If there’s one lesson we’ve learned through the pandemic, it’s that access to reliable, high-speed broadband services has never been more essential. Cities enjoyed several legislative wins for expanding public broadband and are well-positioned to received financial support from the state and federal governments to increase community connectivity.
State broadband funding is largely supported by the 2021-23 biennial capital budget: the Legislature appropriated $60 million to the Public Works Board (PWB) Broadband Infrastructure program, including over $45 million specifically for grant funding.
Additionally, the budget invested roughly $330 million for the Statewide Broadband Office, including $276
million in federal coronavirus relief funds to provide grants for local broadband infrastructure projects (for more information on using federal coronavirus for this purpose, click here).
Following these legislative wins, the PWB’s Broadband Financing Federally Funded Grant Program and the Community Economic Revitalization Board’s (CERB) Rural Broadband Grant Program posted their call for applications: jurisdictions may submit funding applications until later this fall. The PWB’s grant program directs
funding to activities that provide broadband internet service to unserved and underserved areas of the state, while CERB’s grant program funds may be used to finance broadband expansion that serves the ongoing and growing needs of local education,
health care, and public safety systems. Additionally, CERB’s rural broadband funds may be used to improve access to broadband infrastructure that improves accessibility for underserved communities and populations, as well as infrastructure that
drives job creation, promotes innovation, and expands local markets. To learn more about PWB and CERB broadband financing, click here.
Don’t forget to check out our Annual Conference session on broadband as
an essential infrastructure! Registration required.
In addition to these state financing programs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) hosts a variety of grant programs available to local governments. The USDA’s ReConnect Loan and Grant Program furnishes loans and grants to provide funds for the costs of construction, improvement, or acquisition of facilities and equipment needed to provide broadband services. The agency also hosts Community Connect Grants to provide financial assistance to local governments that provide broadband services in rural, economically-challenged communities where current broadband service does not exist.
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) also hosts a large array of federal broadband funding programs for local governments. NTIA is providing three new grant programs this fiscal year: the Broadband Infrastructure Program,
Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program, and the Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program. Click on any of these programs to learn more information, or visit NTIA’s broadband financing page here.
These federal grant programs support President Biden’s momentum to address broadband connectivity and economic opportunity: earlier this month, the White House issued an executive order on internet services to address issues that limit competition,
raise prices, and reduce choices for internet service. For more information regarding the executive order, click here.
For any questions regarding broadband financing options, contact Maggie Douglas.