As regular readers will know Minnesota is getting $651 million in BEAD funding from the federal government to get broadband to everyone in the state. It’s a regimented and slower-than-we’d-like process for Minnesota to get that money. Part of the process is the opportunity for folks in Minnesota to challenge the map. The challenges will be used to help determine areas of specific need. (It won’t increase the $651M but will determine how much each county/town/region gets.)

The Office of Broadband Development has hired a vendor (Sanborn Geospatial) that will create a portal to facilitate (maybe manage?) the challenge process, but we don’t know a lot about the tool yet. The challenge process won’t start until the NTIA approves the Initial proposals, but it is helpful to prepare. It seems like one way we can prepare is to look at the two states that have unveiled their tools and/or processes – Illinois and Washington. As a reminder, individuals cannot submit challenges. Nonprofits, local governments and broadband providers can submit challenges.

Yesterday I attended a webinar hosted by Illinois Extension that showcased the Illinois portal. I think a key detail is the partnership with Illinois Extension. They have the expertise and capacity to support a challenge process. They have a Challenge Process User Guide that outlines aspects of the process and I won’t get into the details but at a high level I noticed a few things. First there are three types/ways to submit a challenge: bulk challenges, challenge via form and challenge via map. Individuals are welcome to submit challenges even if their local government isn’t. That challenge will be matched to an appropriate nonprofit or Illinois Extension will work with it. Sounds like challenging organizations will have access to the interactive and updated maps.

I also took some time to check out the Washington State portal by watching their Feb 1, 2024 webinar. (Minnesota will be working with the same vendor for their portal.) At that time, they were looking for a way to submit challenges from individuals but didn’t have a specific plan but it sounds like they will be tracking potential challengers is a way that seems to make it possible to match make. They did have a checklist of things potential challengers could do to prepare. First, was get a free NTIA license from CostQuest. (Get more info on that process.) The webinar goes on to list specific needs subgrantees (grant applicants) could line up now to prepare to apply for funding. Minnesota may do things differently. Minnesota has the advantage of years of grant management but Minnesota is using the same vendor and much of the process is likely mandated by federal requirements – so this may be helpful. (Starts about 30 minutes into the video.)

It does sound like the Washinton map doesn’t allow bulk challenges by uploading data – but only by indicating an area on a map.

It feels like these states are just a few pages ahead of Minnesota in this process. It also feels like the process is not linear so being pages ahead doesn’t mean these states are “winning” but just that checking out what they are doing could be useful.