This Missouri Broadband Grant Program Will Make Entrepreneurship Easier
Access to broadband internet is sparse in more rural areas. Just how much? There are 20% of Missourians that do not have internet. While entrepreneurs are building products that double as signal generating tech (hey, Libby and Calving Tech) and creating incubators that serve as hubs for access to broadband for community members (here’s looking at you Square 1), it continues to be an issue for the community.
One could imagine how difficult limited internet access would be for daily life, but what about the entrepreneurs? Farmers need internet to run their machines. Microenterprises need to have access to their websites, social media, etc. And overall, it puts any entrepreneur anywhere on a level playing field to have their business in a worldwide game.
To solve this issue, Governor Parson and the Departments of Economic Development and Agriculture announced the launch of the state’s broadband grant program, which will award $5 million to bring high speed internet to Missourians across the state on Nov. 5.
“It’s a huge problem that nearly 20% of Missourians lack access to high speed internet,” Governor Mike Parson said. “That’s the kind of problem that if you work toward solving it, it’s going to help with other problems, like retaining good talent or offering better health care and education for our communities. Broadband is exactly the kind of infrastructure that Missouri needs to grow and thrive in the future.”
Created by the Missouri General Assembly in 2018 and funded during the 2019 legislative session, the grant program matches up to 50% of the construction costs to expand broadband to unserved and underserved areas of the state. So who can apply and when?
The guidelines have been posted here, but just a heads up: if you have a business that is a corporation or LLC, are a nonprofit or other state recognized entities you can apply. Applications start on Dec. 5 and go all the way until January 7, 2020.
This is a huge win for Missouri entrepreneurship!
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