CalDEP Questions & Answers (Q&A)

Yes, Subgrantees can request a budget modification and update their partnership form during their period of performance. 

Yes, as long as they or their fiscal agents belong to one of the federally defined Eligible Entity categories and meet all eligibility criteria.  Please refer to 4. Eligible Applicants in the RFA for more information.  

No, there may only be one Lead Applicant per application. 

Both Lead Applicants and second-tier subgrantees for CalDEP must be located and operate in the State of California, have an active Unique Entity ID (UEI) number assigned by SAM.gov and an Employer Identification Number (EIN) assigned by the Internal Revenue Service, and belong to one of the federally defined Eligible Entity categories.  

Please refer to 4. Eligible Applicants in the RFA for more information on Subgrantee eligibility requirements. 

CDT will provide a Regional/Local Digital Equity Plan template, as well as data including Covered Populations, Broadband Adoption rates, and a Digital Equity Ecosystem Mapping Survey. CDT intends to provide ongoing technical assistance to all Subgrantees. 

The video recording, presentation, and transcript of the CalDEP launch webinar is posted on the CalDEP Technical Assistance Resource webpage.

National organizations may participate in both CalDEP funding tracks, as Lead Applicants or partners, as long as they are located and operate in the State of California, belong to an Eligible Entity category, have an active Unique Entity ID (UEI) number assigned by SAM.gov, and an Employer Identification Number (EIN) assigned by the Internal Revenue Service. (RFA Section 4, Eligible Applicants). Organizations that have an active registration with the State of California through the Secretary of State are considered to be located and operating in the State of California. If the organization’s address associated with their UEI assigned by SAM.gov is not located within California, the Lead Applicant is required to also provide the address of their organization’s physical location or office in California. Alternatively, national organizations may provide the address for their registered corporate agent in California as listed on their registration with the Secretary of State.

All Tribes and Tribal-serving entities meeting eligibility requirements are encouraged to participate in both Tracks. All Lead Applicants are encouraged to coordinate and partner with Tribes and Tribal-serving entities. For Track 1, Tribes and Tribal-serving entities may participate in applications (subject to the requirements of Track 1 including developing plans to drive towards measurable objectives to benefit members of all Covered Populations within the county/region or multi-county joint application regions). For Track 2, Tribes and Tribal-serving entities should consider applying under the Tribal Collaboration Outcome Area for statewide ecosystem development, planning, and innovation.

While federal grant rules define “Indian Tribes” under Eligible Entities as federally-recognized Tribes only, State-recognized Tribes may participate in an application if they belong to one of the other Eligible Entity categories (e.g., not-for-profit foundations, corporations, institutions, or associations) and meet other eligibility requirements. See RFA Section 4, Eligible Applicants in the RFA for more details. 

CDT will provide a Regional/Local Digital Equity Plan template, as well as data including Covered Populations, Broadband Adoption rates, and a Digital Equity Ecosystem Mapping Survey. CDT intends to provide ongoing technical assistance to all Subgrantees. 

Track 2 requires Subgrantees to focus on targeted ecosystem development or digital equity innovation for a Covered Population or Outcome Area. As such, applicants should propose programs that are as extensive as possible throughout the state, given their focus area, and provide justification for why their proposed Covered Population or Outcome Area may be served more effectively in statewide, rather than regional or local, ecosystems. 

Track 2 Subgrantees must include a plan to support, coordinate, or share best practices with Track 1 Subgrantees, and participate in and contribute to the Statewide Implementation Group and other communities of practice established by CDT. 

Yes, Subgrantees are required to contribute to CDT’s ongoing collection of responses for the Statewide Digital Equity Public Survey and Digital Equity Ecosystem Mapping (DEEM) tool to continue to build out statewide and regional/local needs assessments and asset inventories. These efforts will help ensure that the State and stakeholder community has comprehensive data on digital equity assets and gaps. Please note, CDT will provide opportunities for input from Subgrantees and subject matter experts to develop the next iteration of the Statewide Digital Equity Public Survey and DEEM tool. 

Broadband adoption activities are an allowable use of CalDEP funds for Track 1. CalDEP Track I Subgrantees are encouraged to align broadband adoption efforts with infrastructure deployment projects funded by state or federal grants.

Under Track I, a Subgrantee must develop or modify an existing Regional/Local Digital Equity Plan that aligns with the State Digital Equity Plan (SDEP) and the SDEP measurable objectives. Once the plan is approved, the Subgrantee may make a second-tier subgrant to an eligible entity to conduct activities in a specific community or neighborhood.

Eligible tribes may participate as partners in Track 1 or Track 2 applications if they have applied for or received funding from other sources. However,CalDEP awards may supplement, but not supplant, other State or Federal funds that have been made available to the Subgrantee to carry out digital equity activities. (See RFA Section 7.2, Funding Restrictions). In the application Section 8.2.5, Lead Applicants must provide a disclosure of other sources of State or Federal Funding that the Lead Applicant and any partnering entities have: 1) already applied for or are in the process of applying for, or 2) already received, for activities related to the purposes of this RFA. Lead Applicants must also provide a general description of the uses of these other funding sources (either intended or proposed), indicate the amount of funding requested or awarded from these sources, and describe how their CalDEP application will supplement, and not supplant or duplicate, the activities that may be funded through the other sources (whether already received or applied for). Please also refer to the question “Which Track should tribes and tribal associations apply for?” for more information on tribal participation in CalDEP funding tracks. Note: If awarded, the Subgrantee must establish and maintain a financial management system that is capable of identifying and tracking each State and Federal award separately, which includes the ability to distinguish between different grants.

No. As noted in Section 7.2 of the RFA on Funding Restrictions, CalDEP awards may not be used for construction activities or infrastructure projects, including installing broadband infrastructure. As noted in Section 2, the Goals of the California Digital Equity Program, deployment of broadband infrastructure will be addressed through other Broadband for All investments and BEAD-funded projects.