I’ve been thinking about my favorite line from The Incredibles lately – luck favors the prepared (originally from Louis Pastuer). I’ve been thinking about it in terms of the broadband stimulus funding and in terms of creating vital rural communities. I think most folks reading this will make the connection between broadband and vital – but for a quick tangible reminder, I think Steve Borsch has done a nice job talking about what you can do with broadband and why it’s important for everyone to have access.
Back to being prepared … The NTIA/RUS NOFA favors the prepared. I think most folks knew that it would. The turnaround is quick. The information they request is huge. I think the funding was/is intended to favor un- and underserved communities – but generally those people aren’t prepared. I know there’s a mandate in the NOFA to serve those populations – but in practice I think it’s set up just for that – so that outside entities can serve the community but not so much so that the community can serve itself. (Amalia Deloney sent me a critique on the NOFA that touches upon this while highlighting how the focus on rural areas may have unintended consequences.)
Now for some communities having outside service provider will work well. But for others, it doesn’t. Minnesota’s own Christopher Mitchell, just had a nice article in the Charleston Gazette that highlights the need of communities to be able to serve themselves. The stimulus funding is a perfect fit for those communities – except that I think the strenuous application process will have many selecting not to participate.
My hope is that they will pursue funding either on their own or with partners. Then my follow up hope is that even if they don’t get funding that communities (and other applicants) will use the proposal process to get prepared. It might bring some hard earned good luck!
