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State awards nearly $100 million in grants to Iowa broadband providers

September 15, 2021

The state of Iowa has announced the recipients of the State of Iowa Broadband Grants Program. 39 applicants have been awarded a total of $97,500,000 for broadband infrastructure as part of the latest Empower Rural Iowa Broadband Grant Program.

The awards ranged from as little as $28,000 for Perry Rural Broadband Expansion all the way up to $15 million for a Western Iowa Networks FTTP Construction Project.

“Expanding broadband across our state continues to be a top priority,” said Gov. Reynolds in a statement. “It is clear by the sheer volume and scope of applications that the need is there. Today’s award announcement will go a long way toward meeting that need, and we won’t stop here.”

OCIO received 178 applications from broadband providers for the Grant Program with requests nearing $300 million. 

Due to the overwhelming amount of interest and success of this program, the state of Iowa said it plans to expedite a new grant opportunity utilizing ARPA federal funds to build upon the $100 million in state funding for this grant program. Details on this new grant opportunity will be released in the near future. 

Below are the 39 broadband providers that received funding. A list of all of the applications received can be found here.

APPLICANT NAMEAPPLICATION
(CLICK TO DOWNLOAD)		FUNDS AWARDED
Premier Communications, Inc.PC (Rural)$7,405,174.31
South Slope Cooperative Telephone CompanyRural Tiffin FTTP Project$1,037,881.73
IAMO Communications, Inc.IAMO Connecting Rural Iowa Project$2,942,174.56
Minburn Telephone CompanyDallas Center South Broadband Expansion$793,410.60
Minburn Telephone CompanyDallas Center North/Adel North Broadband Expansion$28,755.64
Minburn Telephone CompanyPerry Rural Broadband Expansion$23,625.10
NEIT Services, LLCRural Postville 1 Gbps And Beyond Fiber-to-the-Home Expansion (Primary)$2,167,004.19
Cedar Falls Utilities2021 CFU Fiber Grant Application$2,338,336.60
Farmers and Merchants Mutual Telephone CompanyFarmers and Merchants (FarmTel) Pekin NW Jefferson Project$716,011.81
Central Scott Telephone CompanyNorth Scott Rural Broadband Expansion$4,280,286.19
Farmers Mutual Cooperative Telephone CompanyAspinwall Rural Area Cares #6 July 2021$609,539.79
Citizens Mutual Telephone CooperativeRural Davis/Wapello FTTH Expansion$1,610,874.73
FARMERS COOPERATIVE TELEPHONEDysart Rural Fiber Project$2,724,134.40
Manning Municipal UtilitiesManning Rural, Hwy 141 No and So. NOFA 006$2,195,220.67
Danville Mutual Telephone CompanyLowell/New London FTTP Project$1,670,925.00
Stratford Mutual TelephoneCentral Iowa Broadband Expansion 2$3,887,962.58
Ace Telephone AssociationRural Iowa FTTH – Harpers Ferry, Ossian, Clermont, and Ft Atkinson exchanges$12,165,592.49
Lehigh Valley Coop Telephone AssociationRural Fort Dodge Project$251,501.00
Danville Mutual Telephone CompanyLee County FTTP Project$3,549,250.00
Marne & Elk Horn Telephone CompanyPOTT CO/UNDERWOOD RURAL FIBER BUILD- MEH$4,550,861.64
Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone AssociationNorth Central Webster County Project$2,604,458.36
Farmers Mutual Cooperative Telephone CompanyHWY 59 & 141 Intersection Cares #6 July 2021$50,601.00
Casey Mutual Telephone CoCasey Mutual Rural Fiber Project$2,648,200.05
Alpine Communications, LCAlpine Communications Rural Elgin Exchange NOFA #006$3,292,078.84
Alpine Communications, LCAlpine Communications Osterdock Rural NOFA #006$1,699,319.57
Alpine Communications, LCAlpine Communications Elkader Rural South_North NOFA #006$5,468,428.29
Alpine Communications, LCAlpine Communications Elkader Rural South_South NOFA #006$4,318,883.67
Mechanicsville Telephone CompanySouth of Buchanan$78,397.41
Premier Communications, Inc.Premier – Ashton (Rural)$1,745,433.90
BTC, Inc.Western Iowa Networks FTTP Construction Project$15,073,573.81
Colo TelephoneNOFA#6 Rural Northeast Nevada$60,927.50
West Iowa Telephone CompanyRural Plymouth County$40,344.83
Board of Water, Electric, and Communications Trustees of the City of Muscatine IowaEast Muscatine County Fiber Project$547,148.47
Hawkeye Telephone CompanyRural Arlington 1 Gbps And Beyond FTTH Expansion project$485,370.40
Hawkeye Telephone CompanyRural Fayette 1 Gbps And Beyond FTTH Expansion project$619,365.54
East Buchanan Telephone CooperativeEBTC County Line Project$81,304.12
Lockridge NetworksRinggold and Union County Broadband Expansion$289,977.00
Hawkeye Telephone CompanyRural Maynard 1 Gbps And Beyond FTTH Expansion project$2,320,363.48
Hawkeye Telephone CompanyRural West Union 1 Gbps And Beyond FTTH Expansion project$1,127,300.38

Previous coverage

178 applications received for broadband grants following $100 million investment -Aug. 17, 2021

Expanding Broadband Access Across Iowa -Sept. 9, 2020

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State awards nearly $100 million in grants to Iowa broadband providers | Clay & Milk
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