Broadband Program Offers $105M in Satellite, Rural Library and TA Grants

Washington, May 12 – The Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service last week issued the latest request for proposals for projects to improve access to broadband Internet service in rural communities.

Funded by last year’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) and the closely related Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) have already offered two rounds of grant and loan funding to finance upgrades to the nation’s broadband infrastructure, particularly in communities with limited or no broadband service. The latest BIP funding announcement, with $105 million available for award, is a continuation of the second funding round that began earlier this year.