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:

The CBO will be hosting two listening sessions for a working group on generating a plan for the Coronavirus Capital Projects Funds (CPF). These sessions are scheduled for:

On Friday Nov. 5, Congress passed the $1 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which includes $65 billion to ensure all Americans have access to reliable, affordable broadband. See the White House Fact Sheet for more information about the IIJA. 

Funding Programs:

Today the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the award of a $10.5 million grant to Delta Montrose Electric Association (DMEA) to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network in rural Colorado. The funded service area includes 2,410 households, 6,877 people, three educational facilities, 89 businesses and 115 farms spread over 126 square miles.

Read the USDA Press Release

The recording is now available for the July 30 Lunch & Learn webinar on Federal funding programs for deployment and adoption.  The webinar featured Teresa Ferguson, Director of Federal Broadband Engagement, discussing the broadband funding programs federal agencies are rapidly launching to expand broadband deployment and adoption, as a result of federal stimulus funding, and how the federal infrastructure bill could impact the future of broadband availability in Colorado.

On May 10, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced the launch of the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, established by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, to provide $350 billion in emergency funding for eligible state, local, territorial and Tribal governments. Funding may be used to make necessary investments that provide unserved or underserved locations with new or expanded broadband access.

The Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations (CRRSA) Act of 2021 includes several provisions that address broadband deployment, digital inclusion, and broadband affordability through direct appropriations to federal agencies. This means the funding will not come directly to the state, so Colorado’s benefit from these nationally competitive programs will depend on applications from qualifying consumers, internet service providers, or local and state agencies.

On December 7, 2020, the FCC announced 180 winning bids in the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund (RDOF) Phase I auction (Auction 904). Almost 99% of the areas available in the RDOF auction received a winning bid and the total amount of funding awarded was $9.2 billion for 49 states.