CEN Community Wi-Fi Grant Program

What is the Community Wi-Fi Grant Program?

The Community Wi-Fi program is a $10 million funding opportunity that helps organizations cover the costs of expanding internet access. It is part of Connecticut’s larger broadband improvement plan, supported by federal funding from the American Rescue Plan of 2021.

The goal of this program is to use existing resources to provide reliable and secure wireless internet in key community locations, such as schools, libraries, and other public institutions. By doing this, the program aims to bring internet access to under served communities, especially those facing economic challenges, across Connecticut.

This program offers two types of awards for which applicants can apply:

1) Full program award: This award is applicable for projects that do not currently have the necessary infrastructure to support an eduroam®-only award. This award can fund projects requiring new construction, renovations, or build-backs to establish wireless internet services at CAIs, which may or may not include integration with eduroam®.

2) Eduroam®-only award: This award applies to projects with the necessary infrastructure to Community Wi-Fi Grant | Program Guidance Page 5 of 16 support an eduroam®-only prize. It can fund projects that may only need to add the hardware, software, or professional services required to implement access points that can broadcast the eduroam® SSID.

NOTE: CEN may grant partial awards in an effort to spread awards equitably across projects that make the best use of funds

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