Missouri launches inaugural broadband grant program

The Missouri Departments of Economic Development and Agriculture launched of the state’s broadband grant program, which will award $5 million to bring high-speed internet to Missourians across the state. Created by the Missouri General Assembly in 2018 and funded during the 2019 legislative session, the grant program matches up to 50 percent of the construction costs to expand broadband to unserved and underserved areas of the state. Guidelines and scoring criteria are now posted. The grant application period will be open on December 5, 2019. Once the grant period begins on December 5, applications may be submitted through January 7, 2020. Projects will be selected based on the need for servicing unserved areas of the state, meeting or exceeding the state’s minimum definition of high-speed internet, the applicant’s share of total project costs, economic and community benefit, and adoption strategies.