Colorado concludes LOI submission process for broadband expansion and modernization grants

By

Boram Kim

|

The Colorado Broadband Office (CBO) within the Governor’s Office of Information Technology (OIT) concluded its Letter of Intent (LOI) submission process for Advance Colorado Broadband grants on Tuesday. 

 

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The state’s broadband providers had until July 18th to submit their LOI to apply for grants aimed at statewide broadband internet expansion and modernization. CBO will begin its grant application process next year after reviewing all LOI submissions and award endowments at the conclusion of its review. 

The CBO will prioritize community-driven projects where stakeholders plan to work together to address the state’s broadband needs. CBO said that it is proudly leading Colorado’s expansion efforts to increase the coverage and quality of broadband services across the state.

“The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted our need to be able to work, learn, and access critical services virtually. High-speed internet is critical to advancing Colorado’s technological and economic growth,” said Brandy Reitter, CBO Executive Director. “We want to ensure that all Coloradans have affordable, equitable, and reliable access to high-speed internet. The Advance Colorado Broadband grant program will develop infrastructure to support our residents now and well into the future.”

Advance Colorado Broadband will invest more than $500 million from federal programs to broadband infrastructure projects essential to bridging the digital divide and bringing fast, reliable, and affordable high-speed internet to all Coloradans. 

Funding for Advance Colorado Broadband will come from the Biden Administration’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and Infrastructure Investment Jobs Act (IIJA) program funding: 

A total of $171 million will come from the Capital Projects Fund (CPF) under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and $5 to $100 million will come from the Enabling Middle Mile Program (MM) for middle mile infrastructure improvements. 

Additional funding will come from Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) the Digital Equity Act, expected in 2024.