Kansas Governor Laura Kelly’s office announced Friday several new grants focused on improving rural broadband including several southeastern Kansas counties.
KRPS’s Fred Fletcher-Fierro has more.
Governor Kelly announced Friday (7/19) that $10 million has been awarded to 12 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the latest round of Broadband Acceleration Grants. The awards will be paired with an additional $12.7 million in matching funds, resulting in an investment of nearly $22.7 million for high-speed broadband access projects across 14 rural Kansas counties.
In southeast Kansas, KwiKom received $950,000 to complete work in Allen and Coffey County. Initiated in 2020, the Broadband Acceleration Grant is a 10-year, $85 million program designed to bring essential internet access to Kansas communities.
In a press release, Kansas Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said, “Expanding opportunities for remote work, education, and fuller participation in the digital economy makes broadband infrastructure projects in alignment with our goal to make Kansas the best state to live, work, and raise a family.” unquote.
According to the FCC, 22.3 percent of Americans in rural areas and 27.7 percent of Americans in Tribal lands lack coverage from fixed broadband, as compared to only 1.5 percent of Americans in urban areas.
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