Rural Broadband Assistance Act

This bill would set up a new program at the Department of Agriculture to help rural communities get reliable internet service. The Secretary could give grants to public, nonprofit, or private groups to provide technical help and training. This help can include writing grant or loan applications, finding funding, doing studies and designs, preparing reports to show community need and pricing, improving day‑to‑day and financial management of broadband systems, and collecting broadband infrastructure data.

Who can get this help includes Tribal nations, state and local governments, U.S. territories, colleges and universities (including land‑grant schools, Hispanic‑Serving Institutions, and HBCUs), 501(c)(3) nonprofits, co‑ops, corporations, and LLCs/LLPs. The Department must give priority to groups with a track record of helping rural communities and can fund on‑site help across the nation or across multiple states.

• Who is affected: Rural communities; Tribes; state and local governments; colleges and universities; nonprofits; co‑ops; businesses.
• What changes: New grants for technical help and training to plan, fund, build, and manage rural broadband projects, with priority for experienced providers and options for national or multi‑state on‑site support.