ST. PAUL, MN—State Representative Tama Theis (R-St. Cloud) is encouraging cities, counties, businesses, non-profits, and other eligible applicants to consider applying for a grant to continue the expansion of Minnesota's broadband infrastructure. Applications must be received by 4:00PM on September 15, 2015. The grants are available as a part of $10.58 million for the Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program approved by the legislature and signed into law by Governor Dayton in June.
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 (DEED) website, 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."
"Broadband technology improvements will benefit economic development in Central Minnesota for everyone from students in the classroom to small business owners," said Rep. Theis. "In the twenty-first century, reliable and speedy internet access is expected in every community across the state, and I would encourage people to apply for the Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grants and take advantage of the state's investment in broadband."
Full details and application materials can be found on the DEED website at http://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/grant-program/.
Theis also encouraged anyone with questions or would like assistance with their application or a letter of support to contact her office at 651-296-6316 or Rep.Tama.Theis@House.mn.
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Theis can be reached by phone at (651) 296-6316. She can also be contacted via e-mail at rep.tama.theis@house.mn, or via U.S. Mail at 445 State Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155.