A new grant program adopted for the first time in the recent state budget, 2013 Wis. Act 20, provides that the Public Service Commission may award up to $500,000 in grants during Fiscal Year 2014 to improve broadband communications services in Wisconsin.

Grant funds can only be used to reimburse the construction of broadband facilities. Grant funds cannot be used to reimburse the operating expenses of a telecommunications provider or the monthly bill of a telecommunications service customer.

An application for a grant may be submitted by any of the following entities:

1. An organization operated for profit or not for profit, including a cooperative.
2. A telecommunications utility.
3. A city, village, town, or county that has established a legal partnership or joint venture arrangement with an otherwise qualified organization or telecommunications utility.

Broadband Grant Application for FY2014
The Commission may award one or more grants that, in aggregate, do not exceed an annual total of $500,000 during Fiscal Year 2014 to public and private entities that meet the eligibility requirements. Grant applications must be uploaded to the Commission’s Electronic Regulatory Filing (ERF) System, found at the following link: http://psc.wi.gov/apps40/ERF_public/Default.aspx.

Applications are due no later than 4:00pm on March 21, 2014.