What does blended finance for broadband look like? Look at Macon County, Alabama.

Connect Humanity is investing in a fiber network in Macon County, Alabama. The Macon County Economic Development Authority (MCEDA) has been working diligently to expand internet access in the county, where 40% of families have lacked access to home internet at broadband speeds. With support from Rural LISC, MCEDA entered into a public private partnership with rural internet provider Point Broadband to build out a fiber network that would deliver quality, affordable broadband to families and businesses across the county. While MCEDA lined up substantial philanthropic and state grants, more funding was needed to make network economics stack up. And so Connect Humanity worked to structure a finance package that fit MCEDA’s constraints, providing additional funding and making the network economics work for Point Broadband to bring its own capital to the mix. The result is a truly blended finance package that combines public subsidies, philanthropic grants, in-kind make-ready construction from a local utility, investment from the service provider, and Connect Humanity’s impact dollars. This investment enables the build of a +$3 million fiber network that will connect nearly 1,400 additional homes, businesses, and community institutions.