Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, announced today that the Broadband Infrastructure Program application period will begin Aug. 14.
Under the American Rescue Plan Act, the U.S. Department of Treasury awarded Wisconsin $42 million through the Capital Projects Fund (CPF) to administer the Broadband Infrastructure Program and invest in projects that will provide high-quality internet to locations that lack access to adequate, affordable service.
The Federal Communications Commission estimates there are more than 246,000 locations that are unserved in the state and more than 217,000 that are underserved.
The CPF is designed to address preexisting barriers to internet access that were exacerbated by the pandemic. Broadband Infrastructure Program grant funds will be used to make necessary investments in broadband infrastructure.
Eligible entities for the competitive grant program include internet service providers, telecommunications utilities, cooperatives, local governments, and for-profit and nonprofit organizations. The funding is available to construct broadband infrastructure projects to deploy reliable internet service that will meet or exceed 100/100 megabits per second symmetrical speed internet service and include at least one low-cost option for work, education, and health monitoring.
The deadline for grant application will be in November 2023.
After this initial grant period, more than $140 million in additional funding for Wisconsin under the CPF is expected to be authorized by the U.S. Department of Treasury and announced at a later date. This additional round of funding will be available to carry out device deployment and digital navigator projects and to improve community access to essential equipment.
Further information about the CPF is available online.
