By Jessica Borders
FAIRMONT — Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, approximately $4.8 billion worth of grants and loans is now available for broadband improvement.
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) have a coordinated broadband extension program under the Recovery Act, said Jessica Schafer, press secretary for NTIA.
She said NTIA and RUS have announced that a second round of funding is available under two complementary programs. NTIA’s program is called the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, or BTOP, and RUS has the Broadband Initiatives Program, or BIP. The agencies will begin accepting applications on Feb. 16, and the deadline for submissions is March 15.
“The purpose of BTOP is to provide grants that will support the deployment of broadband infrastructure,” Schafer said.
The Recovery Act allocated $1.4 billion to NTIA for the first round of funding, and those recipients are in the process of being notified, she said. NTIA will award about $2.6 billion in the next round, with the winners being announced by the end of September.
Through these BTOP grants, NTIA hopes to create jobs, stimulate long-term economic growth, and expand opportunities. This time, BTOP is concentrating on Comprehensive Community Infrastructure projects that involve partnerships and will benefit the entire community. Funding will also be awarded for Public Computer Center projects and Sustainable Broadband Adoption projects, Schafer said.
She said a wide array of entities is eligible to apply, including state/local government, any subdivision of a government, nonprofits and for-profit organizations. Applicants also have to meet a matching fund requirement, which is 20 percent of the total cost of the project.
“And we strongly encourage people to form partnerships in order to be applying for a stronger application that will have a bigger bang,” Schafer said.
NTIA launched an online tool called BroadbandMatch, found at match.broadbandusa.gov, that allows prospective applicants to create a profile and look for partners, she said.
“In today’s economy, it’s just very difficult to participate without broadband access,” Schafer said. “And communities and populations that don’t have or haven’t adopted broadband technology are falling behind. The purpose of this program ... is to work toward closing our gap and bringing broadband access and the opportunities that come with broadband access to the entire country.”
She said these programs are helping to spur economic development and strengthen communities.
Jonathan Adelstein, RUS administrator, said this second major announcement of funds for the BIP program “targets the most rural, hard-to-reach areas of the country.” In round two, RUS will award an estimated $2.2 billion for broadband infrastructure projects by Sept. 30, which is when this funding expires.
“Our goal is to get broadband out to rural areas that currently lack service,” he said.
A lot of areas don’t have broadband activity to facilitate business development, Adelstein said. It’s hard for companies to locate in areas where they can’t get robust broadband service, and this program is an effort to maximize economic development.
“We’re excited to have this unprecedented opportunity to get broadband (to rural communities),” he said. “We’ve never had this level of resources to make sure that the next generation of telecommunications service gets out to every corner of the U.S.”
Adelstein said RUS will work with various providers, from traditional borrowers to new entrants in the marketplace, and welcomes applications.
“We’re looking for all kinds of applicants to come through the door,” he said. “We’re looking for applications that are innovative, creative from all different sources.”
In January and February, NTIA and RUS are cohosting 10 free, all-day workshops across the country to review the application process and answer questions. The closest workshop to the Marion County area is on Feb. 9 in Blacksburg, Va. Interested people can register online at broadbandusa.gov.
Gail Bennett, public affairs specialist for West Virginia Rural Development, recommended that people go to the Web site and click on the Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) to see the eligibility requirements and application details.
“The more expansion we have of broadband in West Virginia, the better, because that is a gateway to the world,” she said. “Bringing those types of loans and grants and funding into the state would definitely open us up to a lot of new avenues.”
For more information about the grant programs, visit broadbandusa.gov, call the toll-free help desk line at 877-508-8364, or e-mail BroadbandUSA@usda.gov.
E-mail Jessica Borders at jborders@timeswv.com.
