PULLMAN, WA — Community specialists with WSU Extension are partnering with the Washington State Broadband Office (WSBO) to enhance capacity by Washington communities, especially those in rural and remote areas, to provide better and more equitable access to reliable, high-speed internet. Funded by the Washington State Department of Commerce, the one-year, $8 million statewide Broadband Action Team (BAT) Implementation and Support project aids county and community efforts with training, planning…
Tag Archives: Broadband
Digital equity focus, successful work with rural and underserved communities, position new director to continue advancing state’s ambitious goal of broadband access for all by 2024. OLYMPIA, WA — Gov. Jay Inslee has appointed Mark Vasconi to serve as director of the Washington State Broadband Office within the Department of Commerce. Vasconi comes to the job with significant public and private sector experience in telecommunications. During more than a decade…
Clallam, Pacific, Spokane and Yakima Counties awarded latest round of $200,000 in CERB planning grants today OLYMPIA, WA – The Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) received $40 million for economic development funding and $25 million for community broadband funding in the 2022 supplemental capital budget. These historic levels of funding arrive as CERB celebrates 40 years and will assist rural communities and Tribes in building their economic futures.…
Over $19.9 million available for projects providing broadband to unserved Washington communities OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington State Public Works Board is accepting applications for broadband infrastructure construction loans now through midnight, April 26, 2022. Cities, towns, counties, public port districts, special purpose districts, quasi-municipal corporations, Tribes, nonprofit organizations, cooperative associations, limited liability corporations organized for the purpose of expanding broadband access, and incorporated businesses or partnerships may apply. Approximately…
The Washington State Broadband Office awarded $145 million in Infrastructure acceleration grants to help provide broadband connections to unserved and underserved communities and Tribal nations. OLYMPIA, WA — The Washington State Broadband Office today announced funding for 13 construction projects that will deliver reliable, high-speed internet access in 14 communities when completed. The $145 million in Broadband Infrastructure Acceleration grants move Washington another step closer to its ambitious goal of…
Grants will serve residents with one-on-one technical support, devices, and subscriptions to facilitate internet use and adoption among targeted populations. OLYMPIA, WA — This week, the Washington State Broadband Office approved $7,387,500 in grants for Digital Navigator services throughout Washington state. Digital Navigator services are essential in helping new internet users get online. These resources will support individuals seeking work, families supporting students, English language learners, Medicaid clients, people experiencing…
Requests exceed available funding by 209% OLYMPIA, Wash. – At their December 3 meeting, the Washington State Public Works Board approved over $44.6 million in conditional grants for 15 broadband construction projects in unserved and underserved communities across the state. The need for broadband construction funding remains high. Applicants requested more than $90 million for 29 different projects, and the board approved qualified projects until all available program funds were exhausted.…
$2 million grant for rural broadband in Whatcom among five projects approved for funding at CERB November meeting. OLYMPIA, WA – The Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) last week approved $2,431,250 in grants and $843,750 in low-interest loans for economic development, public infrastructure, and broadband development. Projects awarded funding are located in Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, King, and Whatcom counties and will spur business growth, job creation and high-speed…
You’re most likely reading this on a device connected to the internet. Consider yourself lucky because 45% of Washington residents either have no internet service in their home or have less than 10 Megabits per second (Mbps) download speed. At that speed, you can check email and browse a few internet sites, but you can’t stream a TV program or movie, participate in a video call, or have a reliable…
OLYMPIA, WA – The Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) yesterday approved $8,272,040 million in grants and $1,975,000 in low-interest loans for planning, economic development and rural broadband infrastructure construction projects. Five rural broadband projects were approved for nearly $8 million in funding from the CERB coronavirus capital projects fund, enabling an estimated 3,362 high-speed internet connections once completed. Projects are located in Grays Harbor, Kitsap, Mason, Skagit and…