Pritzer annouces first round of matching grants for broadband expansion
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzer announced that the state is releasing $50 million in funding for the first round of matching grants of Connect Illinois, the state’s $420 million statewide broadband expansion.
“We’re beginning to deliver on an ambitious four-year plan to deliver broadband to homes, businesses and community institutions like hospitals and libraries in every corner of the state,” Pritzker said. “I want to be clear: This isn’t about a person’s ability to check Facebook. This is about a small business owner having the tools she needs to reach new customers. This is about an elderly couple’s ability to get access to medical experts anywhere in the nation even if they live in a rural community. This is about giving children the ability to research their homework assignments online. In short, this is about the right of all our communities to access health care, education and economic opportunity.”
Connect Illinois includes a capital investment from Rebuild Illinois, the creation of a Broadband Advisory Council and Broadband Office, and a new program that will provide all Illinois public K-12 students access to high-speed broadband at no charge.
The initiative also includes a $400 million broadband grant program and a $20 million capital program for the Illinois Century Network, a high-speed broadband network serving K-12 and higher education institutions, among others.
Connect Illinois is centered around three main outcomes: education, telehealth and economic development.
Telehealth: Increase access to telehealth across the state of Illinois, which will provide additional health care options to communities in rural Illinois and expand treatment opportunities in areas such as mental health and opioid addiction.
Education: Put the state on a path to increased broadband access for K-12 schools throughout Illinois to ensure students have the tools they need to succeed in the classroom.
Economic Development: Expand economic development and opportunity in urban and rural communities throughout Illinois. This investment will support the growth of Illinois’ agriculture economy and information technology sector and will help to modernize transportation and support the development of entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Applicants are anticipated to include internet service providers, rural cooperatives, nonprofits and local governments. Grant responses for the initial $50 million round of funding can be submitted through Friday, April 3, 2020. Up to $5 million per project will be available during the first round, and subsequent rounds will follow over the course of the next several years.
“Broadband grants will help extend quality, high-speed service to hard-to-reach areas of the state,” said Josh Shallenberger, CEO of the Shelby Electric Cooperative. “Like rural electrification a century before, Connect Illinois will drive progress throughout meaningful partnership.”
“I am honored to represent rural and downstate Illinois as a member of the Broadband Advisory Council. Funding for new and improved infrastructure will give more residents access to high-speed Internet, provide better e-learning opportunities for schools, and boost telehealth programs in areas that do not have easy access to specialized medical facilities and doctors,” said Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy). “We are providing resources to give our communities, our farmers and our local businesses access to the technology they need to compete in today’s economy.”
“Using the Broadband Council’s comprehensive plans presented today, Illinois begins to bridge the digital divide that separates city from country to strengthen Illinois through more expansive broadband Internet access statewide,” said Rep. John Connor (D- Romeoville).
