NTIA Broadband Infrastructure Program

Applicants eligible for grants awarded include:
Providers of fixed broadband service, including the following types of organizations, may be in a covered partnership with the State:

• Corporations, partnerships or limited liability companies registered in this state;
• Nonprofit organizations registered in this state that own and/or operate broadband networks;
• Political subdivisions of this state that own and/or operate broadband networks; and
• Rural electric cooperatives organized under chapter 394 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri and their broadband affiliates.

Eligible Service Area:
A census block(s) in which broadband service is not available at one or more households or businesses in the census block, as determined by the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information on the basis of: (i) the maps created under section 802(c)(1) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 642(c)(1)); or (ii) if the maps described  in subparagraph (i) are not available, the most recent information available to the Assistant Secretary, including information provided by the Commission.

Eligible Expenses:
Below are examples of use of the grant funds and matching funds:

• Costs of construction, improvement, and/or acquisition of facilities and telecommunications equipment required to provide qualifying broadband service,  including infrastructure for backhaul, middle and last mile networks;
• Cost of long-term leases (for terms greater than one year) of facilities required to provide qualifying broadband service, including indefeasible right-of- use (IRU) agreements;
• Costs of engineering design, permitting and work related to  environmental, historical and cultural reviews;
• Reasonable pre-application expenses.