Deadline: 14-Jan-22
The Kansas Department of Commerce has announced the applications for the Broadband Acceleration Grant Opportunity to address broadband gaps statewide. Funds will be targeted to areas that are unlikely to receive broadband service without state or federal funding support.
The Program is designed to offset the capital expenses in the deployment of broadband to unserved areas. The goal of this program is to facilitate broadband access to all Kansans while promoting practices that increase deployment and encourage adoption.
The Broadband Acceleration Grant program is the first state-funded competitive broadband grant opportunity, focusing on the construction of broadband infrastructure to bring access to high-quality internet service to Kansas homes, businesses and communities. The need for access to critical broadband infrastructure was significantly magnified in 2020. Demands of remote learning and work, telehealth services, online business and e-government shifts, and day-to-day quality of life implications crystalized that compelling need exists in many areas across Kansas.
Priorities
The Broadband Acceleration Grant is intended to address the following priorities:
- Areas that lack access to broadband (unserved);
- Areas that lack quality, reliable access to broadband and have a compelling, unmet need;
- Areas deemed economically distressed by the state
Funding Information
- The maximum grant award is $1 million.
- The grant will cover up to 50% of eligible construction related project expenses.
- A 50% match of the total project amount is required. Local ARPA funds are an eligible match.
- Matching funds may include an in-kind match of up to 50% of the total match. An In-Kind match requires valuation documentation and is subject to KOBD approval.
Eligible Areas
The purpose of the grant is to facilitate broadband access to areas with demonstrated need and may include residential, business and community anchor institution locations. Priority will be given to projects that address areas that are currently unserved, economically distressed communities, areas of compelling need and partnership projects that optimize stewardship of public infrastructure dollars through collective investment and include:
- An unserved area. An area in which households or businesses are without internet access service of at least 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload speeds.
- An economically distressed area. An area is economically distressed if it has per capita income of 80 percent or less of the national average, or if it has an unemployment rate that is at least 1 percent greater than the national average for the most recent 24month period for which data are available per Stats America.
- Projects proposed in KDOT construction corridors or in conjunction with ‘dig once’ efforts.
- Municipal and/or County projects that are part of a local strategic broadband plan.
- Co-investment partnership projects involving local municipalities, community anchors and service providers
- Proposed service areas are not required to be contiguous. However, non-contiguous areas more than 10 miles apart must include an explanation of how the economic and community impact is the same for the proposed areas.
- Middle mile expenses are eligible for grant funding only when they are necessary for the provision of last mile services described in the application
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must be authorized to provide broadband services in the area proposed to be served.
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Eligible applicants include:
- Political subdivisions or entities of political subdivisions
- Corporations
- Limited liability companies
- Partnerships or other business entities
- Non-profit organizations
- Any other entity authorized by state law to provide broadband services
For more information, visit Kansas Department of Commerce.
For more information, visit https://www.kansascommerce.gov/program/community-programs/broadband-acceleration-grant/