Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program

The Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) program provides funding for broadband infrastructure and the preparation of a plan by each Eligible Entity (state) for how to achieve "Internet for All". Federal BEAD program funding for broadband infrastructure deployment included a minimum of $100 million for each state. Allocations to each state above the initial funding were announced on June 26, 2023. Minnesota will receive a total of $651,839,368. The individual state amounts were calculated from the number of unserved locations (locations without reliable broadband service of at least 25Mbps download and 3Mbps upload) within each state based on new maps that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) developed as well as the number of such locations in areas deemed to be high cost.

Additional information on the federal BEAD program is available on the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) website.

BEAD Grantor Portal

Access the BEAD Grantor Portal

The first round, 11a, of subgrantee selection closed April 21 at 4:30 p.m. CST, and the second round, 11b, is expected to open on May 27 for all technologies.
Approved BEAD Applicants (4/14/2025)
Watch a walkthrough on how to select locations in the BEAD Grantor Portal.
If you have any technical questions on the portal, please email mnhelpdesk@ready.net.

BEAD Resources for Pre-Qualification and Application

Policy Notices

Identification of Non-BSLs for BEAD

Final List of BEAD Eligible Locations

BEAD Eligibility Map
- Resources available to assist with using the Minnesota interactive broadband map are available from Connected Nation, Map Product How-To Videos. A downloadable PDF is also available as a quick-start guide, BEAD Mapping Portal Guide.
Final List of BEAD Eligible Locations with No BEAD locations (3-17-2025 - this update adds the NTIA non-service code where applicable)
- The spreadsheet above contains the FINAL list of BEAD eligible locations approved by NTIA. If you are a provider and note any locations on the list that should be further deduplicated due to public funding commitments, please contact OBD at deed.broadband@state.mn.us.
View unserved and underserved locations by county in Minnesota. Download the "BEAD Eligible Locations by County (PDF)" or "BEAD Eligible Locations by County (XLSX)". (3-3-2025)

BEAD FAQs

BEAD FAQ Submission Form

Submit FAQs on BEAD through the form above.
BEAD Pre-Qualification FAQ PDF (final update posted 3/7/25)
BEAD Subgrantee Selection FAQ PDF (updated 4/17/25)
BEAD General FAQ PDF (updated 3/21/25)

Additional guidance and technical assistance from NTIA on BEAD is available on the NTIA webpage.

2025 Webinars, Application Information Sessions, and Office Hours
2025 Webinars, Application Information Sessions, and Office Hours

Webinars

OBD provided an update of information on the BEAD program in Minnesota going into 2025. To watch the recording of the webinar and download the slides, visit the OBD webinar's webpage.

Application Information Sessions

Application Information Sessions provide a background on the BEAD Broadband Infrastructure grant program, walk through the application requirements, and give an overview of the application process through a demo of the application portal.
- Session 1, Round 11a: March 25 PDF of slides | Recording
- Session 2, Round 11b: Tuesday, May 20, 11:00 a.m. Registration
- Session 3, Round 11c, Registration coming soon
Office Hours

Weekly office hour sessions will be an opportunity for OBD to provide updates on the BEAD program in Minnesota and answer questions. Office hours will not be recorded unless otherwise noted.

Registration links for upcoming office hours:
- Tuesday, May 27, 11:00 a.m. Registration
- Tuesday, June 3, 11:00 a.m. Registration
- Additional sessions for office hours during the third round, 11c, of subgrantee selection will be posted soon.
Materials from previous office hours:
For questions on webinars or office hours, please email deed.broadband@state.mn.us.
Now Available: Minnesota BEAD Contractor Directory
Now Available: Minnesota BEAD Contractor Directory

Minnesota BEAD Contractor Directory Form
- Complete and submit the form above to be listed on the Minnesota BEAD Contractor Directory.
- The Minnesota BEAD Contractor directory is a voluntary list consisting of the names and contact information of the contractors and subcontractors that have requested to be included in the directory. The directory is not an exhaustive list of all the contractors and subcontractors based or working in the state of Minnesota, and the Office of Broadband Development (OBD) does not endorse or vet any of the companies or individuals listed. OBD reserves the right to discontinue the directory at any time.
Download the Minnesota BEAD Contractor Directory (4/30/2025). The directory will be updated weekly.
BEAD Timeline
BEAD Timeline

The process for receiving and awarding BEAD funding has multiple steps and spans multiple years:

November 15, 2021

IIJA signed into law

May 16, 2022

BEAD Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) issued

May 30, 2023

FCC issues new broadband data maps which are basis for BEAD funding

June 26, 2023

State/Eligible Entities funding allocations announced by NTIA

July 12, 2023

Minnesota submits BEAD Five Year Action Plan

December 22, 2023

Minnesota Submits Initial Proposal Vol. 1 and Vol. 2

May 29, 2024

NTIA approves Minnesota's Initial Proposal Vol. 1

Summer 2024

BEAD Challenge process
- 6/25/24 to 7/15/24, BEAD Challenge informational sessions held across the state and online
- 7/22/24 to 8/21/24, 30 days to submit challenges
- 8/22/24 to 9/20/24, 30 days to rebut
- 9/21/24 to 10/21/24, 30 days for OBD to adjudicate
- 12/18/24, Final list of BEAD eligible locations submitted to NTIA for its approval
Fall 2024

October 3, 2024, Volume 2 approved by NTIA

January 2025
- January 17, 2025 BEAD list of eligible locations was approved by NTIA
- January 27, 2025 the BEAD Grantor Portal opened for the Pre-Qualification process. Pre-Qualification is for interested applicants to submit specified documentation to support their financial, managerial, technical and operational capacity to participate in the BEAD program as a subgrantee and must be completed to participate in BEAD. The Pre-Qualification process was extended to remain open until March 13, 2025.
Expected Spring 2025

NTIA approval of the final list of BEAD eligible locations. Upon NTIA approval of final list of BEAD eligible locations, OBD will begin the three rounds of subgrantee selection per its NTIA-approved Initial Proposal Volume 2. The rounds will be:
- March 24 - April 21, 2025, Subgrantee selection subround, 11a: This first round will focus on Priority (fiber) Broadband Projects and applicants will be able to select their project areas.
- Expected May 27 - Jun 16, 2025, Subgrantee selection subround, 11b: In the second (11b) and third (11c) rounds, applications will be accepted for all technologies, both Priority (fiber) and Non-Priority (alternative technology), and OBD will define project areas and applicants can submit projects for both Projects.
- Expected July 7 - July 24, 2025, Subgrantee selection subround, 11c.
Expected Summer 2025

OBD finalizes list of selected subgrantees, the list goes through commissioner approval, and a public comment period is opened.

Expected October 3, 2025

Deadline for the BEAD Final proposal to be submitted to NTIA for its approval.

Expected Winter 2025

NTIA approval of the BEAD Final Proposal. Upon NTIA approval, OBD can begin to execute contracts with the approved subgrantees.
Volumes 1 & 2 and BEAD Five-year Action Plan
Volumes 1 & 2

The Office of Broadband Development submitted their Initial Proposal draft for the BEAD program to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) on December 22, 2023. Minnesota's BEAD Initial Proposal, Volume 1 was approved on May 30, 2024.

The three priorities for use of BEAD funding are for states to first ensure that all locations that do not have reliable broadband service of at least 25 Mbps download and 3Mbps upload are served; second, to ensure that underserved locations (those with reliable service of at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload but not at or above 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload) are served; and third, to ensure 1G symmetrical speeds to all Community Anchor Institutions. If a state can show that it has allocated funding to achieve the three identified priorities, then a state may use its BEAD funding for non-deployment projects. Minnesota's Initial Proposal provides more specific information on how it will use BEAD funding to achieve the priority goals and at this time, it is anticipated that Minnesota's full BEAD allocation will be necessary to meet the first two priority goals outlined by NTIA.

Volume 1
Volume 2
BEAD Five-year Action Plan

As Minnesota's eligible entity, the Office of Broadband Development also submitted the state's BEAD Five-Year Action Plan to NTIA on July 12, 2023.
Completed Challenge Process in MN
BEAD Challenge in Minnesota, July - November 2024

Minnesota's NTIA BEAD Challenge provided an opportunity to finalize the funding eligibility and status of Minnesota's broadband serviceable locations and community anchor institutions.

The BEAD Challenge process was the only opportunity for local governments, nonprofits and providers to "challenge" the status of a location as eligible or ineligible for federal BEAD funding.

Eligible entities that could participate in the BEAD Challenge process were Local and Tribal Governments; Nonprofits; and Broadband Service Providers. NTIA requirements did not allow the public to submit challenges independently. However, the public could submit information about their location such as speed tests or documentation of lack of service.

Following the completion of the BEAD Challenge Process, only locations classified as unserved and underserved will be eligible for BEAD grant funding.

BEAD Challenge Resources
Additional Resources

Additional Resources

Priorities and Proposed Modifications to Minnesota’s Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Volume 2 and Administrative Streamlines

Letter, sent 3/27/2025 from Minnesota Office of Broadband to United States Department of Commerce.

NTIA's ArcGIS Pro Permitting and Environmental Information Tool (APPEIT) Overview and User Instructions

This tool is intended to help federal broadband grant recipients and subgrantees identify permits and environmental factors as they plan routes for their broadband deployments. The tool is comprised of an ArcGIS Pro Project containing a custom ArcGIS Toolbox tool, linked web map shared by the NTIA's National Broadband Map (NBAM), a report template, and a Tasks item to guide users through using the tool. To use APPEIT, users will input a project area boundary or project route line in a shapefile or feature class format. The tool will return as a CSV and PDF report that lists any federal layers from the ArcGIS Pro Permitting and Environmental Information Web Map that intersect the project. View the linked instructions above for more information on APPEIT.

Minnesota BEAD Project Management Plan

Minnesota’s BEAD Project Management Plan (PMP) outlines the processes, procedures, and policies that will be followed by the Minnesota Office of Broadband Development (OBD) in the management and execution of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Grant. The contents of this PMP are from the more comprehensive NTIA approved, Minnesota’s Initial Proposal Volume 2, and that document should be deferred to for more in-depth information on the federal BEAD program in Minnesota.

2024 Broadband Infrastructure Cost Gap Analysis

The Office of Broadband (OBD) issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a consultant to perform a broadband cost gap analysis study for the state of Minnesota. The purpose of the analysis was two-fold: first, to determine the amount of funding needed to serve the state under BEAD; and second, to determine the cost if all locations in the state were to be served with a minimum 100Mbps download/20Mbps upload wireline connection, as is the goal under state law.

Getting CostQuest Licenses for Fabric IDs

If you plan to participate in the BEAD program, you will need a CostQuest license to review the list of BEAD eligible locations and to identify the locations included in your application project area.

Unserved and Underserved locations used to prepare the preliminary list of BEAD eligible locations for the Broadband Navigator July 2024.

Unserved and underserved locations eligible for BEAD funding pending the results of the BEAD Challenge process, deduplication, true-up and NTIA approval. This file contains the location ID but no other identifying information on the location (i.e., address, latitude/longitude) in compliance with CostQuest licensing requirements. The file would need to be merged with the FCC's broadband fabric data to see the "whole picture." If you want to use the BEAD Map Challenge Data outside of the challenge portal, you will need to request access to the Fabric Data through the NTIA Internet for All program. NTIA has an agreement with CostQuest to allow entities to request access to this data for free through a Tier D or E license agreement. Instructions on how to obtain a Cost Quest Tier D or E license have been provided for the past several months by our office and the instructions are again provided above, Getting CostQuest Licenses for Fabric IDs.

Eligible Community Anchor Institutions

List of eligible community anchor institutions (CAIs) that require qualifying broadband service and do not currently have access to such service, to the best of the Eligible Entity's knowledge.