Preparing for Your Annual E-Rate Application Cycle

The FCC Form 471 filing window is open only through March 22, 2022.  If you haven’t begun to prepare your application, you must do so now. 

Here at E-Rate Consulting Inc., we have decades of experience helping school districts, charter schools, and public library systems navigate the ever-evolving E-Rate Program rules. The process is nuanced and can be tricky for newcomers. As a result, schools and libraries across the nation often miss out on funding support that could have otherwise benefitted their organizations solely because they did not know how to navigate the process. 

We’ve compiled some quick tips to help you plan and prepare for the annual filing cycle:

  • Know what you want to accomplish in the classrooms.

  • Know your infrastructure and what it can and can’t do! 

  • Use E-Rate to fund infrastructure updates, rather than overspending to maintain old equipment (e.g., SmartNet).

  • Distinguish between your “needs” and your “wish list” to ensure you spend district funds wisely. 

  • Identify what you need from an IT standpoint to accomplish classroom goals. Defining instructional goals and IT needs (vs. wants) informs how best to leverage E-Rate.

  • Develop an E-Rate “team” consisting of IT and instructional staff to define short-term and long-term educational goals (blended learning, 1-to-1 initiatives, etc). 

Also, be mindful of common mistakes made by Applicants:

  • Avoid buying eligible equipment and/or services outside of E-rate’s competitive bidding process.

  • Know your Category Two budget before setting departmental budget and planning eligible projects.

  • Notify your E-rate consultant before issuing POs to avoid procedural errors that could jeopardize E-rate funding.

Partner with an expert at E-Rate Consulting Inc. to guide you every step of the way.

Navigating the E-Rate application process is tricky to say the least.  Our consultants are subject matter experts on E-Rate rules and have cultivated an extensive understanding of the technologies most commonly used by school districts to facilitate the distribution of high-speed broadband connectivity. 


We’ll construct an end-to-end plan so that you feel supported each step of the way. Message us today at info@erateconsulting.com to learn more about how to get started with us.

Vince LaForgia