The state of Colorado has awarded $9.5 million to four companies from the state’s Advance Colorado CPF Fund. The funding will cover some of the costs of high-speed broadband deployments in rural areas where service is not currently available.
The funding became available after a challenge process caused some previously funded projects to be reduced in size and associated funding was returned to the program. The new awards also will be subject to a challenge process.
The biggest award in this new announcement was nearly $3.4 million, which will go to the Southern Colorado Economic Development District. Local fiber provider Vero won almost that much—approximately $3.2 million for two projects.
Also winning funding were Colorado Springs Utilities, which will take home over $1.8 million, and local fiber broadband provider Allo Communications, which will take home over $1.1 million.
The funding came from the federal Capital Projects Fund. The state opted to use all $162.2 million it was awarded through that program for the Advance Colorado CPF Fund.
In January, the state awarded $113.5 million through that program.
Competition for funding was fierce, as the state received applications for total funding that was nearly four times what was available.
Additional information about the new awards can be found on the list of funded Advance Colorado projects. The new awardees are indicated in bold.
Additional information about Colorado broadband, including links to state funding resources and state-specific Telecompetitor coverage, can be found on Telecompetitor’s Broadband Nation page for the state.
