A blend of state and federal grant and...
A blend of state and federal grant and loan programs may be the key to spurring broadband deployment in New York state, stakeholders said during a Wednesday webinar. Funding is “at a crossroads” as communities and companies look at ways…
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state and federal grants can complement one another, said New York State Broadband Office Director David Salway. He talked about the 18 Connect New York grant recipients announced earlier this year and the June first-ever broadband summit the state held. In New York state, 1.12 million people -- about 6 percent of the state population -- lack access to at least 6 Mbps down/1.5 Mbps up, he said. New York Rural Development State Office Community Facilities Specialist Gail Giannotta emphasized the Community Facilities loan and grant program, which encompassed 21 grant projects and $7.33 million in 2012, she said. “There’s a lot of things we can fit into our CF program that we can’t fit into others.” The Rural Utilities Service has “really the most attractive rates you can get anywhere,” said RUS Deputy Administrator Jessica Zufolo, describing the many funding opportunities available. In New York state, funding has gone to more than 20 Distance Learning Telemedicine grant projects, six Broadband Initiatives Program grantees, one broadband Farm Bill loan and 16 Telephone Infrastructure Loans, she said.