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USDA Announces $11M for Rural Broadband, NTIA Releases Roadmap Toolkit
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced last month the availability of more than $11 million in grants to support rural broadband through its Community Connect grant program, which seeks to help fund broadband deployment into rural communities where it is not yet economically viable for private sector providers to deliver service. For FY 2016, the minimum grant amount is $100,000, while the maximum award is $3 million. Additional information can be found here. Meanwhile, the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has released new materials to help communities realize the importance of broadband and develop roadmaps for its broader implementation.
The NTIA originally developed BroadbandUSA to provide technical assistance, regional workshops, guidance and resources as a way to help assist communities hoping to expand their broadband capacity. Late last month, BroadbandUSA released Planning a Community Broadband Roadmap, a new toolkit to help communities determine their broadband vision and goals, analyze existing community resources and needs, and develop tactical plans. Featuring best practice case studies, the toolkit presents a six-step approach to creating a roadmap for projects of all sizes. Previous reports from BroadbandUSA include:
- A Guide to Federal Funding of Broadband Projects, which details federal funding programs that support broadband adoption;
- An Introduction to Effective Public-Private Partnerships, which provides information on developing successful partnerships for broadband investments; and,
- Broadband Adoption Toolkit, which highlights the implementation of broadband programs that target youth, low-income families, and the elderly.
Additionally, the USDA and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced this week their selection of five communities that will participate in the Cool & Connected program. This initiative helps community members develop strategies for using broadband service to create walkable, connected, economically vibrant main streets and small-town neighborhoods that seek to improve human health and the environment.