Connecting Communities: How CASF Infrastructure Grants Bring Broadband to Californians Who Need It Most

The application window for the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF) Broadband Infrastructure Grant Account closed on October 31, marking another step forward in California’s effort to bring reliable internet to every community. While the deadline has passed, the work funded through this program continues to change lives across the state, connecting students, families, small businesses, and farms that have been waiting for years to get online.

Closing the Gap

Too many Californians still live in neighborhoods or rural regions where fast, reliable internet is out of reach. For families in these areas, the digital divide isn’t just about slower speeds, it means missing out on remote work opportunities, telehealth appointments, or even children struggling to finish homework.

That’s where the CASF Infrastructure Grant Account, administered by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), steps in. The program funds broadband providers, cooperatives, and local governments to build the infrastructure needed to deliver modern internet service (fiber, fixed wireless, or cable modem networks).

With each round of funding, more communities get the chance to connect. The CPUC’s goal is clear: make broadband access universal, affordable, and resilient for all Californians.

Real Projects, Real Impact

Across California, CASF grants are already building networks that make a difference.

Aromas–San Juan Project (Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties)

Funded with nearly $29.5 million, this project by LCB Communications is delivering fiber and fixed wireless service to more than 1,100 unserved households, many of which are low income. Residents who once struggled with dropped connections can now work, study, and stay connected from home.

Three-County Fiber Project (San Luis Obispo, Santa Clara & Santa Cruz Counties)

Backed by a $10 million CASF grant, Surfnet Communications is extending last-mile fiber to 465 homes in rural and coastal areas. The project ensures that even communities tucked between mountain ridges can access modern speeds.

Surfnet Groundbreaking ceremony in Santa Cruz County.

Rural Fresno Project (Coalinga & Huron, Fresno County)

With just over $500,000 in CASF funding, CalNeva Broadband is combining fiber and fixed wireless to connect 600 unserved locations in the Central Valley, ensuring that farmworker families and small agricultural businesses can thrive in the digital economy.

ConnectAnza Phase 3 (Riverside County)

The Anza Electric Cooperative is using $6.5 million to extend its fiber network to homes in Mountain Center, a remote mountain community. Reliable internet here means access to telemedicine, online schooling, and new local business opportunities.

The Path to Apply

While the October 31 deadline for this round has passed, community organizations, cooperatives, and broadband providers can prepare for the next cycle by reviewing the program rules and guidelines here.

Applicants must show that their proposed projects will serve areas currently unserved by broadband, meet minimum speed requirements (100 Mbps download / 20 Mbps upload), and demonstrate cost effectiveness. Once approved, grantees can begin construction, report milestones to the CPUC, and, most importantly, bring better connectivity to the people who need it.

To learn more about how to participate or to track projects in your community, visit the CASF Infrastructure Grant Account page.

A More Connected California

Every mile of fiber, every new antenna, and every connection made under this program brings the state closer to universal broadband for all.

The CASF Infrastructure Grant Account isn’t just about technology, it’s about people: kids doing homework online, seniors checking in with doctors, and small businesses finding customers far beyond their zip code.

When Californians are connected, everyone benefits.

By Taseen Shamim, Public Information Officer