Illinois Unveils Plan to Supplement Applicants for Federal Broadband Grants

Illinois has unveiled a plan to provide supplemental grants for state projects applying for the first round of federal broadband initiative money. Anyone wishing to grab stimulus funding, however, must hurry. Applications are due August 5. Awardees will be notified of their status on August 11—just in time to submit their applications to the federal government by August 14. The state's Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, which announced the program earlier this year, will have $50 million in state funding for successfully approved broadband projects created under the federal American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. This program shares the same goals as the federal broadband stimulus grants: building out infrastructure, promoting its use, and strengthening existing networks for telemedicine, public health and safety and education.