Broadband Innovation Grant for Communities Announced
BDCC’s Southern Vermont Economy Project convened three events over the last three years to help the region’s communities seeking connectivity options, and to deepen understanding among officials, providers and policymakers about the assistance needed to achieve broadband goals. Pictured above, town officials along with Representative Laura Sibilia, BDCC’s Director of Strategies, at the 2018 Connectivity Summit.
August 6, 2019. The first of three rounds of funding for Broadband have been announced by Governor Phil Scott and the Public Service Department. The Broadband Innovation Grant program provides funding for studies and business plans that seek to provide innovative broadband solutions for underserved locations throughout Vermont. Funds can help communities conduct feasibility studies and create business plans to deploy broadband in rural, unserved and underserved areas.
The new Vermont Broadband grant program was made possible by H.513, An act relating to broadband deployment throughout Vermont which was signed by Governor Phil Scott at a public ceremony in Dover earlier this summer. Representative Laura Sibilia, BDCC’s Director of Strategies, was an author and sponsor of the bill. “While we know it’s not a cure-all to economic challenges, we can all agree reliable broadband is important for economic growth, education, public safety and overall access to information, services and people around the world,” said Governor Scott. “I want to thank the House Energy & Technology and the Senate Finance Committees for their work on this legislation, as well as my team at the Department of Public Service and the Agency of Commerce and Community Development. It was a bill with genuine consensus in Montpelier, which is far too rare.”
The grant application can be found at the Vermont Public Service Department web site or directly at
For additional background see Vermont Business Magazine August 6 coverage and the original Governor’s press release for act H513
