NTIA, RUS release "BroadbandMatch" to Help Prospective Broadband Applicants

The Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the USDA's Rural Utilities Service (RUS) today announced the launch of BroadbandMatch, a new online tool to facilitate partnerships among prospective applicants to the agencies' broadband grant and loan programs. The programs, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, are intended to expand broadband access and adoption in America, helping to bridge the digital divide, create jobs, and stimulate long-term economic growth. BroadbandMatch allows potential applicants to find partners for broadband projects, helping them to combine expertise and create stronger proposals. For example, a broadband infrastructure provider might partner with community institutions, like universities, hospitals, or libraries, on a proposal to bring high-speed Internet service to their facilities. Any company, nonprofit, state or local government or expert individual interested in applying for funding under NTIA's Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) or RUS's Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) can post a profile, including key information about the contribution they can make to a broadband project, as well as search for other stakeholders whose skills and resources match their needs.