States Taking Varying Approaches With CPF Funding: Pew

Most states are using Capital Projects Fund dollars released so far by the Treasury Department to expand or create programs targeting last-mile service in unserved and underserved areas, Pew Charitable Trusts said Tuesday in an analysis. The availability of CPF funding has led to more states operating line extension programs that subsidize curb-to-home connections, it said. CPF money can be used for “digital connectivity technology projects,” such as to buy devices or public Wi-Fi equipment or multipurpose community facility projects, and Pew said four states said they will prioritize broadband access and adoption in affordable housing. It said since NTIA will require states to show they can fully reach every unserved area before broadband, equity, access and deployment program funds can be deployed for other uses, some states will use CPF as "an accelerator," reducing the number of unserved communities and giving those states more flexibility in how they use BEAD funding. It said for other states, CPF's relative flexibility lets them support programs that might not fit into BEAD, letting them augment funding available for devices or community anchor institutions under BEAD.