The California Teleconnect Fund (CTF) is a program run by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) that provides a 50% discount on broadband services to schools, libraries, hospitals and about 7,000 Community Based Organizations (CBOs). Money for the discount comes from a surcharge paid by telephone customers (“ratepayers”) on their monthly phone bills.

Eligible services generally include broadband and correspond to E-Rate Category One services. Voice telephone services used to be included as eligible services, however, effective July 1, 2019 voice services including VoIP telephone services were removed from eligibility for discounts under the CTF program. 101VOICE continues to provide hosted VoIP and UCaaS services.

Currently libraries, hospitals, health clinics, community colleges, nonprofit and public schools, and other similar organizations are eligible for the CTF discount without meeting additional criteria (complete details here). In order to be eligible to receive the discount on services as a Community Based Organization, you must:

• Be located in California and serve communities in California
• Have tax-exempt status as 501(c)3 or 501(d) organization
• Directly offer at least one of the following services: health care,* job training, job placement, 2-1-1 referral services, educational instruction, or a community technology program
• Show total revenue on the most recent 990 does not exceed $5 million

* If you provide health care, but no other services on this list, all members of your organization’s board of directors must reside in California.