The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved four new grants totaling up to $21 million to improve broadband infrastructure in Contra Costa, Inyo, and Monterey counties. The funding comes from the state’s Last Mile Federal Funding Account (FFA), aimed at expanding reliable, high-speed internet access.
With this decision, investments from the Last Mile FFA now reach communities in all 58 counties across California. These projects are intended to strengthen community resilience and improve connectivity for school, work, tourism, and recreation, with a focus on environmental and social justice areas.
CPUC President Alice Reynolds said, “This program has been transformational, investing funds for broadband infrastructure projects across the state to provide high-quality service where it would otherwise not have been possible, bringing us closer to achieving our state’s Broadband For All objectives.”
The program has so far approved $1.23 billion in grants supporting 122 broadband projects statewide. According to CPUC data, these efforts have brought improved internet access to about two million residents through more than 7,500 miles of proposed fiber-optic cable construction. The average project covers 37 square miles with an average grant of $10 million.
The latest grants will fund work by the California Broadband Alliance, Contra Costa Transportation Authority, and Stimulus Technologies. Their projects will expand high-speed broadband to 1,752 locations currently lacking reliable service and benefit approximately 64,000 residents—including households, small businesses, and community institutions—in rural and underserved areas. Additional goals include enhancing public safety services and providing affordable broadband plans that participate in programs such as California LifeLine.
Approved projects include:
– CCTA-West Contra Costa County Project (Contra Costa Transportation Authority)
– CCTA-East Contra Costa County Project (Contra Costa Transportation Authority)
– Inyo-5 Project (Stimulus Technologies)
– Surfnet-Salinas Project (California Broadband Alliance)
These initiatives will connect local networks to California’s broader open-access middle-mile system.
Leaders of the organizations receiving funding expressed optimism about the impact of these investments:
“California Broadband Alliance (CBA) is grateful for the CPUC’s continued investment in projects that bring reliable, affordable broadband to communities across California. CBA is doing our part by leading public-private partnership projects that empower local ISPs and underserved communities. We look forward to working with Surfnet Communications, our ISP partner for this grant, to use these funds to help close the digital divide in Salinas and the greater Monterey region,” said Kiran Bengard, Operations Manager at California Broadband Alliance.
“This investment will ensure Contra Costa County residents have the reliable broadband access they need to fully participate in today’s economy. By expanding Las Mile infrastructure, we’re helping close long-standing connectivity gaps and ensuring more households can access education, healthcare, and job opportunities,” stated Tim Haile, Executive Director of Contra Costa Transportation Authority.
Nathan Whittacre of Stimulus Technologies added: “Stimulus Technologies has proudly served the Lone Pine community since 1956, and we are excited to expand our network into the long-underserved Alabama Hills area in Inyo County, one of the most sparsely populated counties in the United States. For decades, the region’s challenging terrain and low population density have made broadband expansion difficult, leaving many residents without reliable connectivity. This project represents a meaningful step toward closing the digital divide and ensuring rural Californians have access to high-speed broadband that supports economic opportunity, public safety, and quality of life.”
The Last Mile Federal Funding Account was created under Senate Bill 156 with a goal of supporting construction of essential broadband infrastructure for unserved communities throughout California.
More details about these awards are available on CPUC’s official website: www.cpuc.ca.gov
