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Update from Sherburne County: Fiber, wireless, community broadband advocacy and more

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Thanks to Sherband for sharing the update on what’s going on with broadband through the Blandin Broadband Communities project in Sherburne County. The projects include:

  • Sherburne County History Center – installed fiber and provides public WiFi
  • Becker Athletic Complex – provides public WiFi and streams events
  • Lake Side Park in Big Lake – provides public WiFi
  • Rivers Edge Park in Elk River – provides public WiFi and improve public safety with cameras
  • Elk River School District – extended hours for computer lab
  • Spectrum High School – Chromebooks and curriculum
  • Elk River to Zimmerman Fiber – installed fiber and provides remote training
  • Sherband Community Outreach – Educate, Partner & Advocate for better broadband

Matrix of 2015-2016 Blandin Broadband Community Projects

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I’m pleased to share a list of Blandin Broadband Community Projects. It’s fun to see what’s going on in Minnesota. It’s fun to get some good ideas for your community. The best way to view the list is probably the PDF – but I’m going to try to cut and paste the information as well, knowing that the transfer to the website is not always pretty – because it is searchable and that’s worth something too!

Community Project Owner Project Name Project Description
Carlton County Carlton County Carlton County Robust Network Feasibility Study Project support to conduct a feasibility study to understand options for improving broadband infrastructure and services within the county
Carlton County City of Moose Lake Connect Moose Lake Project support to expand the Moose Lake Community Digital Messaging System to other community entities enabling them to broadcast messages on the public
Carlton County Cloquet Public Library “Appy Life“ Library iPad Training project Project support to provide mobile technology, Wi-Fi access and training to staff, county residents and visitors of the three Carlton County libraries
Carlton County ISD 94 (Cloquet) iPads for Lifelong Learning Project support for technology training and resources for enrichment activities and parenting skills to pre-K students and families
Carlton County Moose Lake Community Schools Rural Education Community Utilization Expansion Project support to provide mobile devices to two rural school districts to increase educational attainment and to provide technology training through community education
Carlton County Moose Lake Community Schools School Bus Wi-Fi Hot Spots Capital support to equip school activity busses with Wi-Fi to provide access for students to be able to work on homework assignments when travelling long distances
Central Woodlands Aitkin County Web Diagnostics for Small Businesses Project support to increase the knowledge and use of e-commerce and social media tools for small businesses in Aitkin County
Central Woodlands Aitkin County Central Woodlands Web Diagnostics for Small Businesses Project support to provide technical assistance to businesses to market their products through online presence and social media
Central Woodlands Audubon Center of the North Woods Online Public Access to Energy Data Project support to connect various alternative energy facilities into a unified network for data collection and analysis for integration into curriculum and energy management systems
Central Woodlands Depot Studios Expanding Access and Learning Opportunities Project support to provide computer access with a Wi-Fi hotspot at an artist, craft and entrepreneurial center in Isle
Central Woodlands East Central RDC Broadband Inventory and Assessment Project support to conduct an analysis of the region’s existing broadband assets and services to inform community leaders about potential gaps and opportunities
Central Woodlands East Central RDC Township Broadband Enhancements Project support to work with up to five rural townships to identify and implement broadband solutions providing public access in areas with little to no existing broadband access
Central Woodlands Isle Recreation and Education Center Expanding Technology and Educational Opportunities Project support to provide computer classes and a wi-fi public access site in the Mille Lacs lakes area
Chisago County Chisago County HRA-EDA Community Outreach Project support to mobilize community stakeholders to gather and share information about existing and proposed broadband services and to develop and implement broadband improvement strategies
Chisago County Chisago County HRA-EDA Community Survey and Outreach Project support to conduct a combined community survey and outreach effort to spur interest and action around broadband networks and services
Chisago County Chisago County HRA-EDA Google Mapping Assistant Project support to increase the number of local businesses that have an online presence
Chisago County Chisago County HRA-EDA Old Hwy 61 Grant Project support to inventory, map and showcase businesses and attractions along Old Highway 61 through online web and mobile devices
Chisago County Chisago County HRA-EDA Quality Tech Training for Businesses Project support to design, promote and conduct multiple e-commerce/social media training sessions throughout the county
Chisago County Chisago County HRA-EDA Teleconference Equipment Grant Capital support for two video conference systems to enable distance learning for the county, local residents, businesses and organizations
Chisago County Chisago County HRA-EDA Wi-Fi Hot Spots Capital support to create 8-10 Wi-Fi hot spots across Chisago County for enhanced public access
Chisago County Chisago Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce Chisago Lakes Community Website Project support to create and maintain a multi-community/area web site to serve visitors and residents with information on activities, attractions and community events
Chisago County Chisago Lakes School District 2144 Chisago County Community Mobile Wi-Fi Project support to provide Wi-Fi on school buses to enable more productive use of student time on long bus rides to and from school activities and to provide free Wi-Fi at community events
Martin County ISD 2752 Fairmont Community Education and Recreation Fairmont Area Community Calendar Project support to develop and market a shared community calendar and facilities scheduler
Martin County Martin County App Camp Project support for a technology learning workshop on mobile app creation for students
Martin County Martin County Create Network of Wi-Fi Hotspots Throughout the County Project support to create a network of Wi-Fi hotspots throughout Martin County
Martin County Martin County Robust Network Feasibility Fund Grant Project support for a feasibility study to choose and prioritize programs and initiatives to stimulate development of state-of-the-art broadband networks throughout Martin County
Martin County Martin County Social Media and Online Presence Skill Training for Business Project support to provide businesses in the Martin County area relevant training in social media and online presence
Martin County Martin County Technology Education and Training Project support to provide broadband technology training opportunities for Martin County residents
Martin County Martin County EDA Devices for Martin County Schools Capital support to provide a variety of devices for local school districts allowing them to upgrade their use of technology
Nobles County Independent School District 518 (Worthington area) Community-Wide Reading Through myON Digital Library Project support to implement the use of the myON digital library in the Worthington area for the benefit of preschoolers and their families
Nobles County Independent School District 518 (Worthington area) Digital Inclusion Through Community Ed Project support for online marketing, technology and digital literacy training for area residents
Nobles County Minnesota West Community & Technical College – Worthington Introduction to Digital Literacy Project support to develop a two-credit college course on digital literacy targeted toward high school and college students
Nobles County Nobles County BAC Fiber Access Project support to bring fiber to the Biotechnology Advancement Center (BAC), its teleconferencing room, and the business incubators in the Worthington Industrial Park
Nobles County Nobles County Feasibility Study Project support to conduct a feasibility study to gather information and provide a decision making path for local officials to meet the goal of ubiquitous broadband coverage across Nobles County
Nobles County Nobles County NEON Hot Spots Project support to provide more accessible, reliable and affordable access to internet services for the rural residents of Nobles County
Nobles County Nobles County Integration Collaborative Digital Literacy for Diverse Communities Project support to provide digital literacy training for diverse communities via a train-the-trainer approach (ethnic leaders will learn to teach basic computer skills in their native language)
Nobles County Nobles County Library iPads for Public Use Capital support for mobile devices within two branches of the Nobles County Library for patron usage and check out to community groups and preschools
Red Wing Red Wing Ignite Innovation to Reality Project support to facilitate and host activities that will create and support a culture of innovation within Red Wing
Red Wing Red Wing Ignite Marketing of Red Wing Project support to create opportunity by branding and marketing Red Wing to attract people, talent and investment
Red Wing Red Wing Ignite Marketing Red Wing in 2016 Project support for a unified marketing and branding initiative across all key stakeholder organizations in Red Wing
Red Wing Red Wing Ignite Preparing our Next Generation Project support to engage community youth in technology skills and discover opportunities within Red Wing for employment and entrepreneurship
Red Wing Red Wing Ignite STEAM in our Schools Project support to strengthen Red Wing School District’s STEAM education by facilitating community partnerships with existing Red Wing technology-oriented companies
Red Wing Red Wing Ignite Technology Networks to Build Local Ecosystem Project support to convene business innovation networks and provide resources to fuel innovation in Red Wing
Redwood County Red Rock Central School 3D Printing, Windows 10 & Office 2013 Training Project support to provide technology training to students, residents, and businesses of the Lamberton area of Redwood County
Redwood County Redwood Area Development Corporation Marketing Broadband and Training Opportunities Project support to market and promote the new Technology Training Center and Lunch N Learn technology classes for area residents and businesses while promoting the need for better broadband
Redwood County Redwood Area Hospital Telemedicine / Health Pilot Project support to utilize telemedicine and other services that leverage broadband networks to provide advanced and specialized medical care for the convenience of southwest Minnesota residents
Redwood County Redwood Area School District Adult Education – Lunch & Learn Technology Series Project support to provide a series of computer/internet classes for residents and businesses of Redwood County
Redwood County Redwood Area School District Early Childhood Family Education SMART Boards Capital support to provide current educational technology to preschoolers and their parents to enhance learning and readiness for kindergarten
Redwood County Redwood County GIS to the Public Project support to provide Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to the public via the internet, creating efficiencies for both county staff and the public
Redwood County Redwood County Training Facility for Redwood County Citizens and Employees Project support equip a training lab in the courthouse to provide a venue for technology training for the general public, employers and Redwood County employees
Redwood County Redwood Falls Public Library Computer Upgrades Capital support to update technology for patron usage (so all community members have access to the latest technology)
Resilient Region Brainerd Lakes Area Development Corp Enhanced Marketing of Our Technology Sector Project support to implement the Tech Services marketing plan
Resilient Region Brainerd Lakes Area Development Corp High-Tech Center Research and “Next Steps” Outline Project support to determine the feasibility/strategy to create and sustain a high tech Live/Work Center in the Brainerd Lakes region
Resilient Region Brainerd Lakes Area Development Corp Video Conferencing System Capital support for video conferencing equipment for use by area businesses and organizations in CTC Technology Room at the BLAEDC/Chamber Offices
Resilient Region Essentia Health Foundation Launch Telehealth Development & Implementation Project support to provide tele-health training sessions in Resilient Region Five’s five-county area and on the Leech Lake Reservation as part of the Broadband Program
Resilient Region ISD 181 – Brainerd Public Schools CTC Schools Technology Bundle Project support for technology and mobile devices in the Early Childhood and Family Education programs
Resilient Region MN State Community & Tech College-Wadena “What the Tech?” Technology Expo Project support to host a one-day tech expo event in Wadena that will combine active learning by MNSCU students and displays and seminars for the general public
Resilient Region The Brainerd Baxter Youth Center PCs for People Youth Project Project support to continue to train youth to refurbish computers and distribute them to low-income families in the Brainerd area
RS Fiber City of Gaylord Tech Center Marketing and Planning Project Project support to market the concept of tech centers/maker spaces across the Renville/Sibley Fiber area and determine the feasibility/market demand/next steps in the development process
RS Fiber Gibbon Fairfax Winthrop Schools ISD 2365 Wi-Fi on Buses Project support to outfit school buses with Wi-Fi to enable more productive use of student time on long bus rides to and from school activities, and to provide free Wi-Fi at community events
RS Fiber Joseph R Brown Heritage Society Community Applications Project support to create an e-marketing platform and tourism apps for communities in the Renville/Sibley Fiber Project area
RS Fiber Joseph R Brown Heritage Society Community Wi-Fi Project Capital support to create 26 Wi-Fi hot spots in five communities in Renville and Sibley counties
RS Fiber Sibley County Business and Resident Computer Training Project support to provide computer and online technology training to area residents and businesses
RS Fiber Sibley County Marketing in a Digital World Project support to connect local businesses with high school students to increase the online activity of the businesses while businesses provide real-life training opportunities for students
RS Fiber Sibley County Website and Social Media Development Project support to provide one-on-one consulting assistance to local small businesses as they develop and implement enhanced online presence and social media strategies
Sherburne County Becker Youth Sports Association Becker BAC Internet Access Project Capital support to build fiber and install wireless networking equipment to provide visitors with broadband access
Sherburne County City of Big Lake Lakeside Park Wi-Fi Project support to install Wi-Fi access points at the Big Lake City Park to provide public internet access and for community events as part of the Broadband Program for rural MN
Sherburne County City of Elk River Downtown Rivers Edge Commons Park Public Wi-Fi Project Capital support for Wi-Fi access in downtown Elk River
Sherburne County City of Elk River Elk River – Zimmerman Fiber Connection Capital support to extend an existing City of Elk River fiber network from Zimmerman School to Zimmerman City Hall to provide fiber-based broadband to the tenants and users of City Hall campus
Sherburne County Independent School District 728 ISD 728 Expansion of Public Access to Broadband Project support to increase public Internet access by opening the Community Education Center an additional 240 hours on nights and weekends
Sherburne County Sherburne County RNFF Feasibility Grant Project support to complete a broadband feasibility study in Sherburne County that will identify needs, existing services and infrastructure, and partnership and operations options
Sherburne County Sherburne County Sherburne County Broadband Coalition Project support to do research and create a shared marketing program to engage citizens and elected officials around the concept of improving broadband services in Sherburne County
Sherburne County Sherburne County Sherburne History Center Broadband Service Project support to provide public access to computers in the Sherburne County Historical Building and equip a community meeting room with appropriate technology, including a robust Wi-Fi network
Sherburne County Spectrum High School Chromebooks for Spectrum Capital support for classroom technology
Alumni Communities:
Cook County County of Cook Broadband Connections Project support to expand county Wi-Fi access through creating and maintaining public hotspot and video conferencing locations
Cook County County of Cook Co-Working facility Project support to create a co-working center in Grand Marais that will provide space for entrepreneurs and tele-workers to congregate and work using the fiber optic network and center equipment
Fond du Lac Band Fond Du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa “App Camp” Application Creation Workshop Project support for two sessions of a two-week technology learning workshop on mobile app creation for students
Fond du Lac Band Fond Du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Network Extension Capital support for classroom technology to enhance staff professional development and encourage collaboration between school staff, students and community members
Fond du Lac Band Fond Du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Tablets for Community Ed Project support to allocate appropriate devices to reservation community centers to increase technology knowledge and use through training programs, outreach and service delivery
Itasca Area Itasca Economic Development Corporation BBC Alumni Grant Project support to increase the technology sophistication of businesses and organizations through online resources, training and networking as part of the Broadband Program in Itasca County
Kandiyohi County Kandiyohi County & City of Willmar EDC Connecting with Wi-Fi Project support to increase Wi-Fi access in Kandiyohi County by installing access points on busses, a mobile daycare center and at the community center
Kandiyohi County Kandiyohi County & City of Willmar EDC Robust Network Feasibility Study Project support to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of a new Fiber to the Premise network throughout Kandiyohi County
Kandiyohi County Kandiyohi County & City of Willmar EDC Willmar Hackfest Project support to promote and host a hackfest in Willmar
Lac qui Parle Valley School District Lac qui Parle Valley ISD 2853 Pathways to a Knowledgeable Workforce Project support for student career pathways programming
Lake County Community Partners, Two Harbors: Living at Home Block Nurse Program Using Tablets to Help Senior Citizens Access Healthcare Information Donation to provide senior citizens of Lake County with access to online health information through the use of mobile devices and staff assistance
Lake County Lake Superior School District #381 Lake County Telepresence Project support to implement and promote distance learning opportunities in Lake County for students, teachers, and community members
Lake County Lake Superior School District #381 PCs for People Project support to provide refurbished computers to low-income families with school-aged children
Lake County Two Harbors Community Radio Leveraging Broadband to Web Stream Project support to provide live streaming capacity for Two Harbors Community Radio, allowing interested listeners to hear broadcasts beyond the limited reach of the FM signal
Lake County Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center Broadband Upgrade for Education Capital support to provide reliable, high-speed internet access to promote the learning of K-12 students, graduate school students and community members visiting Wolf Ridge
Lake of the Woods County Lake of the Woods School ISD 390 Lake of the Woods School Digital Expansion Project Project support to increase access to technology for students and area residents
Lake of the Woods County Pioneer Youth Center Baudette Youth Broadband Expansion Project support to provide interactive learning experiences for at-risk youth through access to full Wi-Fi to enhance student success
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe LLBO Replicates “The Shop” Project support to create a tribal computer refurbishment program that will provide refurbished computers to Leech Lake Band members while also providing job and skills training
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Leech Lake Temporary Employment Program Project support to continue and expand the Temporary Employment Program-hosted digital literacy program at four locations on the Leech Lake Reservation
Mille Lacs County Mille Lacs County Community Education, Outreach and Demand Survey Project support to conduct educational outreach and “take rate” survey of County residents to develop a business plan for a fiber ring/wireless network for rural Mille Lacs County
Mille Lacs County Mille Lacs County Feasibility Study Part 1: Detailed Fiber to the Tower Wireless Study Project support for a feasibility study of using a wireless broadband system throughout the county as a part of the Broadband Program in rural Minnesota
Mille Lacs County Mille Lacs County Feasibility Study Part 2 Project support to facilitate implementation of a county-wide broadband feasibility study to review existing network services and infrastructure, market demand and technology alternatives for broadband
Mille Lacs County Mille Lacs County Technology Training Project support to provide a series of technology workshops to increase the online presence of businesses via websites and social media
Southwest MN Broadband Services 60/90 Corridor Initiative 60/90 Corridor Initiative Project support to promote collaborative economic development activities through the use of social media and internet-based marketing and sales tools
Stevens County Chokio-Alberta Public Schools Chokio-Alberta Schools Project support to prepare students to work in a technology-based future through exposure to career opportunities and insight/attainment into the necessary skill sets for those jobs
Stevens County Hancock Public Schools Chromebooks for School and Community Project support to provide technology training to students and community members
Stevens County ISD 2769 Morris Area School One to the World Project support to fully integrate technology into classrooms for each learner through internet access and mobile devices
Upper Minnesota Valley Upper Minnesota Valley RDC Public Sector Broadband Feasibility Study Project support for a study to determine the feasibility of constructing a fiber network connecting all public buildings in the Upper Minnesota Valley Region
Upper Minnesota Valley Upper Minnesota Valley RDC Regional Technology Team Project support to create a regional IT professional network to ignite cross-industry collaborations so the region can fully integrate technology in day-to-day efforts and large scale planning efforts
Upper Minnesota Valley Upper MN Valley RDC Rural Connect Project support to create a shared marketing message and implementation strategy for the region in an effort to attract people and investment

 

Blandin Webinar Archive: Broadband Considerations in Site Selection and Data Centers

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An archive of the webinar from earlier today: Broadband Considerations in Site Selection and Data Centers ( February 11, 2016)

Tom Lambrecht of Great River Energy and Gene Goddard of Greater MSP will share what they know about business broadband for businesses seeking sites for location and expansion. GRE and Greater MSP each have data center attraction initiatives and work with a full range of businesses, including manufacturers and tech-centric firms. They will highlight the broadband-specific site selection requirements presented by site selectors and advise on the best ways to gather and present this information to business prospects. They will also touch on the tech-oriented workforce requirements that are included in these site selection RFPs.

Resilient Region gets grants for tech marketing, conference, video conferencing and computers

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According to the Brainerd Dispatch…

Blandin Foundation announced Tuesday it awarded 46 grants totaling $475,461 to help rural Minnesota communities in advancing high-speed Internet access and use.
The “Resilient Region,” which includes Cass, Wadena, Crow Wing, Todd and Morrison Counties, will benefit from four of the grants that will help achieve community-identified technology goals set last winter.

The projects include…

  • Enhanced Marketing of Our Technology Sector: Project support to implement the Tech Services marketing plan.
  • Video Conferencing System in CTC Technology Room at the BLAEDC/Chamber Offices in Brainerd: Capital support for video conferencing equipment for use by area businesses and organizations.
  • “What the Tech?” Technology Expo: Project support to host a one-day tech expo event in Wadena that will combine active learning by MNSCU students and displays and seminars for the general public. (April 8)
  • PCs for People Youth Project: Project support to continue to train youth to refurbish computers and distribute them to low-income families in the Brainerd area.

Blandin Broadband e-News January 2016: State funding and policy heat up

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Broadband News Around MinnesotaMN Map

Support the Minnesota Broadband Vision
Last fall, attendees at the Minnesota Broadband Conference developed a Minnesota Broadband Visionhttp://wp.me/p3if7-3np:

Everyone in Minnesota will be able to use convenient, affordable world-class broadband networks that enable us to survive and thrive in our communities and across the globe.

The Minnesota Broadband Coalition encourages people and organizations to support the effort by endorsing the vision through the Facebook Page. http://wp.me/p3if7-3nV

Minnesota Broadband Task Force
The Task Force finalizes details of their annual report, which should be released soon. They recommend $200 million over  two years for broadband funding (same as last year) and a change to the state broadband speed goals to 25 Mbps down and 3 Mbps up by 2022 and 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload by 2026. http://wp.me/p3if7-3mk

Also Rock County Commissioner Jody Reisch joins the Minnesota Broadband Task Force. http://wp.me/p3if7-3mO

Minnesota Policymakers’ (and Stakeholders’) Views on Broadband

Minnesota:

Federal:

  • Senator Klobuchar supports federal funding and dig once policies for broadband http://wp.me/p3if7-3ni
  • Franken questions Google’s approach to privacy for students http://wp.me/p3if7-3mY Broadband saves household money – $10,500 annually According to the Internet Innovation Alliance broadband enables Americans to save an average of $11,944 per year on household spending. After factoring in the average annual cost of a mobile data plan and a home broadband connection ($1,440), the annual savings still add up to more than $10,500. http://wp.me/p3if7-3mg USDA Broadband Adoption Program Communities interested in using broadband service to help revitalize small-town main streets and promote economic development are encouraged to apply for Cool & Connected. Deadline is Feb 24. http://wp.me/p3if7-3nl

CNS launches first 100Gb Transport Network in Rural MN
CNS installs 100 Gigabit service to a Minnesota Internet Service Provider. CNS’ transport network covers over 1,100 route miles with 24 pops connecting multiple ISPs, wireless towers, data centers and end users (including hundreds of thousands of out-state users) to both Fargo and the 511 building in Minneapolis. http://wp.me/p3if7-3nO

State Broadband Initiatives
We have compiled a list of state broadband initiatives. We encourage readers to check out the list and send updates or corrections to help create an even better list to share in and out of Minnesota. http://wp.me/p3if7-3n6

Local Broadband News

Carlton County
PCs for People distributes computers to low income households in Carlton County http://wp.me/p3if7-3mi

Dakota County
Dakota County posts RFPs for fiber construction. http://wp.me/p3if7-3mU and http://wp.me/p3if7-3m5

Gaylord
Medical school to open in Gaylord in 2018. http://wp.me/p3if7-3nQ

Princeton
In Princeton it’s not uncommon to see cars pulled up when the library is closed and using devices from their car to get online. http://wp.me/p3if7-3n9

Red Wing
Teens learn to develop and market their mobile apps through classes at Red Wing Ignite. http://wp.me/p3if7-3nr

Redwood County
Redwood County is hosting an open house on February 9 (3-6 pm) at the Redwood County Technology Training Lab to celebrate various broadband projects funded by the Blandin Foundation. http://wp.me/p3if7-3nJ

Renville and Sibley Counties
Calix video features RS Fiber, cooperative FTTH in rural MN, in promotional video. http://wp.me/p3if7-3my

Winona
Hmong business owner moves from St Paul to Winona and learns how to incorporate online tools into their marketing through classes at Project FINE. http://wp.me/p3if7-3nx

Upcoming Events

Stirring the Potbill right

Congratulations to the BBC’s, the alumni communities and their stakeholder groups for the recently awarded Blandin Foundation grants. Overall, there’s a great group of projects to be implemented across rural Minnesota. It is amazing what a relatively small grant of $10,000 or less can do in the hands of a dedicated community.

The next Grant deadline is in March. We are available to help you create a competitive application that will have a positive impact your community. Let us know what you’re thinking and we can help guide the process of creating a great project.

If you’re a BBC that has used its entire allocation from Blandin foundation, consider seeking funding from other sources, either internal to your community or from outside. We have seen many successful projects with limited (or no) budget; they are the result of good collaboration and creativity.

Let us know how we can help!

Redwood County Broadband Update: Redwood County Technology Training Lab

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redwood 2Redwood County is hosting an open house on February 9 (3-6 pm) at the Redwood County Technology Training Lab. Part of the event is a celebration of all of the Redwood Connects events that have been happening in the area through funding from the Blandin Foundation. The event is open to everyone and they are going to have cookies – but I share their events for other communities thinking about how to increase broadband adoption and I wanted to share the brochure they developed, which does a nice job updating folks no what’s happening.

1st Round Grants Awarded
• Redwood Connect Technology Training Lab – Located in the basement of the Redwood County courthouse, this lab is available for use by the public as of January 1, 2016. To reserve the training lab, visit: econdev.radc.org (click on Redwood Connect) or call 507-637-1134. (Blandin grant=$9,150 Total project cost=$12,750)
• Redwood Area Community Education Technology Lunch & Learn – Technology classes are offered at a convenient location (Redwood Connect Lab), during a time suitable for businesses and senior citizens, taught by local experts and includes a lunch….all for the low price of $10 per class. Don’t miss the opportunity to participate in one, or multiple classes. (Blandin grant=$3,540 Total project cost=$5,980)
• PC’s for People – Red Rock Central Schools and Redwood Area Early Childhood distributed about 50 computers to income-eligible families through the PC’s for People program.

2nd Round Grants Awarded

• Redwood Falls Public Library – 20 new computers are now available for use at the Redwood Falls Public Library. (Blandin grant=$10,500 Total project cost=$16,000)
• Redwood County GIS – Redwood County is implementing a new Geographical Information System (GIS) which is now open to the public. The program allows users to view land parcels, roads, maps, infrastructure, public accesses and more. (Blandin grant=$12,100 Total project cost=$24,200)
• Redwood Area Early Childhood SMART Board Interactive Flat TV’s – Two out of the three Redwood Area Early Childhood preschool classrooms will be equipped with SMART technology. (Blandin grant=$9,648 Total project cost=$12,648)
• Redwood Area Hospital TeleHealth – The Redwood Area Hospital Telehealth communication project will move forward. Telehealth is used to support long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health and health administration. (Blandin grant=$25,000 Total project cost=$49,430)
• Red Rock Central Schools – Red Rock Central Schools purchased a 3D printer and will be implementing classes and training for 2016. Check the Redwood Connect website for training schedule. (Blandin grant=$6,000 Total project cost=$15,000)
• Redwood Connect Marketing – Technology training lab open house, marketing brochures and advertising and sponsorship for the Social Media Rockstar event, are a few of the ways Redwood Connect spread the word about the work in Redwood County. (Blandin grant=$4,000 Total project cost=$8,000)

Better broadband brightens future for history center in Sherburne County

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Good news for the Sherburne History Center – with funding from the Blandin Foundation, they were able to improve broadband for staff and patrons. According to the Sherburne County Citizen…

Visitors and staff at the Sherburne History Center will now have complete access to high-speed Internet, thanks to a cooperative effort between the county and the Blandin Foundation.

Two weeks ago, a project funded by Blandin and the county was completed, bringing broadband to the center. …

“We had to run a fiberoptic line between the two buildings,” he says. “Then we wired the internal access points and installed the equipment to communicate across those fiber lines for public wi-fi.”

Now the History Center has high speed Internet and wi-fi throughout the building.

The improved broadband will help the history center provide better (and more) services…

That’s good news for staff and visitors who need to do research or use the Internet for meetings.

History Center Director Mike Brubaker says the lack of Internet in the past was a big issue.

“We used to be able to rent out this facility to groups like Xcel Energy. But as the technology advanced, they wanted to start showing programs through Skype and other online sources,” he says.

“Our system was too slow, so they stopped using the History Center. Now we’re going to be able to enhance that and bring more people back into the facility.”

The lack of Internet access has also been a problem for regular programs, like the monthly genealogy program where people search their family history.

“People who were doing ancestral searches would do their research here and then go home or somewhere else to get connectivity,” says Kamman. “Now they can stay here and be more efficient.”

Broadband session at the Minnesota Rural Education Association Conference

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Earlier this month, before the Broadband Conference, Blandin Broadband Communities (BBC) had an opportunity to present at the MREA conference. I wanted to share their notes – very interesting stuff…

Description of the session…

Broadband, or high-speed Internet, is now an essential education tool. Classrooms are wired; wireless is increasingly everywhere on almost every school campus. But learning does not stop at the school door. Today’s learning requires a combination of ubiquitous community connectivity and available devices, plus the creation and use of dynamic curriculum to meet the diverse needs of the community – for pre-k kids to adult life-long learners.

Blandin Foundations partners with rural communities on all things broadband – from improving Internet access across entire rural counties to supporting the effective use of broadband across all community sectors. Schools have played a critical role in the success of many community broadband initiatives across greater Minnesota – by providing community access to high speed Internet, to training students of all ages to make effective use of Internet tools, to connecting community members together through cross-generational mentoring, to video streaming of community events. Enhanced access spurring enhanced skills make rural communities a more vibrant and sustainable place in this tech-centered world.

Learn from leaders who have made a difference in their community broadband initiatives. Learn what role your school district can have in helping your community thrive into the future.

  • Chris Olafson Langenbrunner, Community Education Director, Lake Superior Schools
  • Marc Johnson, Executive Director, ECMECC
  • Renae Tostenson, Superintendent, Lac qui Parle Valley Schools

And materials…

The State of Broadband in Minnesota : 2015 #MNBroadband Conference

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Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Tina Smith, along with DEED’s Office of Broadband Development announce the 2015 Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant awards.

Here are the winnersawaard

  • BEVCOMM $292,315
  • Consolidated Telecom Company (CTC) $759,525
  • Federated Telephone $4,950,000
  • Halstad Telephone Company $424,460
  • Hiawatha Broadband (HBC) $247,000
  • Midcontinent Communications $277,448
  • MVTV $808,080
  • New Ulm Telecom $115,934
  • Otter Tail Telecom (2 projects) $459,639
  • Paul Bunyan $1,980,000
  • Runestone Telecom $189,990
  • West Central Telephone $189,525
  • Winona County $314,450
  • Total $11,008,366

Later I may get a press release or have time to cross reference later – but for now here’s a list of the applicants for more info:

http://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/broadband/grant-program/

Best of the Blandin Broadband Communities: Local Leadership Matters: 2015 #MNBroadband Conference

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Description:

Moderated by Bernadine Joselyn, Director of Public Policy & Engagement, Blandin Foundation
Speakers:
Nancy Hoffman, Executive Director, Chisago County HRA / EDA
Kay Wruke, County Recorder, Martin County
Tom Johnson, County Administrator, Nobles County
Neela Mollgaard, Executive Director, Red Wing Ignite
Amanda Outhoudt, Economic Dev. Director, City of Elk River (Sherburne County)
Dan Weber, Assistant County Administrator, Sherburne County

Sadly there was a technical glitch so I didn’t capture Dana nd SHerburne County but I do have a video they created earlier…

PC4P Youth Project in Brainerd – at risk youth working to refurbish and distribute PCs

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I am pleased to post this story of a Blandin Foundation supported project, PC4P Youth Project. They are an affiliate of PCs for People. They are able to build upon the work of PCs for People yet have customized their project to suit their local needs. It’s fun to hear about their success and the lessons they have learned…

The PC4P Youth Project @ TheShop (PC4P) seeks to help bridge the digital divide within our rural communities, increase broadband use and safety protocols to low income families and individuals, and teach marketable skills to at risk youth in our communities. As one of four regional affiliates our focus is refurbishing donated computers using Microsoft protocols. Each PC is then “sold” to low-income families and individuals. In addition, purchase of a PC4P computer entitles recipients to reduced Internet access through our local Consolidated Telephone Company (CTC) service provider for up to 6 months.

It is difficult for middle class households to understand not having a computer in their homes for personal and professional use. Yet the inability to own a personal home computer reminds us of the gaps in opportunities between those with and those without. 21st century skill development is necessary to navigate worlds in education, tele-health, employment, community connections, etc. The issue of poverty is one motivation for involvement by organizations and individuals.

Internet access remains an issue and will keep our most marginalized citizens attempting to use their prepaid cell phones as their personal computers. This broadband message by local, state and federal entities keeps the PC’s for People Youth Project viable and important. Computers can often be a social catalyst for both youth and the families who receive them.

Lessons Learned:

We believe that low-income families deserve the best equipment we can offer. And youth new to computer refurbishing do well with quality computers as teaching tools. We have learned that we can no longer take a pile of junk and spend time building new computers. This was the working model we took over from the first Brainerd PC’s for People Program. We now have computers on the shelves and can be more discerning between systems we refurbish those most suited to recycle. These systems do not need a long shelf life. They need a home.

One of the selling points for having a home computer remains accessibility to the Internet. We found this was more difficult than originally thought. Consolidated Telephone Company (CTC) was our major collaborator for Internet access offered reduced prices to our PC4P customers. Yet many of our most economically disadvantaged areas are not serviced by CTC or many of our customers did not have the required credit history to be approved for service. This left our desktop systems obsolete for those who needed to visit the library, CLC, school and TheShop to get free WiFi. Because of these barriers we decreased our incentive for reduced Internet and began appealing to the community for usable laptops for those without Internet at home.

As an affiliate of the St Paul Based PC’s for People we follow their protocol and this has helped us to build a base and a starting point. St Paul has a great program and we are not re‐inventing too many wheels in our infancy.

When we agreed to take over the project the area at Central Lakes College in Staples needed to be cleared before we were fully ready to proceed. Having time to run through all steps before gathering youth into the process is a must. Poor people do not need poor quality electronics. I would recommend time be put into gathering an inventory of high quality donations to assist in quick turn around times for youth and for families needing computers.

This project is growing and will become a project that may be replicated by others who work with at risk youth. We have the support of a capacity building VISTA working directly to help us meet our goals of bringing a sustainable project into the community. As we grow we will help more families close the digital divide and teach more youth skills to carry with them. We might eventually even outgrow the space and need to relocate. For now we remain grateful for the goodness we have had with the foundation and the support we have within the community.

Positive mentoring for at risk youth takes many forms. We believe the PC’s for People Youth Project @ TheShop helps youth and our community grow as we begin working together and envision youth not only as assets but as out future as well.

Nobles County BBC Update: training, hot spots, equipment and feasibility study

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Thanks to KarlKarlSamp2 Samp for the update on BBC Community, Nobles County…

We met at the BAC building. The group has met all of their priority projects IDed through Visioning.

  • The Robust Network Feasibility grant addressed about 5 of them, and is progressing nicely with the help of Finley Consulting – Slayton Office which specializes in Fiber projects.
  • Community WiFi – in partnership with MVTV- 9, 5 MB Wireless Hot Spots will be available free throughout the County so that no resident/student has more than 10 minutes to drive to get a free signal. First one is lighting up this week.
  • Digital Literacy Class at MN West – Curriculum is developed and it’s going through the academic approval process. It’s on schedule for Spring Semester Roll-out for juniors and seniors in high school for wo transferrable credits.
  • Community Ed. Classes are on the calendar and underway.
  • NCIC – Computers/devices ordered. Classes in various languages will start in January.

Potential Projects:

  • Wiring BAC community center
  • Library technology upgrade. Clint was in Rock County working on this when he moved to Luverne, and is in touch with other BBC Libraries (Jackson and Redwood) about ideas. He expects to be applying for some mobile devises (probably combo of laptops and pads) in the range of $7-9K. Match available may determine that amount.
  • MyOn – On-Line literacy programs for preschool and elementary age at Worthington Public Schools.
  • They would like to apply for another $1000 for Admin. funds. Due to how far they are from conf./gatherings, they have gone through their funds, and would like to continue to be able to cover travel costs for volunteers.  – OK?

Finally there was discussion about the CAF II build out. CenturyLink is active there, and has some plans for build out, but the maps were not very helpful to the Feasibility Study Group. They have spoken to CenturyLink and are trying to learn more.

Martin County BBC Broadband Project Udpates

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KarlSamp2Thanks to Karl Samp for the update on BBC community Martin County…

Martin County:   Continues to be a star BBC – They met Tuesday to discuss the following…

Three of the four funded projects were there to give reports on status.

  • App. Camp – Big success 10 8th graders from different county school districts created apps/games about public places, things to do and see in Martin County using MIT Inventor software. Lots of local coverage including KEYC TV out of Mankato.  Have enough money left to do a mini App camp with 4th and 5th graders during school year using Scratch software.  Students that partook must perform 5 hours of service – 2 of which was at the County Fair staffing a booth about their/BBC project, Other 3 hours will be assisting with Comm. Ed. Tech Classes (See below).  Hope to get additional funds to continue project reaching more kids in smaller districts in County.
  • Comm. Ed. (CER) technology Classes – 1st offering will start this month- 26th.  Specialty classes scheduled with Senior, group homes, and Chamber.) Also, will have a series (9) of coffee classes around the county – 1 hr. 10-11 a.m.  Oct. – March – Folks preregister and give topics they want to learn about – they are thinking a lot will be for those who are thinking about (or recently have) purchasing mobile devices and how to get the most out of them.  Flyer developed and all will get a flash drive. All locations have table tents promoting the event at their location as well.
  • Unified Community Calendar of Events – in place, being populated, and big marketing campaign starting on availability and for orgs., how to use it. Going well, great response to the idea so far. Will help all orgs. Avoid duplicating dates for events, and provide one place for residents and visitors to find out about events.
  • Community WiFi – Lead was on vacation and no one else had info on where it was at. In addition to public WiFi at sites around county, they will have WiFi on Activities buses and public transit buses.
  • Feasibility Study Grant – Scott and Bryan are developing the RFP, using the templates I got from Bill to share. One thing that is happening there that may affect when they get this out, is that Frontier has designated about $27M of CAF for build out in Martin County serving about 2700 residences/businesses. Jeff. M. from Frontier was on vacation so we didn’t get an update on their status, and not sure how much they will share and  how soon before they start. Also, just since the BBC started, and the providers showed up en masse at the Vision meeting and they have found where fiber is running now, and several businesses that weren’t connected, are now being served.  Sounds like an Infrastructure Sub Committee will be formed to work alongside Scott and Bryan through the process. Jean Burkhart, formerly of NW Area Foundation is a resident and active in the group. Also a former Cty. Comm. so she has been a great addition. She made this suggestion and volunteered. I think she wants BB at her Fox Lake home J.

PCs for People – Scheduled for Oct. 8th, 6-8 p.m. at Elementary School cafeteria in Fairmont. They sent out 250 letters to county social services and only had 4 replies, but they just went out last week. They will work with schools if response is light. Have local repair shop in place. Also, as a repair shop in Welcome that a couple ran but they moved to ND to set up shop there. They are now back, and retired living above storefront. Bridget, from Welcome TV felt they might have a strong interest in doing a local PCs for P affiliate program with students. They will explore.  HS Football team will participate in event and carry out computers to vehicles for folks.

With all of the above funded in early round, they only have about 12 or 13,left if they are being held to Feasibility Grant counting against their $75K. They also have addressed almost all of their priority projects identified in Visioning.

Possible projects so far include the two mentioned above (App Camp expansion and PCs for P affiliate. Also more $ for classes may be sought).

Library may get involved.

Willmar Hack2.o: apps for bikes, fires, encrypted email and zebra mussels

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grouppicOver the weekend I attended the Hack2.o in Willmar. It was hosted by WorkUp (a coworking space in the area), Kandiyohi EDC, Ridgewater College, Minnwest College and the Blandin Foundation. Many of the attendees had a connection to the local college, some were tech-interested residents and a few of us came from out of town – the Twin Cities and Iowa.

While there are similarities, each hack I attend has its own personality – especially in a rural area. The gist remains the same – to gather folks who are interested in developing technology to solution specific problems. Often there’s a civic slant and that was the case in Willmar. People came with ideas on how technology could solve local issues and four teams formed to solve the following:

  • How can I receive, save and store encrypted email in a way that keeps the contents private to the email provider?
  • How can we reduce “false” fire alarms by helping citizens tell fire departments that they are going to build a campfire?
  • How can we better manage and monitor our local, free bike share program?
  • How can we keep lakes clean by helping people identify, report and remove zebra mussels and other invasive species?

I’ll include the PowerPoints and videos from the event below and just share some high level notes. First, the event was really fun. It’s so nice to see a roomful of people who are willing (happy even!) to give up a weekend to work on projects to make their communities better. Technology is inspiring greater civic participation! Some people are passionate about an idea. Some people want to code. Some people want to practice what they are learning. (I used to be the librarian for the National Service-Learning Library so I love that doing to learn aspect.) I think the draw of techies is obvious.

The draw for non-techies is less obvious but in the land of the coders, someone who can manage a project, create a flowchart, write, present or cheerlead becomes pretty valuable. If in your real world you work (or want to work) with tech folks, I think it would be a valuable exercise in how techies collaborate. There is a lot of brainstorming, a lot of talking things through, a lot of charts. This weekend, there weren’t a lot of egos. There was a lot of listening and a lot of mutual learning. If a hack event comes to your town and you’re interested but feel you aren’t that technical – come and see what you have to offer.

On a community level, I think the draw has obvious and less obvious benefits. First, I think all of these projects will continue. So Willmar has four new tools in their arsenal. Second, a handful of us came to town. A larger handful went out, bought drinks, had a good time and would come back. Connections were made. I know I’ll stay in touch with a few – even if only via LinkedIn or Twitter but the human network is there. More importantly the local tech community got a chance to build a rapport. They have learned together and I suspect will continue to do so.

Often when we talk about digital inclusion or digital training we think about the elementary level, such as showing seniors how to use email or an iPad. But it’s important to seed the training at the graduate level too, such as learning to use Python for digital recognition. For a community the investment is having the space, hosting the event, getting people to the door. Willmar has a great space – it was nice to see it get used and I think an event like this draws in more people.

Continue reading →

Redwood County Broadband Project Updates and Plans

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KarlSamp2Thanks to Karl Samp for the update on BBC community Redwood County…

Redwood County– Continues to meet (there have usually been 5 or 6 at most meetings) regularly. They had two projects ($23,400) in the early round so they have quite a few lined up for the next time.

They met on Monday afternoon to talk about the following–

Second Round potential projects as follows:

  • Redwood Area Hospital – they are embarking on a pretty aggressive telemedicine project in partnership with John Goodman that involves lots of partners- long term care, group homes, Asst. Living, home health and the hospital, working primarily with the HCMC Physicians group. Primary areas to include: Cardio Care, Mental Health, and Ortho. They hope to be the regional center for SW MN to access specialty care via telemedicine. They just signed with an evaluation firm to do a pretty extensive evaluation component.  Probably coming in around $15K.
  • GIS online for Redwood County. They’ve been working on this since they first heard about grant opportunities, and have two primary options. I think they are going with the more expensive one up-front, with better quality and expansion capacity, and lower on-going costs. They’ve been in contact with several other county GIS folks, including Big Stone, which was funded during MIRC. Probably around $14-$15K grant request.
  • Laptop Lab for Lamberton Schools- will include Comm. Ed. component. – $3-5K request.
  • Broadband Marketing initiative – to help drive demand for improved infrastructure in the county.  RADC lead – $2-3K request.
  • iPad for Assisted Living – purchase two iPads for use in local Asst. Living facility – probably $1000 request.
  • Public Library – Just got involved in the group which is good – looking to upgrade computers in the library – 16 if they go with desktop units but will explore laptops and possibly some iPads though City IT guy concerned about the mobile devises walking out. Told Terry Smith (Librarian) to check with others who have done this (i.e. Jackson). Looks like $6-10 K depending how they go and what match they can get from City.
  • Tech Fair – One was held on the 17th of this week. Sarah K. had written about possible sponsorship, but not until Aug. Told her to consider applying for up  to $1000 for next year.
  • WiFi project – looks like New Ulm Telephone may be doing most of what they wanted for free so this one may not come in

PCs for People – Still trying to schedule, but looking like early Oct. Lamberton Schools sent letter to F & R Lunch families, and got 30 requests so event will probably be there. Leonard R. from Lamberton checking with other school districts for interest. They are exploring a collection as well, as the County has many in storage.

Early Grant Round status:

  • Training Lab in the County:  Room has been cleared and cleaned. Computer stations in place and waiting for computers and monitors. They are exploring options for projector/Smart Board or TV. They will call SW MN RDC about getting in the Smart TV network funded in the early round through SW MN Broadband application. There initial goal was to be open for business on 12/31. Paul Parsons is hoping for a 12/1 date however.
  • Community Ed. – A series (10-12) of community ed. Lunch and Learn classes will start in January, using the new training lab above.  They are also offering some special offerings specific to populations (seniors, disability, business, etc.)