UPDATE: Availability of $4.8 Billion in Recovery Act Funding for Broadband, Schedule of Public Workshops, Outreach Events Announced
On January 15, the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) announced the second round of funding totaling $4.8 billion under the Recovery Act for broadband loans and grants through NTIA’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) and RUS’ Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP).
For NTIA's Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, approximately $2.6 billion is being allocated in this funding round, of which approximately $2.35 billion will be made available for infrastructure projects. For RUS's Broadband Initiatives Program, approximately $2.2 billion is being allocated in this funding round for broadband infrastructure projects. The agencies plan to accept applications for BTOP and BIP will be accepted from February 16, 2010, to March 15, 2010. All awards will be announced by September 30, 2010. The Notices of Funds Availability are available here:
http://broadbandusa.sc.egov.usda.gov/files/RUS%20Round%20Two%20NOFA%20Final.pdf
http://broadbandusa.sc.egov.usda.gov/files/BTOP%20NOFA%201-15-10%20with%20disclaimer.pdf
NTIA and RUS also announced the rules that applicants must follow for this funding round, which have been modified from the first round to make the application process easier for applicants and to better target program resources. A summary of key revisions for applicants to BTOP is available here:
http://broadbandusa.sc.egov.usda.gov/files/BTOP%20NOFA%20II%20key%20changes%20011410.pdf
A summary of key revisions for applicants to BIP is available here:
http://www.ncai.org/fileadmin/broadcasts/2010/ARRA_Broadband_Workshop_Fact_Sheet.pdf
The two agencies also announced a series of public workshops to review the application process and answer questions from prospective applicants. The workshops will be held in Portland, OR; Reno, NV; Denver, CO; San Antonio, TX; Eureka, MO; Sioux Falls, SD; Detroit, MI; Blacksburg, VA; Fayetteville, NC; and Atlanta, GA. More information is available here:
http://broadbandusa.sc.egov.usda.gov/workshop.htm
http://www.ncai.org/fileadmin/broadcasts/2010/BIP_Fact_Sheet.pdf
Interested parties may register for the workshops at www.broadbandusa.gov. The Portland and Denver workshops will be webcast live, and the recorded webcasts will then be available online.
