Tribal Training

USAC created the Tribal Training initiative to help E-Rate program applicants on Tribal lands participate effectively in the E-Rate program. Our goal is to reduce the digital divide and promote high-speed broadband connectivity to Tribal schools, libraries, and Tribal colleges and universities that serve as public libraries in their communities.

Members of the E-Rate program staff are available to help Tribal applicants navigate the program, assist with solving and preventing funding issues, answer questions, provide training materials and guidance, and more.

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Tribal Libraries Pilot Program

Special Announcements

The FCC adopted a Report and Order (Tribal Library Order) at its January 27 open meeting that amends the FCC’s rules by updating the definition of a library, and clarifying that Tribal libraries are eligible for support through the E-Rate program. The new rules take effect in time for Tribal libraries to apply now for E-Rate support for Funding Year (FY) 2022 (which runs from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023).

The Tribal Library Order adds “Tribal library” to the definition of a “library” in the E-Rate rules, and amends the rules to recognize that Tribal libraries are eligible for support from state library administrative agencies under the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) and the Museum and Library Services Act of 2018. In the Tribal Library Order, the FCC explains that Tribal Councils can designate a library as a Tribal library (for example, through a Tribal Resolution), and Tribal libraries should be able to demonstrate that they have three basic characteristics of a library:

  • Regularly scheduled hours,
  • Staff, and
  • Materials available for library users.

The FCC also directs USAC, together with FCC staff, to develop targeted outreach efforts to increase awareness of the program among Tribal libraries and adopt new metrics to gauge the participation of Tribal libraries in the E-Rate program.

Tribal Libraries Pilot Program

To help Tribal libraries that are new to the E-Rate program, the new Tribal Libraries Pilot Program will provide one-on-one assistance in all aspects of preparing, applying, and receiving E-Rate support during the upcoming funding year. This includes sharing information about program rules and requirements, providing training on how to use the E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC), and walking through the competitive bidding and application processes. The pilot will also support participants during the invoicing and other post-commitment processes, including the service confirmation and Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) certification or service substitution requests. Visit the Tribal Libraries Pilot Program page to learn more about the pilot and how to apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

Answer: Tribal libraries should be able to demonstrate three basic characteristics of a library: 1) Regularly scheduled hours; 2) Dedicated library staff; and 3) Materials available for library users.  Libraries must be eligible for assistance from a state library administrative agency under the Library Services and Technology Act (20 U.S. Code 9122), which can be shown through a letter from the state library administrative agency or through a Tribal designation. Except for Tribal College or University (TCU) libraries that serve as a public library, the library must also have a budget that is completely separate from any schools to be eligible to receive discounted services, including but not limited to, elementary and secondary schools.

A Tribal library is eligible for E-Rate if a Tribal government entity designates a library as a Tribal library through Tribal Resolution or a similar document, or Tribal libraries may work with the state library administrative agency where they are located. A signed letter from a state library agency can be used to establish E-Rate eligibility for a Tribal library.

Libraries located off Tribal lands may be considered Tribal under E-Rate if the library is operated by a federally recognized tribe, Band, Nation, or other organized group or community, including any Alaska native village, regional corporation, or village corporation.

Under the definition of Tribal in the E-Rate program rules (47 CFR 54.500), entities are only considered Tribal if they are a school operated by BIE or if they are a school or library operated by a federally recognized Tribe, Band, Nation, or other organized group or community, including any Alaska native village, regional corporation, or village corporation. Libraries (or schools) are not considered Tribal just because they are on Tribal Lands.

A Tribal library must have physical materials to be identified as a Tribal library for E-Rate. A Tribal library with only a “digital collection” is not eligible for E-Rate.

Answer: Tribal government entity documentation can be used to establish Tribal status such as a charter or ordinance or letter from the Tribal Council, as well as documentation that shows that the applicant has characteristics of a library, including regular hours, staff, and materials. A signed letter from a state library agency can be used to establish E-Rate eligibility for a library, but it cannot be used to establish Tribal status.

Answer: Funding from states, Tribal governments, or federal agencies can be used by the applicant to pay their non-discounted share.

For example, would a match from the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) or Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) be eligible for E-Rate matching (e.g., 90 percent from E-Rate and five percent from BEAD, and an additional amount from E-Rate to match the BEAD match)?

Answer: Yes. For Tribal schools and libraries, the E-Rate program will match special construction funding provided by states, Tribal governments, or other federal agencies on a one-to-one basis, up to an additional 10 percentage points on top of the applicant’s discount rate and not to exceed the total costs. Here are a few examples:

  • A Tribal applicant who qualifies at the 90 percent discount rate that receives a five percent federal grant would also be eligible for an additional five percent from the E-Rate program.
  • A Tribal applicant at the 90 percent discount rate who receives a federal grant for seven percent of the remaining costs would be eligible for an additional three percent from the E-Rate program.
  • A Tribal applicant at the 80 percent discount rate that receives a Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program funding to cover 10 percent of the cost would be eligible for an additional 10 percent from the E-Rate program.

Note: The state/Tribal discount match applies only to special construction, the funding needed to construct facilities beyond normal installation charges.

Answer: Libraries shall provide the total area for all floors, in square feet, of each library outlet separately, including all areas enclosed by the outer walls of the library outlet and occupied by the library, including those areas off-limits to the public. Examples include, but are not limited to, space for servers, boilers, stairwells, janitorial supplies, inventory/receiving spaces, etc. Outdoor space that is used for programming cannot be included in this C2 square footage calculation. Areas outside of the library’s walls are excluded from being calculated in the E-Rate C2 budget.

Tribal College and University (TCU) libraries eligible under E-Rate (i.e., they are also available for public use) shall provide the square footage as explained above for the TCU library only. TCU libraries should exclude any square footage outside of the library (e.g., classroom buildings or dormitories).

Square footage for bookmobiles is calculated based on the area enclosed by the outer walls of the bookmobile.

Answer: Wi-Fi coverage outside of the physical library location is only allowed if they tangentially occur when establishing the most cost-effective solution for the library building. It does not need to be cost allocated when used on the library campus.

Determine and Designate Your Entity’s Tribal Status

Tribal government entity documentation can be used to establish Tribal status such as a charter or ordinance or letter from the Tribal Council, as well as documentation that shows that the applicant has characteristics of a library, including regular hours, staff, and materials. A signed letter from a state library agency can be used to establish E-Rate eligibility for a library, but it cannot be used to establish Tribal status.

Watch an instructional video on how to designate your entity’s Tribal status in the E-Rate Productivity Center.

Trainings

Training Schedule

USAC routinely hosts free live online training events on E-Rate topics.

  • To view prior webinars, please visit the E-Rate webinar page.

Recorded Trainings

For the recent series, links for recorded sessions are below. We encourage interested entities looking for an overview of eligible equipment and services to start with Session 2 before watching Session 1: E-Rate Information Session for Tribal Applicants. Please continue to check back for new training opportunities.

FY2022 Extended E-Rate Training Series for New Tribal Libraries (April/May 2022)

Tuesday, April 5, 2022

Overview: This session provides an overview of the E-Rate program and covers general topics such as the application process, the competitive bidding requirements, important program terms, eligibility, and program discounts. We will provide an introductory overview of eligible equipment and services and walk through three training samples for FCC Forms 470 and 471. Additionally, we will focus on the recently adopted Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order that amended the definition of library in the FCC’s rules to clarify that Tribal libraries are eligible for support through the E-Rate program.

In advance of the training, you may email questions to TribalTraining@usac.org.

We recommend that you also review:

Tuesday, April 12, 2022

Overview: This session provides an overview of the different roles and responsibilities for the consortium leader and members. After the presentation, we will conduct a live Q&A session.

In advance of the training, you may email questions to TribalTraining@usac.org.

We recommend that you also review:

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Overview: This session provides an opportunity for Tribal E-Rate applicants and consultants to ask the USAC E-Rate team questions regarding the FY2022 E-Rate competitive bidding and funding application process and the recent E-Rate Tribal training sessions.

In advance of the training, you may email questions to TribalTraining@usac.org.

Tuesday, May 17, 2022

Overview: This session provides an opportunity for Tribal E-Rate applicants and consultants to ask the USAC E-Rate team questions regarding the FY2022 E-Rate funding application process and the recent E-Rate Tribal training sessions.

In advance of the training, you may email questions to TribalTraining@usac.org.

FY2022 E-Rate Tribal Training Series (February/March 2022)

February 3, 2022

Overview: In this two hour session, we presented an overview of the E-Rate program and covered general topics such as the application process, the competitive bidding requirements, important program terms, eligibility, and program discounts. Additionally, we focused on the recently adopted Federal Communications Commission (FCC) order that amended the definition of library in the FCC’s rules to clarify that Tribal libraries are eligible for support through the E-Rate program.

To prepare for the webinar, we recommend that you review the E-Rate program’s website:

You may email questions to TribalTraining@usac.org.

February 8, 2022

Overview: In response to a popular request, we adjusted the agenda for this session to provide an introductory overview of eligible equipment and services and walked through three training samples for FCC Forms 470 and 471.

  • Recommended for: Tribal E-Rate Applicants
  • E-Rate Experience Level: All levels

To prepare for the webinar, we recommend that you review the E-Rate program’s website:

You may email questions to TribalTraining@usac.org.

February 15, 2022

Overview: This session provides an opportunity for Tribal E-Rate applicants and consultants to ask the USAC E-Rate team questions regarding the FY2022 E-Rate funding application process and the recent E-Rate Tribal training sessions.

You may email questions to TribalTraining@usac.org.

March 8, 2022

Overview: Join us for the second webinar in the series designed to walk applicants through an FY2022 FCC Form 471. It will include a step-by-step demonstration of filing the form and a Q&A session.

  • Recommended for: Tribal E-Rate Applicants
  • E-Rate Experience Level: All levels

To prepare for the webinar, we recommend that you review the E-Rate program’s website:

You may email questions to TribalTraining@usac.org.

March 15, 2022

Overview: This session provides an opportunity for Tribal applicants and consultants to ask the USAC E-Rate team questions regarding the FY2022 E-Rate funding application process and the recent E-Rate Tribal training sessions.

You may email questions to TribalTraining@usac.org.

Resources

Contact Us

If you have any questions or comments, please contact USAC Tribal Liaison.