Welcome to the Massachusetts Broadband Institute's (MBI) Grant Platform, Submittable.
The Massachusetts Broadband Institute is administering federally funded broadband and digital equity programs on behalf of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The following grant program is now open on MBI’s grant platform:
- Connected & Online - Round 2
If you have questions, please contact broadband@masstech.org.
Tips for using Submittable:
- You will need to create a free Submittable account or sign in with Google or Facebook credentials to submit to these forms.
- You can save a draft of your work if you would like to finish filling out the form at a later date.
- If anything changes with the information you submitted, please request to edit the submission
- Our platform works best on Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. Internet Explorer is not supported. Please make sure you are using a supported browser.
- You can download Firefox by following the instructions linked here.
- You can download Chrome by following the instructions linked here.
How to invite team members to collaborate on you application:
- Click on Manage Collaborators. A Dialog box will appear, asking you to enter the email addresses of your collaborators. Enter those addresses, then click Invite.
- Invited collaborators will receive an email, letting them know you've invited them to collaborate on a draft submission using Submittable. In order to communicate with collaborators through the Submittable platform, all invitees must accept the invite BEFORE the owner of the submission (that's you!) hits Submit.
- After you've sent invitations to collaborate, you can click on the Invite Collaborators link again anytime to see the status of your invitations. In the row for each invitee who has not yet accepted their invitation, you will see a Pending indication. There will also be a trash can next to each person’s name so that the Submission Owner can remove anyone that they no longer want to collaborate on the submission.
Follow this link for additional information
Next Steps
We will follow-up with you about your submission by email. Please be sure to safelist notification emails from Submittable and check the email you used to sign up for your Submittable Account regularly. Check out the Submitter Resource Center or reach out to Submittable's Customer Support team with any technical questions here
Connected & Online Program Background:
The Connected & Online Program is a new initiative that will distribute internet-enabled devices—along with assistive technology and supportive equipment—to eligible organizations across Massachusetts. The goal of the program is to expand access to education, workforce training and telehealth by establishing public device lending programs and on-site device stations, especially in Gateway Cities and rural communities. Devices will be fully loaded with software, selected accessories and warranties at no cost to awardees. Funding is provided by the U.S. Treasury Capital Projects Fund (CPF).
Key Application Information:
- All requirements have been outlined on the Connected & Online program page.
- When completing the application, please be sure to carefully read each question and the helper text provided. Complete each section entirely.
- Be sure to save your work regularly to avoid losing any progress. Once your application is completed, please review to ensure it is accurate and complete, and then hit the Submit button.
- Once your application is submitted, an automated confirmation email will be sent to you. You can always review your submissions by logging into your Submittable account under the “submissions” tab. Please note, that you may return to your application at any time to make changes or complete additional sections up until the application's close date.
- There will be no curing period during round 2, the application submitted will be scored as is unless otherwise determined by MBI.
Timeline:
- Submit your application by Sunday, April 5, 2026, at 11:59 PM EDT.
Contact for Questions:
- If you have any questions during the process, please contact MBI using the proposals@masstech.org email. Please include “2026-MBI-01 C&O Round 2 Application" in the subject line. Please review our FAQ before submitting a question.
The Residential Retrofit Program (Retrofit Program), launched in 2024, deploys state-of-the-art broadband infrastructure to public and affordable housing properties across Massachusetts. The Retrofit Program intends to increase opportunities for low-income residents by improving access to high-quality, reliable and affordable internet service in their homes.
To ensure that the infrastructure enhancements being made under the Retrofit Program are utilized to their fullest extent, MBI introduced the Retrofit Ancillary Grantee (RANGE) program. RANGE awards will allow housing operators to make investments in four areas: Digital Navigation/Tenant Coordination, Digital Literacy, Public Space Improvement, and Device Distribution. Housing operators who are participating in the Residential Retrofit Program are eligible for this grant opportunity.
Housing operators may submit a RANGE application for any development under their ownership receiving infrastructure investments under the Retrofit Program. Housing operators may include multiple site developments in a single application. When applying for multiple sites, applicants should distinguish a unique scope of work and budget for each property/development they seek to receive a RANGE award.
To learn more visit our website.
Additional Notes
- Deadline: Ensure your application is submitted by April 15, 2026 at 11:59pm.
- Technical Support: For technical issues with the Submittable platform, visit Submittable Support.
- Questions: Please direct additional questions to RANGE program staff at broadband@masstech.org with the subject line "MBI RANGE."
- Word Limits: Some questions in the application are subject to a word limit. These are maximum response lengths, and applicants are not required to reach the full word limit to sufficiently answer each question.
- Resources:
- Please use all resources available on the RANGE webpage when completing your application.
- Digital Access Resource List - Results of a Request for Information (RFI) launched by MBI in 2025, seeking responses from digital access service providers or vendors.
- RANGE FAQ Page
- Required Budget Template: Please use the budget template on the RANGE website.
All projects awarded under this program must be completed by December 31, 2026.