State of Illinois Announces Illinois Connected Communities Grants to Assist Communities with Expanding Broadband access and use

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Office of Broadband announced the new Illinois Connected Communities grant program designed to assist local governments, schools, and community organizations with building broadband capacity. The $150,000 grant opportunity will help communities close existing gaps and lay the groundwork for improved broadband access, adoption, and utilization. A product of partnership between the Illinois Office of Broadband and the Evanston-based Benton Institute for Broadband & Society, the Illinois Connected Communities program is designed to engage a first-year cohort of communities through best practice curriculum, expert consultation, and up to $15,000 for initial community planning and capacity building. By collaborating with the Benton Institute and area philanthropy, the State of Illinois will leverage additional funds of at least an equal amount to provide expert consultations and best practices curriculum available to the grantees. 

Grantees will participate in a combination of focused in-person and/or online community-specific, cohort-wide, and regional activities throughout a period up to 12-months in duration. These activities will involve a representative community broadband Steering Committee and build toward creation of a community-driven Broadband Strategic Plan. At any point during the program communities may invest their grant funding toward one or more of the following:

• Connected Community staff time or overhead
• Study, planning, or preparation for broadband access, adoption, or utilization
• Additional broadband-related support, technical assistance, or consultative services

Applications accepted through June 12th