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Capitol Notebook: Iowa awards $150M in federal funds for broadband infrastructure
Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau
Oct. 30, 2023 6:38 pm
The Iowa Department of Management announced Monday it had awarded close to $150 million to 39 internet providers to build out broadband in underserved areas.
The money comes from the 2021 American Rescue Plan approved by Congress. The grants, ranging between $200,000 and $20 million, will cover up to 80 percent of the cost of the projects.
The funded projects cover 47 counties and will be targeted to certain "Broadband Intervention Zones" that were designated by the department this year as areas with the most need for broadband infrastructure.
A full description of funded projects can be found on the Iowa Department of Management website. Projects in Eastern Iowa include:
- Kalona Cooperative Telephone Co. (Henry County): $3,120,782
- Cedar Communications (Tipton): $3,256,229
- East Buchanan Telephone Cooperative (Independence): $223,652
- East Buchanan Telephone Cooperative (Walker-Rowley rural): $937,655
- East Buchanan Telephone Cooperative (Buchanan-Delaware county line): $309,013
- Mediapolis Telephone Company: $17,280,882
- West Liberty Telephone Company: $1,990,455
- The Wyoming Mutual Telephone Company: $5,925,738
- Sharon Telephone Company (rural Johnson County): $1,842,400
- Wellman Cooperative Telephone Association (Williamsburg): $2,698,551
Applications open for Destination Iowa funding
Iowa communities can apply for another round of funding for tourism projects through Destination Iowa.
Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Monday that the Iowa Economic Development Authority had made available $6.5 million in new state-funded grants for the tourism initiative.
The program, originally funded by federal money, has devoted a total of $115 million to projects since 2022. State lawmakers budgeted $6.5 million in state funds to the program this year.
"Support from the state will open this opportunity for even more communities to boost tourism and quality of life while raising the profile of our state," Reynolds said in a statement.
The funds will be awarded to city, county and nonprofit projects that invest in vertical infrastructure like land acquisition or construction, according to the program's website.
The minimum project cost is $5 million in urban areas and $1.5 million in rural areas, the agency said. The grants will fund up to 25 percent of eligible project costs, and applicants must have 65 percent of financing secured when they apply.
Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau
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