E-rate Commentary

by Patrick Burke

October 20, 2026

State Master Contracts: When They Work and When They Don’t

State master contracts can make E-rate procurement easier, but they are not an automatic shortcut around competitive bidding. The key question is how the state contract was established and how...

by Hunter Paige

October 13, 2026

Three Days at AnchorNETS 2026: What I Heard and What I’m Taking Back

Attending AnchorNETS 2026, the Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition’s (SHLB) 14th annual conference, was an incredible opportunity. Over three days in Arlington, Virginia, I sat in plenaries, breakout sessions,...

by Audra Thayer

October 13, 2026

Is Your CIPA Paperwork as Solid as Your Filters? Here’s What Auditors Actually Check

Your filter can be working perfectly and you can still take an audit finding. Auditors check paperwork, not just technology, and CIPA compliance is part of every E-rate audit. With...

by Cathy Benham

October 13, 2026

A Night of Art and Celebration: Autumn & the Arts

Funds For Learning is proud to have sponsored Autumn & the Arts, the sixth annual event hosted by the Foundation for Education for the Imperial County Office of Education (ICOE)....

by Michelle Jackson

October 7, 2026

When a Bomb Cyclone Knocked Out Power, King County Library’s Wi-Fi Stayed On. E-rate Is a Big Reason Why.

When a bomb cyclone tore through the Pacific Northwest, King County Library System had to close its doors, but its network never went dark. People kept connecting to library Wi-Fi...

by Kimberly Beck

October 7, 2026

A Strong October Leads to a Smoother January: Your E-rate Readiness Review

For many schools and libraries, the E-rate year seems to begin when the FCC Form 471 filing window opens. In practice, the strongest applications begin months earlier. October is the...

by Heidi Leonard

September 29, 2026

Raising the Standard: Inside the E-MPA Conference

Behind the scenes, E-rate consultants spend time on professional development, industry collaboration, and efforts to strengthen the program. You may not spend much time thinking about that, and that’s perfectly...

Verlyne Jolley, CEMP

by Verlyne Jolley

September 29, 2026

USAC Wraps Up 2026 In-Person Training with Important WAN Guidance

At its final in-person E-rate training of the year, USAC told attendees that new sites added to an existing WAN must be competitively bid, even when the current contract allows...

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