The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Capital Project Fund (CPF) has approved $162.5 million in funding for Ohio. The funding is comprised of $77.5 million for a broadband infrastructure program and $85 million for multi-purpose community facilities.
The programs represent 61% of Ohio’s allotment in CPF funding.
The broadband infrastructure program that will get funding is the Ohio Residential Broadband Expansion Grant Program (ORBEG). This is a competitive broadband grant program to fund last-mile broadband infrastructure in rural areas that currently lack adequate high speed Internet.
About 15,000 homes and businesses will be served as a result of the funding. That’s about 4.5% of locations in the state that still lack broadband.
The key contact in the state is the Ohio Department of Development.
The other element of funding will be in the Appalachian Community Innovation Campuses Program. It is a competitive grant program providing eligible entities in the Appalachian region with grants to construct multipurpose facilities. These facilities are designed to increase access to education, community health services and workforce development opportunities.
Campuses will provide public education at six grade levels, health services in partnership with a healthcare provider and a return-to-work site with Internet access, the Department of the Treasury says.
The federal Capital Projects Fund has a total budget of $10 billion. More information about the fund can be found here.
The Treasury Department says that almost $8 billion for broadband and digital technology and multi-purpose community center projects has been awarded to projects in 47 states. More than 2 million locations will be reached by the funding that so far has been awarded.
For more information about Ohio broadband, including funding programs and news coverage, visit Telecompetitor’s Broadband Nation page for Ohio.
