The TBCP makes grants available to Eligible Entities, which include a Tribal Government, a Tribal College or University, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands on behalf of the Native Hawaiian Community, including Native Hawaiian Education Programs, a Tribal organization, or an Alaskan Native Corporation, for the deployment and adoption of broadband service on Tribal Land and for programs that promote the use of broadband to access remote learning, telework, or telehealth resources. Grant funds available under this program may be used for the following purposes:

• Broadband infrastructure deployment projects, including support for the establishment of carrier-neutral submarine cable landing stations; and
• Affordable broadband programs, including—
  • Providing free or reduced-cost broadband service and preventing disconnection of existing broadband service;
  • preventing disconnection of existing broadband service;
• distance learning;
• telehealth;
• digital inclusion efforts (including digital equity planning and workforce development activities); and
• broadband adoption activities.

The purpose of the TBCP is to improve the quality of life, spur economic development and commercial activity, and create opportunities for remote employment, online entrepreneurship, remote learning, and telehealth by expanding broadband access and by providing digital training and inclusion programs to Native American communities. In implementing and administering this grant program, NTIA will ensure that necessary investments are designed to provide an adequate minimum level of service and are unlikely to be made using private sources of funds.