E-rate Funding Becoming More Rewarding, More Complex
E-rate can be highly rewarding, and the funding is continuing to grow. But the growing complexity in the application process has made the program more difficult and less popular.
In a 2017 Funds For Learning survey, 85% of respondents who use E-rate funding said “E-rate is vital to our organization’s internet connectivity goals.” And a whopping 94% of respondents said their organization will continue to apply for funding in the future. There is no doubt that the E-rate program is doing our country a vital service. Underprivileged schools are getting access to modern technologies that they would have never been able to afford before the introduction of the program.
With all of this good, why then has there been a decline in applicants each year since 2014?
Unfortunately, just as we all know how difficult it can be to understand how to file our taxes, it can be incredibly difficult to navigate the E-rate application process and the management of your account. And since 2016 saw a 60% increase in overall funding, more rules were created thus making the programs that much more difficult to manage and puts schools and libraries at higher risk of losing funding due to unforeseen errors in the application process.
So what to do? If you plan on reaping the rewards of the E-rate program, you need to become acutely aware of all the pitfalls you could face in your application process and become intimately familiar with the ins and outs of the program.
For this exact reason, over 14,000 E-rate applicants use a consultant. An experienced E-rate service provider can ensure that your E-rate application meets the USAC standards and receives the most funding possible.
At 2NDGEAR, not only do we offer refurbished networking equipment that qualifies for E-rate funding, but we have been providing E-rate program support since 2015. We have a dedicated staff that supports our clients throughout all steps of the program and are ready to serve you.
Don’t let the growing complexity of the E-rate program take away from the funding available for your school or library. Contact us today at govcontracts@2NDGEAR.com.
Want to learn more about E-rate? Check out our article “7 Tips to Navigating E-rate”, and be on the lookout for more resources from us as we expand our guide to optimizing your experience with this highly rewarding program.