Funding Includes Awards Made Possible by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
COLUMBIA, MO., October 28, 2022 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Missouri State Director Kyle Wilkens today announced that the Department is awarding over $58 Million to bring high-speed internet access to people living in rural Missouri. “High speed internet is crucial for rural Missouri residents and businesses to be competitive and connected to the world,” Wilkens said. “With high-speed internet, rural communities can thrive in the global community. There will be greater opportunities to attract new businesses, grow existing businesses, and attract new residents.”
As part of today’s announcement:
- Grand River Mutual Telephone Corporation is receiving a grant of over $15 Million to deploy a fiber-to-the home network to connect 3,107 people, 521 farms, 59 businesses and nine educational facilities to high-speed internet in Daviess, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Livingston, Mercer, and Nodaway counties in Missouri. Grand Mutual Telephone Company will make high-speed internet by participating in the FCC's Affordable Connectivity and Lifeline programs.
- IAMO Communications Inc. is receiving a grant of over $3 Million to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network to connect 291 people, 57 farms and six businesses to high-speed internet in Atchison and Nodaway counties in Missouri. IAMO Communications Inc. will make high-speed internet affordable by participating in the FCC's Affordable Connectivity and E-Rate programs.
- Kingdom Telephone is receiving a grant of over $23 Million to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network to connect 4,941 people, 611 farms and 84 businesses to high-speed internet in Audrain, Boone, Callaway, and Montgomery counties in Missouri. Kingdom Telephone Company will make high-speed internet affordable by participating in the FCC's Affordable Connectivity and Lifeline programs.
- Rock Port Telephone Company is receiving a grant of over $15 Million to deploy a fiber-to-the-home network to connect 1,121 people, 297 farms and 30 businesses to high-speed internet in Holt and Atchison counties in Missouri. Rockport Telephone Company will make high-speed internet affordable by participating in the FCC's Affordable Connectivity and Lifeline programs.
Background: ReConnect Program
To be eligible for ReConnect Program funding, an applicant must serve an area that does not have access to service at speeds of 100 megabits per second (Mbps) (download) and 20 Mbps (upload). The applicant must also commit to building facilities capable of providing high-speed internet service with speeds of 100 Mbps (download and upload) to every location in its proposed service area.
To learn more about investment resources for rural areas, visit www.rd.usda.gov or contact the nearest USDA Rural Development Missouri office.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs, and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety, and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal, and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate-smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean-energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.
Contact USDA Rural Development
Information on programs available through USDA Rural Development is available by visiting www.rd.usda.gov/mo, by calling (573) 876-0976, or by emailing RDMissouri@usda.gov.
USDA Rural Development has 25 offices across the state to serve the 2.2 million residents living in rural Missouri. Office locations include a state office in Columbia, along with local offices in Butler, Charleston, Chillicothe, Clinton, Dexter, Eldon, Farmington, Higginsville, Houston, Kennett, Kirksville, Maryville, Mexico, Moberly, Neosho, New London, Poplar Bluff, Richmond, Rolla, Sedalia, Springfield, St. Joseph, Troy, and West Plains.
If you’d like to subscribe to Missouri USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.