Round One - A Call for "Shovel Ready" Projects

On July 1, the federal government released its requirements for the first round of funding, providing little more than a month to assemble "shovel ready" projects for unserved and underserved areas of our state.  This first round is specifically focused on projects that can hit the ground running while meeting all of the eligibility requirements defined in the Recovery Act application.  As anticipated, many broadband providers are already actively assembling applications, as are some public sector organizations.

The State of Michigan is working to coordinate these efforts, bridge cooperation on overlapping projects, disseminate information and provide guidance to broadband providers.  Due to the specificity of the application requirements, the State of Michigan will not be submitting a comprehensive application, however, the Governor will be involved in the formal review of projects to ensure applications align with the state's vision.  That vision is to provide coverage to every corner of the state, transform Michigan's economic competitiveness, provide better government, and strengthen homeland security.

A Seat at the Table

Now is your moment to work collaboratively with providers in identifying the needs of your community and ensuring a strategy is in the works to move your community forward into an era of broadband connectivity. All key stakeholders should come to together for this purpose, including government, education, libraries, health care, public safety, and broadband providers.  If you need assistance with this effort, please send an email to broadband@michigan.gov.