The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 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. The mission is carried out through two programs:
- RUS’s Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) - will make loans and grants for broadband infrastructure projects in rural areas.
- NTIA’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) - will provide grants to fund broadband infrastructure, public computer centers and sustainable broadband adoption projects.
On January 15, 2010, NTIA and USDA's RUS announced the availability of $4.8 billion in Recovery Act funding to bring broadband to more Americans. This represents the second and final round of the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) and the Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP). NTIA and RUS have released separate Notices of Funding Availability (NOFAs), which can be found here: RUS Round 2 NOFA; NTIA Round 2 NOFA; BTOP Fact Sheet. Application will be accepted from February 16 - March 16, 2010. The agencies expect to announce all awards by September 30, 2010.
NTIA and RUS are currently hosting a series of 10 technical assistance workshops to help prospective broadband stimulus applicants better understand the mission, scope, process, and requirements for applying to BTOP and BIP under Round Two. On Friday, Jan. 29th, NTIA and RUS will host a workshop in Denver, CO, starting at 11:00 a.m. EST that will be web cast LIVE at http://www.broadbandusa.gov/workshop_cast_denver.htm
The opening session will feature RUS Administrator Jonathan Adelstein, NTIA Administrator Larry Strickling and Colorado Congresswoman Betsy Markey. Afterwards, the webcast will follow the BTOP breakout session. (On Tue., Jan. 26th the BIP breakout session was webcast. All webcasts will be archived on broadbandusa.gov in the coming days.)
Additional workshops will be held over the next several weeks at the following locations: February 1, San Antonio, TX; February 2, Eureka, MO; February 4, Sioux Falls, SD; February 5, Detroit, MI; February 9, Blacksburg, VA; February 11, Fayetteville, NC; and February 12, Atlanta, GA.
For more information, visit www.broadbandusa.gov
