review Management Tool
    • SHPO - Iowa Historic Structures and Archaeological Sites Review
  • Letter of Credit and Performance Bonds
    • Model Letter of Credit
    • SFAA Bond Information Kit
    • LOC/Bond Options
  • BEAD Payment Schedule (Coming Soon)
• State Awarding Documents
  • Financial Assistance Award CD450
  • Financial Assistance Award CD451
• Speed Test
  • Ookla Speed Test
  • Mlabs Speed Test

Map of Awarded Locations

Open NOFA #009 Map of Awarded Locations In A New Window

Map of Iowa Broadband Eligibility Version 6

Open NOFA #009 Map Locations In A New Window

Location Eligibility Data Download

Definitions