E-rate Commentary

by Patrick Burke

A New Era of E-rate Bidding Starts in 2028. Here’s What It Means for You.

If you run E-rate filings for your district or library, the way you document competitive bidding is about to matter more than it ever has. On April 30, the FCC...

by Joseph Guercio

From Fear to Fearless: My Journey to Graduation and Growth at Funds For Learning

Joe Guercio, E-rate Guide at Funds For Learning, with his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Central Oklahoma. Walking across the stage to receive my degree from the University of...

Eric Jester, CEMP

Why USAC Keeps Changing Your Internal Connections Categories — And What To Do About It

If USAC flagged one of your line items this funding year, there’s a good chance it was a category change. In Funding Year 2025, more than 4,500 funding requests — nearly 1 in 6...

Sean Lock, CEMP

Your Application Looks Clean. Here’s What Could Still Cost You the Funding.

If you have been doing this for a few years, you know the obvious things to check before you certify a Form 471. Service eligibility. Discount percentage. Form 470 requirements. Filing deadline....

by Todd Lawrence

USAC Is Scrutinizing Contract Dates on FY2025 Funding Requests. Here’s What That Means for Yours.

If your application is still in Program Integrity Assurance review, your contract dates are one of the first things worth checking. And if you are looking ahead to Funding Year...

by Neal Brautigan

What Trips Applicants Up at Invoicing, and How to Stay Ahead of It

Invoicing sounds like one of the simpler steps in E-rate. Services are delivered, the math is done, you submit and you get paid. In practice, it’s one of the easiest places to make mistakes,...

Why Your CEP Base Year May Be Getting Changed in PIA

If you have ever watched USAC reviewers quietly change your site data, you are not alone. Last year, USAC modified Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) data on roughly one out of...

Michelle Jackson

by Michelle Jackson

Your Funding Year 2026 FCDL Just Landed. Here’s How to Read It in the Next 10 Minutes.

Funding Year 2026 is moving. Wave 1 landed last week bringing commitments to more than 60% of FY2026 applicants, totaling over $1 billion (read our recap). Wave 2 followed on May 7, 2026 (read...