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Federal Initiatives

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

The ARRA appropriated $7.2 billion for the Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service (RUS) and the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA) to expand broadband access and adoption in communities across the U.S., which will increase jobs, spur investments in technology and infrastructure, and provide long-term economic benefits.

Rural Utilities Service (RUS)
RUS is making loans and grants for broadband infrastructure projects in rural areas via its Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP).

National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA)
NTIA is providing grants to fund comprehensive broadband infrastructure projects, public computer centers and sustainable broadband adoption projects via its Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP).

Check out NTIA's National Broadband Map.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
The FCC has been tasked with creating a National Broadband Plan by February 17, 2010. The Recovery Act states that the National Broadband Plan shall seek to ensure all people of the United States have access to broadband capability and shall establish benchmarks for meeting that goal.