Student Connect
What is the Student Connect Program?
The Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) will award financial assistance grants to fund projects that will connect unserved and underserved public school students within rural communities.
Who May Apply?
Timeline
Applications will be reviewed, and awards issued, in the order received.
Funding for Student Connect expires on June 30, 2025.
Projects are funded on a reimbursement basis, so all projects must be completed by June 30, 2025.
How to Apply:
Awards:
Applications will be reviewed in the order received, and awards will be issued in accordance with NMAC 1.12.21.10.
Grant awards will be issued based on urgency of the identified issue, and the ability of the awardee to execute the project quickly in order to satisfy the issue.
Eligibility:
Only projects targeting rural public schools, and rural public-school students/staff, are eligible. Rural public schools include those on tribal land. The respective School district/School's support, in writing, is mandatory for project consideration.
Criteria:
Read the Press Release
The Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE) will award financial assistance grants to fund projects that will connect unserved and underserved public school students within rural communities.
Who May Apply?
- Internet Service Providers (with the support of the target schools/school districts);
- Public Schools and School Districts in rural communities; and
- Tribal governments.
Timeline
Applications will be reviewed, and awards issued, in the order received.
Funding for Student Connect expires on June 30, 2025.
Projects are funded on a reimbursement basis, so all projects must be completed by June 30, 2025.
How to Apply:
- Applications must be submitted through the portal on Submittal. (Use the APPLY NOW button below)
- A Scope of Work, Budget, and Schedule are necessary to complete the application process. Mandatory Template are provided below:
Awards:
Applications will be reviewed in the order received, and awards will be issued in accordance with NMAC 1.12.21.10.
Grant awards will be issued based on urgency of the identified issue, and the ability of the awardee to execute the project quickly in order to satisfy the issue.
Eligibility:
Only projects targeting rural public schools, and rural public-school students/staff, are eligible. Rural public schools include those on tribal land. The respective School district/School's support, in writing, is mandatory for project consideration.
Criteria:
- State Prevailing Wages must be utilized [Sovereign Nations are exempt from this requirement].
- State Procurement must be followed.
- If awardee has existing assets which expedite project execution, they may be submitted as allowable expenses [determined by age and use of those assets].
- 5G presence is an automatic disqualification for pursuit of these funds.
- Funding cap per project proposal is $2,499,999.
- Final submission for reimbursement can be no later than June 30, 2025.
- Please use the latest US Census data for figures.
- Applicants must use the templates provided by the State of New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE). Applications will not be considered complete until all templates are submitted.
Read the Press Release
Announcements: December 2025
Students in five counties to get high-speed internet!
State broadband office awards $13.5 million in grants
Read the Press Release
Students in five counties to get high-speed internet!
State broadband office awards $13.5 million in grants
Read the Press Release
Congratulations to the Student Connect Award Recipients!
December 2024
December 2024
- Ohkay Owingeh Award 12/6/2024 - $2,050,000
- OSO Internet Quemado Award 12/6/2024 - $2,499,000
- Resound Networks Belen Award 12/6/2024 - $2,045,244
- Resound Networks Gadsden Award 12/6/2024 - $2,097,492
- Resound Networks Grants Cibola Award 12/6/2024 - $1,741,350
- Resound Networks Los Lunas Award 12/6/2024 - $1,500,000
- Resound Networks Hatch Award 12/6/2024 - $1,600,0
