Among  these examples, tribes partnered with several different types of entities  that were eligible to receive federal grants, including (1) private providers;  (2) a community access network provider; (3) an electric cooperative; (4)  a regional consortium; and (5) tribally owned telecommunications  companies (which we will refer to as tribally owned providers). Private Providers

Private providers can partner with a tribe to deploy broadband  infrastructure on tribal lands. The  partnership also improved broadband service for the Choctaw Nation. Few Federal Funds Were Provided to Tribal Entities to Increase Broadband Deployment from 2010 to 2017

FCC and RUS are the primary sources of federal funding to deploy  broadband infrastructure in rural and remote areas where the cost of  providing service is high, including tribal lands. Based on our review of  the funding provided by four federal programs targeted to increase  deployment in unserved areas, very little has gone directly to tribes or to  tribally owned broadband providers. Specifically, from 2010 to 2017, we  found that less than 1 percent of FCC funding and about 14 percent of  RUS funding went directly to tribes and tribally owned providers. Through our analysis we found that 14 tribal entities received federal  funding from FCC and RUS to increase broadband deployment from  2010-2017 (see fig. Stakeholders Cited Barriers for Tribes to Obtain Federal Funding and Federal Agencies Have Taken Few Actions to Address the Barriers

The tribal officials, tribal associations, and tribally owned broadband  providers we interviewed cited several barriers that tribes may face when  seeking federal funding for broadband deployment. However, beyond these outreach efforts, RUS officials said they have not  undertaken a formal assessment to identify and address the regulatory  barriers that tribes may face in obtaining RUS funding for broadband  deployment. Nevertheless,  lacking such an assessment, tribes may continue to face the regulatory  barriers described above in obtaining RUS funding for broadband  deployment on their lands. However, RUS has  not taken steps to identify or address the barriers tribes face when  applying for RUS grant funding. By identifying and addressing any  regulatory barriers that impede tribal entities’ access to RUS funding,  RUS could help tribes obtain funding to expand broadband deployment  on tribal lands. A Department of  Agriculture official indicated in an e-mail message that RUS neither  agreed nor disagreed with the recommendation. Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

This report discusses (1) examples of partnership arrangements that  tribal entities have used to increase broadband deployment on tribal lands  and the outcomes of those partnerships, (2) the amount of funding  provided to tribal entities for broadband deployment from key federal  programs, and (3) stakeholder-identified barriers that tribal entities face in  obtaining federal funding for broadband deployment and the extent to  which federal agencies have taken action to address those barriers. This also included partnerships between  a tribe and its tribally owned broadband provider. To determine stakeholder-identified barriers that tribal entities face in  obtaining federal funding for broadband deployment and federal  government efforts to address those barriers, we interviewed FCC and  RUS officials and the tribal government officials, tribally owned broadband  providers, and tribal associations listed in table 1. The views obtained from these  interviews are not generalizable to all tribes, all broadband providers, or  all industry stakeholders. We also reviewed a report from the Broadband  Opportunity Council directing agencies to identify and address regulatory  barriers that may unduly impede broadband deployment and assessed  RUS’s efforts to address the regulatory barriers tribes may face in  attempting to obtain RUS funding for broadband deployment.
Why GAO Did This Study

In 2018, FCC estimated that 35 percent of Americans living on tribal lands lack broadband service compared to 8 percent of Americans overall. Various federal programs support increasing broadband deployment in unserved areas, including tribal lands. Tribes can form partnerships with private sector companies and others to deploy broadband infrastructure on tribal lands. GAO was asked to provide information on these partnerships.
This report discusses (1) examples and outcomes of tribal partnership arrangements, (2) the amount of federal funding provided to tribal entities for broadband deployment, and (3) stakeholder-identified barriers that tribes face in obtaining federal funding and the extent to which federal agencies have addressed those barriers. GAO identified partnerships by reviewing federally funded broadband projects that included a partnership component; analyzed federal funding dedicated to broadband deployment; interviewed agency and tribal government officials, tribal associations, tribally owned broadband providers, and industry stakeholders; and assessed RUS's efforts to address the regulatory funding barriers tribes may face. The information presented is illustrative and is not generalizable to all tribes or all partnerships.

What GAO Found

GAO identified some partnership arrangements between tribes and other entities to increase broadband access on tribal lands. Among the seven examples GAO identified, tribes partnered with different types of entities including private broadband providers, a community access network provider, an electric cooperative, a regional consortium, and tribally owned broadband providers. According to the tribes participating in the partnerships, almost all of the partnerships improved broadband service on tribal lands.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) are the primary sources of federal funding to deploy broadband infrastructure where the cost of providing service is high, including on tribal lands. GAO reviewed funding for four programs, three in FCC and one grant program in RUS, and found that in total, less than 1 percent has gone directly to tribes or to tribally owned broadband providers to expand broadband service. GAO found that 14 tribal entities received federal funding from FCC and RUS to increase broadband deployment for 2010–2017.
The tribal officials, tribal associations, and tribally owned broadband providers GAO contacted cited several barriers tribes face in obtaining federal funding to deploy broadband service on tribal lands. For example, they said tribes face regulatory barriers in applying for RUS's grant funding, including (1) preparing existing and proposed network design, (2) demonstrating financial sustainability of the broadband project within 5 years, and (3) obtaining matching funds. An interagency council recently recommended that federal agencies identify and address regulatory barriers that may unduly impede broadband deployment. Although RUS conducts some outreach with tribes, it has not undertaken a formal assessment to identify and address the regulatory barriers that tribes may face in obtaining RUS's funding for broadband deployment. RUS officials told GAO that they do not have the resources to do so. Nevertheless, lacking such an assessment, tribes may continue to face regulatory barriers in obtaining RUS funding for broadband deployment on their lands. By identifying and addressing any regulatory barriers that impede tribal entities' access to RUS funding, RUS could help tribes obtain funding to expand broadband deployment on tribal lands.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends that RUS identify and address regulatory barriers that impede tribal entities from obtaining RUS funding for broadband deployment. RUS neither agreed nor disagreed with this recommendation.