Agenda

Return

C. 38

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Marla Stuart, Employment and Human Services Director
Date:	December 13, 2022

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Apply and Accept Funding Request for Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program – Federal Communications Commission

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 12/13/2022

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

ABSENT:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor

Contact:

V. Kaplan, (925) 608-5052

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: December 13, 2022
Monica Nino, County Administrator

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Employment and Human Services Director, or designee, to apply for and accept grant funding in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000 from Federal Communications Commission to provide Affordable Connectivity Program outreach services for the projected period of March 1, 2023 to February 28, 2025.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The County may receive an allocation amount of up to $1,000,000 from the Federal Communications Commission to outreach activities for the projected period of March 1, 2023 to February 28, 2025. Funding is 100% federal, with no required cash or in-kind match.

Assistance Listing Number (formerly CFDA Number): 32.011

BACKGROUND:

On November 10, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) Outreach Grant Program. The ACP is a $14.2 billion FCC program that helps ensure that qualifying low-income households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare, and more. The Outreach Grant Program provides entities with the funding and resources needed to increase awareness of and participation in the Affordable connectivity Program among those eligible households most in need of affordable connectivity.

According to Broadband for All, California’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) enrollment tracker, Contra Costa County has 134,342 ACP-eligible households. Of the eligible households, only 23,242 (17%) are enrolled in ACP.

The grant funding will be used to expand and support diverse and impactful outreach efforts, strengthen outreach partners by empowering them to mobilize people and organizations to help raise awareness about the Affordable Connectivity Program and increase Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) enrollment. We anticipate an increase in ACP enrollment resulting from the Outreach Grant Program funded activities, including but not limited to ACP application assistance, digital campaigns, outreach materials, direct mail, planning, project management, paid media campaigns, consumer research/focus.

The Employment and Human Department will partner with local organizations such as Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS), Contra Costa Libraries, local cities, and local community-based organizations to increase awareness of and participation in the Affordable Connectivity Program.

FCC awards are anticipated on or before March 10, 2023.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

Without funding, approximately 110,000 eligible households in Contra Costa County may not learn about the Affordable Connectivity Program and their eligibility to enroll.