Recovery Act: USDA and Commerce Announce Broadband
Initiative; Release Round 1 NOFA; Applicants to Specify Jobs
Created
The Recovery Act
appropriated $7.2 billion and directed the Department of Agriculture's Rural
Utilities Service (RUS) and The Department of Commerce's National
Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA) to expand broadband access
to unserved and underserved communities across the U.S., increase jobs, spur
investments in technology and infrastructure, and provide long-term economic
benefits.
NTIA and RUS will be accepting applications for loans, grants and loan/grant
combinations to be awarded by each agency under a single application form. This
collaborative approach will ensure that the agencies' activities are
complementary and integrated, make the best use of taxpayer funds and make it
easier for applicants to apply for funding. This is the first of three rounds of
funding the Agriculture and Commerce Departments will provide.
Approximately $4 billion of program level funding has been allocated to the
NOFA announced on July 1 by RUS and NTIA. The remaining funds will be made
available under subsequent NOFAs. The requirements for subsequent NOFAs may
differ from the current NOFA to better achieve the agencies' priorities.
Commerce and USDA officials will host public workshops in July to share
information about the funding availabilities and the application process. Forums
will be held in Boston, Mass.; Charleston, W.Va.; Minneapolis, Minn.; Memphis,
Tenn.; Lonoke, Ark.; Birmingham, Ala.; Billings, Mont.; Albuquerque, N.M.; and
Los Angeles, Calif.
Applications will be accepted between July 14, 2009 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time
(ET) 36 until August 14, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. ET.
Applications must be submitted through the Broadband
America website.
News
Release
NOFA
