ST. PAUL - Cities, counties, businesses, non-profits, and other eligible applicants are being urged by State Representative Jason Rarick (R-Pine City) to consider applying for a grant to continue the expansion of Minnesota's broadband infrastructure.
"Last session we continued our quest for reliable broadband access by approving a law that dedicates more than $10 million to the Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program," Rarick said. "Those grants are now ready for distribution, so I encourage applicants in Pine and Kanabec counties to begin the process."
Eligible applicants include incorporated businesses or partnerships, political subdivisions, Indian tribes, Minnesota non-profits, cooperative associations and limited liability corporations. Broadband projects must be located in unserved or underserved areas.
According to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, an unserved area "is an area of Minnesota in which households or businesses lack access to wire-line broadband service at speeds that meet the FCC threshold of 25 megabits per second download and 3 megabits per second upload." An underserved area "is an area of Minnesota in which households or businesses do receive service above the FCC threshold but lack access to wire-line broadband service at speeds that meet the state broadband goals of ten to 20 megabits per second download and five to ten megabits per second upload."
Applications must be received by 4:00PM on September 15, 2015. Full details and application materials can be found on the DEED website at http://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/grant-program/.
Rarick encouraged anyone who has questions about the broadband grant program, or who would like assistance with their application or a letter of support, to contact his office by calling 651-296-0518 or send an email to rep.jason.rarick@house.mn.
"Hopefully we can continue building on these investments during the 2016 session as well, because reliable internet access is critical for our communities and their residents and business owners," Rarick said.