Community Grant Program
Supporting Your Communities
As part of its ongoing commitment to rural communities across the country, FRS offers aid to communities served by NTCA members through its annual Community Grant Program. These grants are designed to provide support to a variety of local efforts to build and sustain a high quality of life in rural America.
Applications for these grants are accepted each summer, ranging from $250 to $5,000. The grants awarded each November support a variety of projects concentrated in four major categories.
Congratulations to our 2025 Grant Recipients!
These incredible communities each reflect the vision, service and innovation at the heart of rural America. Their winning projects help rural communities across the United States overcome an array of challenges, including access to technology, improving educational offerings, and providing first-responder services to rural areas.
Congratulations to the awardees and thank you to the generous partnering NTCA members who made these investments possible.
| Ashby Public School Agricultural Education Department - Ashby, MN Awarded $5,000 to build a greenhouse on the school campus, supplying fresh produce to local food shelves and the school lunch program year-round. Partnered with Park Region Telephone Company. |
Blue River Joint Fire District - Blue River, WI Awarded $4,500 to purchase a portable ground monitor, an essential piece of equipment that can extinguish large volumes of fire quickly. Partnered with Richland-Grant Telephone Cooperative. |
| Boys & Girls Club of Atchison - Atchison, KS Awarded $5,000 to update the computer lab and STEM lab. Partnered with Rainbow Communications. |
Boys & Girls Club of Austin County - Bellville, TX Awarded $5,000 to construct a community soccer field that promotes youth development and community engagement. Partnered with Industry Telephone Company. |
| Brain Builders Childcare Center - Stuart, NE Awarded $5,000 to complete a new playground, providing a safe and engaging outdoor space that supports the physical, social and emotional development of children. Partnered with Northeast Nebraska Telephone Company. |
Central Christian College of Kansas - McPherson, KS |
| Center for Environmental Health Monitoring and Management - Carlsbad, NM Awarded $5,000 to support cleanups and provide education about the effects of illegal dumping in southeast New Mexico. Partnered with Penasco Valley Telephone Cooperative. |
City of Pierce - Pierce, NE Awarded $5,000 to begin "Chilvers Park 2.0" with the construction of a safe, inclusive and eco-friendly splash pad for all ages and abilities. Partnered with Pierce Telephone Company, Inc. |
| City of Waterville, Lake Idlewild Trails and Nature Center - Waterville, KS Awarded $5,000 to install directional signage for trails, campsites and the falls area, as well as educational and interpretive displays on natural and cultural history. Student-designed labels will highlight rare geological features. Partnered with Blue Valley Technologies |
Cordova Volunteer Fire District - Cordova, AK Awarded $5,000 to equip fire apparatus with mobile routers for reliable connectivity and provide VR headsets to enhance community fire and life safety education. Partnered with Cordova Telecom Cooperative. |
| Crater Kids Community Daycare - Manson, IA Awarded $2,176 to purchase a computer, laser printer and QuickBooks software to improve administrative operations. Partnered with Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association. |
Dixon School District 9 - Dixon, MT Awarded $5,000 to finalize funding for a walk-in freezer. Partnered with Blackfoot Communications. |
| Eureka Public Schools - Eureka, MT Awarded $5,000 to implement Reflex Math and Frax programs, game-based tools that strengthen math fluency and fraction mastery for 400 students. Partnered with InterBel Telephone Cooperative. |
Friends of Sunset Zoo - Manhattan, KS Awarded $5,000 to purchase ten tablets for real-time animal monitoring, medical record access and enhanced community education in wildlife conservation. Partnered with WTC. |
| Great Bend Public Library - Great Bend, KS Awarded $5,000 to replace outdated childhood digital literacy stations with new touch screen desktop computers for early learning. Partnered with Nex-Tech. |
Greater Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce - Mt. Vernon, IL Awarded $5,000 to establish the Community Leadership Academy, an eight-month program to develop emerging leaders through education and civic engagement. Partnered with Wabash Communications. This grant is also made possible by a generous gift from the Carri Bennet Economic Development Fund. |
| Hand in Hand - Bettendorf, IA Awarded $5,000 to purchase three AEDs for Tessa's Place, the People with Purpose Clubhouse and Edwards Church. Partnered with Central Scott Telephone Company. |
J.J. Hands Public Library - Lohrville, IA Awarded $5,000 to purchase new computers for the library director and patrons. Partnered with Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association. |
| Lovington Fire Department - Lovington, IL Awarded $5,000 to purchase a Fol-Da-Tank, a portable water storage system that strengthens emergency response in areas without hydrants. Partnered with Shawnee Communications. |
Napoleon Ambulance District - Napoleon, ND Awarded $4,230 to upgrade from laptops to tablets, transitioning fully to digital records and eliminating paper use. Partnered with BEK Communications Cooperative. |
| Northwest Domestic Crisis Services - Guymon, OK Awarded $5,000 to provide domestic violence victims with technology designed for covert safety and security, allowing them to quickly and discreetly reach emergency services during a crisis. Partnered with Panhandle Telephone Cooperative, Inc. |
Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments - Maryville, MO Awarded $5,000 to purchase interactive tools that enhance roadway safety lessons and participant engagement. Partnered with GRM Networks. |
| O'Donnell Volunteer Fire Department - O'Donnell, TX Awarded $3,896 to purchase two AEDs and pediatric pads compatible with Lynn County EMS. Partnered with Poka Lambro Telephone Cooperative. |
Pirate Youth Athletic Association - Fountain City, WI Awarded $5,000 to install a new batting cage. Partnered with Cochrane Cooperative Telephone Company. |
| Putnam County Extension Council - Unionville, MO Awarded $615 to expand the embryology program, allowing students to observe chick hatching as part of agriculture education. Partnered with Northeast Missouri Rural Telephone Company. |
Rice County Early Childhood Coalition - Lyons, KS Awarded $5,000 to expand the Childcare Resource Lending Library with toys, sensory kits, books and safety items for local providers. Partnered with Mutual Telephone Company. |
| The Community of Butte Development Corporation - Butte, NE Awarded $5,000 to purchase a commercial-grade cookstove for the local nursing home. Partnered with Northeast Nebraska Telephone Company. |
The Original Pottawattamie County Fair Board Association - Avoca, IA Awarded $5,000 to purchase mobile fencing panels and gates for a new facility that safely houses all beef animals in one space accessible to the public. Partnered with Marne Elk Horn. |
| Tri-Community Center, Incorporated - Cross, SC Awarded $5,000 to support health and wellness programming using webinars, demonstrations and presentations. Partnered with Home Telecom. |
Village of New Auburn - New Auburn, WI Awarded $5,000 to complete the Village Park trail system, connecting the Veterans' Memorial, bathrooms, playground, parking and shelter with expanded recreational access. Partnered with Citizens Connected. |
| Westran Middle School - Clifton Hill, MO Awarded $4,872 to upgrade outdated kitchen appliances with energy-efficient, commercial-grade equipment for the Family and Consumer Sciences Program. Partnered with Chariton Valley Telephone Corporation |
Together, We Can Boost Our Community
FRS Community Grants are awarded annually to nonprofit organizations, schools, community groups, municipalities and other organizations doing good work in your community. Please see below for the list of projects funded this year and for more information about priority projects, as well as projects that are not eligible for grants.
Interested in applying for an FRS Community Grant? Please follow these steps:
1. Identify an NTCA member partner for your FRS Community grant application. Heard about the application from your broadband provider? They are your NTCA member partner. Please contact [email protected] if you are not sure who your NTCA member partner is.
2. Review the application guide below or on the back of the Community Grant Flyer you may have received from your broadband provider. The guide includes the questions you will need to answer and the information you’ll need to complete the application.
3. Provide your application to your NTCA member partner by their deadline. Applications that have not been submitted by your NTCA member sponsor will not be reviewed.
The application guide is identical to the application. Please use it to create and submit your application to your NTCA member. All applications must be submitted by your NTCA member partner.
- FRS Provides priority to projects that:
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- Could be fully funded by the grant maximum of $5,000 or have at least 75% of the project currently funded.
- Technology and broadband enabled focused projects.
- Have a long-term impact for the community and its residents.
- Promote community participation and engagement.
- Create a more sustainable rural community.
- FRS will not award projects to:
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- Applicants who received grant funding from FRS within the past two years
- Overhead Expenses (salaries, rent, utilities, insurance)
- Individuals
- Pass-through Funding (scholarship or re-granting programs)
- Seed funding or projects that have not secured at least 75% of the required funds for completion
- Conferences, Events, Travel, and Staff Training
- Membership or Dues-based Programs
- International Organizations
- Lobbying and Political Programming
- Religious Activities or Resources
- Infrastructure/Building Campaigns
- Security Cameras
- Capital Campaigns or Endowments
- Vehicles
- Digital Signage
- Event Sponsorships
- Community Food Programs
- Debt Reduction Efforts or Loan Repayments
- For-Profit Businesses
- What are the four grant categories?
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- Business & Economic Development
- Education & Workforce
- Health & Well-being
- Public Service & First Responders
Together, We Can Boost Our Community
NTCA members, submitting applications for the FRS Community Grant Program is easy as 1...2...3...
- Download the flyer, personalize it with your logo, contact information, and your chosen deadline and distribute it within your community.
- Have your community members submit their proposals to you by your chosen deadline.
- Select the three (3) proposals your telco would like to partner with and submit your application through Member Central by September 4, 2026.
Community Grant Flyer Community Grant Flyer and Application Guide
Note: NTCA member companies will be responsible for a 20% match (i.e., if the applicant requests and wins a grant for $5,000, the NTCA member company is responsible for $1,000 and FRS is responsible for $4,000).
2022 FRS Community Grant recipient USD 419 (Galva, KS) surprised by their NTCA Partner Home Communications, Inc. that they have been selected for a $5,000 to purchase Boogie Boards and table top charging stations for enhanced classroom learning and activities. Partnered with Home Telephone Company dba Home Communications, Inc.
Invaluable Insight on the FRS Grant Program
Each year, the Foundation for Rural Service (FRS) gives back to rural communities through the grant program. In 2018, FRS awarded 12 grants for a total of nearly $50,000. Thank you to the 2018 sponsors who made the grant program possible: Ericsson, Inc., NISC, Womble Bond Dickinson, Mapcom Systems, Rural Telephone Finance Cooperative (RTFC) and Toly Digital. See how the grants open opportunities to rural communities.
Thank you to our Community Grant Sponsor Womble Bond Dickinson
