7.c 2022 MN Border-to-Border Broadband Grant for 2023 Buildout
Scandia Internet Action Committee 6/16/2022
Broadband Grant Program
The Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program funds the expansion of broadband
service to areas of Minnesota that are unserved or underserved.
Overview
The Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program was created in Minn. Stat.
116J.395 in 2014. The legislative focus of this grant program is to provide financial resources that
help make the business case for new and existing providers to invest in building broadband
infrastructure into unserved and underserved areas of the state. The Border-to-Border Broadband
Grant Program has historically been funded with state general fund revenues. In the 2022 legislative
session, $25 million in general revenue funds have been allocated to the Border-to-Border grant
program for FY23. Additionally, in the 2021 Special Session, the legislature directed that for FY22 and
FY23, the grant program would be funded at $70 million and with federal American Rescue Plan Act
(ARPA) Sec. 604 Capital Projects Funds (CPF). ARPA is being administered by the U.S. Department of
Treasury (Treasury), with Treasury reviewing the proposed use of funds for alignment with the
objectives and requirements of the Capital Projects Fund.
With the $25 million in state general revenue funding and the $70 million in Capital Projects Funds,
DEED opened the application window for the FY2022/23 grant round on June 2, 2022. A maximum of
$95 million will be available for grants this round. Applications are due by 4:00 p.m. on August 4,
2022.
OBD intends to follow state law guidelines for the Border-to-Border Broadband Grant Program,
while building in any measures necessary to comply with federal requirements associated with use
of the Capital Projects Fund for the FY2022/23 grant round. Grants awarded will either be entirely
funded with state general revenue funds or ARPA Capital Projects Funds for ease of implementation
and compliance.
The 2022 Application Process tab below provides additional detail on the current grant round. The
remaining two tabs provide information on the grants awarded during the first six years the
program was offered (2014-2017, 2019-2020).
Please continue to visit this page of the Office of Broadband Development website to stay up to date
on the Border-to-Border Broadband Infrastructure grant program.
Broadband Grant Program / Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
(mn.gov)