The Funding Year 2020 filing window is unique in many regards. Setting aside the obvious (i.e. delays brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic), this filing window stands out among all E-rate application periods for one very positive reason: there are a record number of sites seeking support. There are 129,897 sites listed on Category One applications, and 59,388 sites listed on Category Two applications. This is higher than any other year in the history of the E-rate program.
The following chart shows the annual count of sites going back to FY2015, when the E-rate program last experienced a major reform:
To learn more about the current demand for funds and applicant activity, you are invited to watch this free webinar recently conducted by Funds For Learning: My E-rate Guides, May 7, 2020