An email update from the Office of Broadband Development…

Broadband Updates from DEED:

• Broadband Funded in 2023 Session
• Line Extension Connection Program Update
• Office of Broadband Development (OBD) is Hiring a GIS Analyst!

Legislature Appropriates $100 Million for Broadband for FY24-25

The Minnesota legislature passed, and on May 18 Governor Walz signed, the Agriculture omnibus bill which appropriates $100 million in state general revenue funds for broadband deployment. The bill includes $50 million in funding to the Border-to-Border and Lower Population Density Programs for both fiscal years 2024 and 2025. Of the $50 million allocated for each fiscal year, $30 million is to be used for the traditional Border-to-Border Broadband Infrastructure grant program and $20 million is for the Lower Population Density Program. Additionally, the cap on a Border-to-Border Infrastructure grant was increased to $10 million per project while the grant being able to fund up to 50% of eligible costs remains. The Lower Population Density Program was created as a pilot in the 2022 legislative session and codified in the 2023 legislative session. It also has a $10 million cap per project, but a grant can fund up to 75% of eligible costs – an incentive necessary to attract applications for those areas of the state with lower population densities or significantly higher costs to deploy. OBD anticipates opening the state funded FY24 grant round late summer/early fall and the FY25 grant round in late winter 2024.

Line Extension Connection Program – Addresses Out for Provider Bid

The Line Extension Connection Program closed out its first six-month registration period and 2300 addresses (residential and businesses) registered in the DEED portal were provided to Broadband Providers to challenge. The remaining addresses are now being made available to Broadband Providers to submit bids for a Line Extension Connection grant to build out service. Bids from Broadband Providers to deliver wired broadband service of at least 100Mbps download and upload will be due no later than July 24, 2023. Bids will then be reviewed, winning bidders selected, and grant contracts executed before construction will begin to those locations included in winning bids. More information is available on our website here: https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/extension/

We’re Hiring a GIS Analyst! Applications due by June 5

The Office of Broadband Development at DEED is hiring a GIS Analyst to support the work of the office in broadband mapping coordination, data collection, data analysis and geospatial data collection. The person hired will contribute to the strategy, planning, design, implementation and maintenance of broadband mapping programs and related data and applications to ensure compliance with state and federal program requirements. The position is State of Minnesota telework eligible.

Here is the link to the posting and application. Please share with anyone you think would be a good candidate: Research Analysis Specialist – GIS Analyst – Job ID 65812 or Apply Here.