ROBIN Grant

ROBIN is a high-speed internet last mile and middle mile infrastructure competitive grant program with $238M in project funds from the US Treasury as part of the Coronavirus Capital Projects Fund. ROBIN provides funds to internet service providers and public-private partnerships for the expansion of broadband infrastructure to unserved areas.

After reviewing and scoring each application, 24 projects from 11 applicants have moved forward as ROBIN Initial Grant Recommendations (IGRs). The IGRs include:

$575.3M

in total project investment

$265.3M

in grant funding requested*

$310.0M

in private matching funds

Collectively, IGR’s proposed a minimum of 100/100 Mbps service to:

98,808

homes

7,085

businesses

211

community anchor institutions

IGRs will be subject to a 45-day comment and objection period where objections can be made to ensure grant funds do not overlap existing or planned service areas or areas funded by other state or federal programs. Final grant awards are anticipated to be made in August 2023.

*IGRs include more funding than is available in the program in the event that projects, in whole or in part, are removed from the IGRs based on validated objections.

The application window for the ROBIN program has closed.

The primary ROBIN contact is Jason Guthaus, Infrastructure Program Manager with the Michigan High-Speed Internet Office. Jason can be contacted at guthausj@michigan.gov.

ROBIN Initial Grant Award Recommendations

As a requirement of Public Act 53 of 2022 – Section 359, the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) shall make initial grant award recommendations. Within 10 days after the award recommendations have been made, LEO shall publish on its website the freedom of information act redacted grant applications, the proposed geographic broadband service area, and the proposed broadband service speeds for each application that receives an award recommendation. Before granting a final award to any applicant, LEO shall establish a period of at least 45 days from the date the award recommendations are published on the department’s website, during which time the department will accept comments or objections concerning each application. LEO shall consider all comments or objections received in deciding whether an applicant is eligible for a grant. LEO will be accepting comments and objections to the initial grant award recommendations through August 4, 2023. View the project application by clicking on the project name.

APPLICANT	PROJECT NAME	COUNTY(IES)	TOTAL LOCATIONS	SPEED MINIMUM	SPEED MAXIMUM
123Net	Allegan Countywide	Allegan	11,692	100/100 Mbps	6/6 Gbps
AT&T Michigan	Metro Detroit	Macomb, Oakland, Wayne	3,304	100/100 Mbps	5/5 Gbps
Brightspeed	Brightspeed_Tuscola	Tuscola	281	100/100 Mbps	1/1 Gbps
Cherry Capital Connection, LLC	Benzie County	Benzie	4,241	100/100 Mbps	1/1 Gbps
Frontier North Inc.	Branch County	Branch	4,701	100/100 Mbps	5/5 Gbps
Great Lakes Energy	Kalkaska District	Antrim, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Otsego	3,663	100/100 Mbps	1/1 Gbps
Great Lakes Energy	Scottville District	Lake, Manistee, Mason, Oceana	3,465	100/100 Mbps	1/1 Gbps
Great Lakes Energy	Waters District	Crawford, Montmorency, Otsego	2,656	100/100 Mbps	1/1 Gbps
LakeNet LLC	Midland-Saginaw	Bay, Gratiot, Midland, Saginaw	1,458	100/100 Mbps	1/1 Gbps
Midwest Energy & Communications	MEC-VBCS	Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph, Van Buren	17,419	100/100 Mbps	1/1 Gbps
Point Broadband Fiber Holding, LLC	Quad County	Alcona, Arenac, Bay, Gladwin, Iosco, Ogemaw, Oscoda	6,656	100/100 Mbps	1/1 Gbps
Point Broadband Fiber Holding, LLC	Kent-Ionia	Barry, Ionia, Kent	2,658	100/100 Mbps	1/1 Gbps
Point Broadband Fiber Holding, LLC	Clare-Gladwin	Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Isabella, Mecosta, Midland	9,179	100/100 Mbps	1/1 Gbps
Point Broadband Fiber Holding, LLC	Leelanau County	Benzie, Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Manistee, Wexford	2,541	100/100 Mbps	1/1 Gbps
Spectrum	Charter_CheboyganCo	Cheboygan	3,008	100/100 Mbps	1/1 Gbps
Spectrum	Charter_MontcalmCo	Montcalm	5,869	100/100 Mbps	1/1 Gbps
Spectrum	Charter_LakeCo	Lake	5,795	100/100 Mbps	1/1 Gbps
Spectrum	Charter_Kent1Co	Kent	1,373	100/100 Mbps	1/1 Gbps
Spectrum	Charter_NewaygoCo	Newaygo	5,445	100/100 Mbps	1/1 Gbps
Spectrum	Charter_MissaukeeCo	Missaukee	1,263	100/100 Mbps	1/1 Gbps
Spectrum	Charter_ManisteeCo	Manistee	4,309	100/100 Mbps	/1 Gbps
Spectrum	Charter_KalamazooCo	Kalamazoo	1,105	100/100 Mbps	1/1 Gbps
Surf Internet	Surf - Livingston	Ingham, Livingston	3,963	100/100 Mbps	1/1 Gbps
	TOTAL		106,044

Geographic Service Area Map of Proposed Projects

Areas shown on the map identify the locations to be connected by the projects included in the initial grant recommendations.

View the locations on the interactive map

List of Addresses for Proposed Projects

View Address List

Comment And Objection to the Initial ROBIN Grant Award Recommendations

LEO will be accepting comments and objections to the initial ROBIN grant recommendations through August 4, 2023. Please read the Comment and Objection Instructions prior to submitting the Comment and Objection Form to file a comment or objection regarding the initial grant recommendations.

All comments and objection forms must be submitted via email to guthausj@michigan.gov and must be received by LEO no later than 4:00PM EST on Friday, August 4, 2023. Any materials submitted to LEO as part of a comment or objection are subject to public disclosure via Freedom of Information Act requests.

ROBIN Objection and Comment Instructions

ROBIN Objection and Comment Form (rev. 7/27)

ROBIN Objection and Comment FAQ

ROBIN Objection and Comment Webinar