This week, Minnesota announced $52 million in grants to expand broadband throughout the state, with the majority of awards going to small telecom providers.
The largest grant — just over $8 million — went to the Federated Rural Electric Association. East Central Energy received two grants totaling nearly $6.9 million.
Other awards included Garden Valley Telephone Company, $4.6 million; Paul Bunyan Rural Telephone Cooperative, $3.9 million; Otter Tail Telcom, $3.7 million; MiEnergy Cooperative, $3.16 million; Woodstock Telephone Company $2.91 million; Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association $2.89 million; Ace Telephone Association $2.57 million; Bevcomm Inc. $2.3 million; Consolidated Telephone Company $2.13 million; Blue Earth Valley Telephone Company $1.78 million; Runestone Telecom Association $1.54 million; and Benton Cooperative Telephone Company $1.25 million.
The broadband grants come from two Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) programs:
- $25 million from DEED’s Border-to-Border Broadband Program. Through this program, broadband provider grantees are reimbursed up to half the eligible cost of deploying broadband infrastructure. Funding for a single project is capped at $10 million.
- $27 million from the Low Population Density Program. This program offers grants to providers building broadband service to areas of Minnesota with particularly low population densities and high deployment costs. The grants can be up to $10 million and cover up to three quarters of the total project cost.
“Broadband is an essential resource that gives Minnesota an economic competitive edge and provides more choices on where to work and live,” DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek said in a prepared statement. “It bolsters communities’ efforts to not only promote business attraction and expansion, but also empowers existing businesses with the many benefits that high-speed service can provide.”
Earlier this year, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced over $50 million to expand broadband access to an estimated 8,900 homes and businesses throughout the state.
Additional information about Minnesota broadband, including state funding resources, awards made, and state-specific coverage, can be found on the Telecompetitor Broadband Nation webpage for the state.
