BEAD Program

We are excited to announce the Broadband Ready Community Program. This program will create an opportunity for communities in Colorado to become “broadband ready” ahead of upcoming historic federal funding disbursement. Through the past year of stakeholder engagement, we have gathered that local communities could greatly benefit from a guided approach to understanding their broadband needs as they begin to plan long-term projects. We have developed a list of tasks (Broadband Ready Community Checklist- see below) that communities can adopt on their way to becoming broadband ready.

On Dec. 8, the Polis administration announced that the National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA) is awarding Colorado over $5 million to prepare for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) funding program. The BEAD program is the country’s largest-ever investment in broadband, and provides funding to build infrastructure and provide equitable opportunities through access to the internet. 

On Sept. 19, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced updates to their Federal Funding webpage which acts as a "one-stop shop" for applicants seeking federal funding. 

On Jan. 21, the CBO held a Broadband Stakeholder Update meeting to provide updates on the Federal Broadband dollars and legislation, as well as the state's efforts to support these funds. 

The recording and slides from this meeting are now available. 

On Dec. 9, the CBO held a Broadband Stakeholder Update meeting to provide updates on the Federal Broadband dollars and legislation, as well as the state's efforts to support these funds.

The recording and slides from this meeting are now available. 

Other items referenced in this session: