Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program is sponsored by Minnesota Office of Broadband Development. This program provides a 50% match to communities, co-ops, nonprofits or private providers who wish to expand broadband in “unserved” or “underserved” areas of Minnesota. The program aims to encourage new and existing providers to invest in broadband infrastructure.

Broadband Grant Program / Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development The Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program funds the expansion of broadband service to areas of Minnesota that are unserved or underserved. FY 2025 Broadband Grant Round 10 Recipients are listed below under "2024 Awards" tab. The Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program was created in Minn.

Stat. 116J. 395 in 2014.

The legislative focus of this grant program is to provide financial resources that help make the business case for new and existing providers to invest in building broadband infrastructure into unserved and underserved areas of the state. The Border-to-Border Broadband Grant Program has been funded with state general fund revenues and a combination of both state general fund revenues and federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Sec.

604 Capital Projects Funds (CPF). The 2023 Legislature appropriated $50 million for each of FY 2024 and FY 2025. The FY 2024 State General Revenue Funds of $50 million funded the ninth grant round and the FY 2025 State General Revenue Funds of $50 million funded the tenth grant round.

Subsequent grant rounds are anticipated to be funded with approximately $652 million in federal Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Funds (BEAD). With $30 million available for Border-to-Border grants and the remaining $20 million for the Lower Population Density (Low-Density) grants, DEED opened the application window for the tenth grant round on March 12, 2024. Applications were due by 1:30 p.

m. Central Time on May 10, 2024 . The Applicant Resources tab below has resources and document templates for grantees, the 2024 Application Process tab provides detail on the Round 10 application process, the 2024 Awards tab provides information on the current Grant Round 10 Awards (along with the prior Grant Round 9 Awards) and the remaining tabs provide information on past grant awards.

The important deadlines for Grant Round 10: March 12, 2024 – DEED's Grant Management System opened to applicants March 21, 2024 - Broadband Grant Round 10 Webinar March 29, 2024 – last day of notification to existing providers of applicant’s intent to file an application [required by Minn. Stat. 116J.

395 subd. 5(9)] April 23, 2024 – first day an applicant was able to submit a completed application in DEED’s Grant Management System based on when they completed their pre-application notification May 10, 2024 – window closed so completed applications were to be submitted in DEED’s Grant Management System by 1:30 p. m.

Central Time May 15, 2024 – challenge process began June 14, 2024 – challenge process ended at 4:00 pm Central Time Summer 2024 – 2024 Grant Round 10 awards (see tab below) June 30, 2027* – projects need to be completed (contract end date) * Due to awards being made later than anticipated, this date was changed from December 31, 2026 to allow for additional construction season time.

Note: To be eligible to apply for the 2024 Grant Round 10 the Pre-Application Outreach to Existing Wireline Providers (DOCX) needed to be completed by March 29, 2024.

Applicant Affidavit Template (DOCX) Budget Workbook Template (XLSX) Bidding Waiver Request (PDF) CPF Speed and Pricing Template (XLSX) Grant Closeout Form (PDF) Location Data Sheet Template (XLSX) Closeout - Speed Testing Requirements- Line Extension ONLY (PDF) Proforma Financial Spreadsheet Template (XLSX) Progress Report Template (PDF) Pre-Application Outreach to Existing Wireline Providers (DOCX) Read about the 2024 Challenge Process (DOCX) for grant applications and 2024 Challenge Form (DOCX) 2024 Round 10 Grant Webinar Slides (PDF) 2024 Round 10 Grant Webinar Recording Webinar: Grant Eligibility Layers Overview (PPTX) (large file) Webinar: Grant Eligibility Layers Overview (PDF) (with links) To understand obligations and responsibilities to reporting fraud visit the OBD Contact page .

Call for Border-to-Border and Low-Density Program Applications (DOCX) 2024 Grant Round 10 Instructions and Application Guide (DOCX) Pre-Application Outreach to Existing Wireline Providers (DOCX) Read about the 2024 Challenge Process (DOCX) for grant applications and 2024 Challenge Form (DOCX) Grant Round 10 Applicants Selection and Scoring Criteria (DOCX) Border to Border FAQs (DOCX) 2024 Border to Border Broadband Grant Webinar 2024 Grant Round Grant Webinar Recording Broadband development projects located in unserved or underserved areas are eligible for the Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grants.

An unserved area is an area of Minnesota in which households or businesses lack access to wire-line broadband service at speeds that meet the FCC threshold of 25 megabits per second download and 3 megabits per second upload.

An underserved area is an area of Minnesota in which households or businesses do receive service at or above the FCC threshold but lack access to wire-line broadband service at speeds of 100 megabits per second download and 20 megabits per second upload. An interactive map showing areas reported by providers as being unserved and underserved areas is available on the OBD website .

Eligible applicants for this program are an incorporated business or partnership, a political subdivision, an Indian tribe, a Minnesota nonprofit organization organized under chapter 317A, a Minnesota cooperative association organized under chapter 308A or 308B, or a Minnesota limited liability corporation organized under chapter 322C for the purpose of expanding broadband access.

The Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program can pay up to 50 percent of the broadband development costs for qualifying projects. The Low-Density Pilot Grant Program can pay up to 75 percent of the broadband development costs for qualifying projects.

Eligible costs refer to the acquisition and installation of middle-mile and last-mile infrastructure that support broadband service scalable to speeds of at least 100 megabits per second download and 100 megabits per second upload. Last mile infrastructure is broadband infrastructure that serves as the final leg connecting the broadband service provider's network to the end-use customer's on-premise telecommunications equipment.

Middle mile infrastructure is broadband infrastructure that links a broadband service provider's core network infrastructure to last-mile infrastructure.

Construction of broadband infrastructure may include any of the following: project planning; obtaining construction permits; construction of facilities, including construction of both "middle mile" and "last mile" infrastructure; equipment; and installation and testing of the broadband service.

Prevailing Wage Compliance Minnesota law requires all state economic development grant awards of $200,000 or more to adhere to prevailing wage laws as specified by Minnesota's Department of Labor and Industry. Modifications unique to broadband grant law specify that prevailing wage law applies specifically to middle mile broadband projects or projects with middle mile components that are awarded grants of $200,000 or more.

If the application is for a last mile project only, prevailing wage laws do not apply. Applicable prevailing wage rates should be figured into your project budget. Find the rates for your county .

For assistance in classifying type of labor, complete a Classification Clarification Request form from the Minnesota Department of Labor & Industry. If you have other questions regarding prevailing wage as it applies to broadband grant projects, please contact Karen Bugar , State Program Administrative Director, Prevailing Wage, Minnesota Department of Labor & Industry.

Also, please see Capital Projects Fund Compliance and Reporting requirements below for additional labor requirements that may apply (pending the release of the final guidance) to projects funded with federal Capital Projects Funds. State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) Contact SHPO for information on reviews prior to construction for possible disturbances of historic, archaeological sites.

There's also information such as hiring an archaeologist to do an archaeological assessment of the project, especially those that are going through multiple townships/counties. This would include a records search for existing archaeological sites, recommendations for surveying areas along the route (if any) and recommendations on avoiding the sites that have been identified "historic."

Archaeological Survey Manual (PDF) is what the contract archaeologists use to help guide their survey methods in Minnesota. Preservation Specialists Directory (this directory includes a list of qualified archaeologists). Select "archaeologist" in "Search by Specialties" box.

For more information, contact SHPO's Review and Compliance Specialist Kelly Gragg-Johnson , 651-259-3455. Review for Natural Heritage Site Proximity Natural Heritage Sites might include rare plant species, animals, and protected areas, for example.

For natural heritage sites, check with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for possible proximity to rare natural/plant/species areas: DNR Environmental Review resources and Natural Heritage Info System Request form if you need a more detailed natural heritage search Capital Projects Funds Reporting and Compliance Guidance For any projects funded with American Rescue Plan Act Capital Projects Funds, the federal Reporting and Compliance Guidance will also apply.

Draft requirements were published in the Federal Register in May 2022 . Grantees that are funded with CPF funding will have to agree to abide by the final Reporting and Compliance Guidance to receive funding.

2024 Broadband Grant Recipients - Round 10 Download a list of 2024 Round 10 Grantees (PDF) Read about the 2024 challenge process (DOCX) for grant applications Challenge process results Round 10 (DOCX) Download the 2024 Round 10 Funding Summary (DOCX) View a map of the 2024 Round 10 awards (PDF) 2024 Broadband Grant Recipients - Round 9 Download a list of 2024 Round 9 Grantees (DOCX) Read about the 2023 challenge process (DOCX) for grant applications Challenge process results Round 9 Download the 2024 Round 9 Funding Summary (DOCX) View a map of the 2024 Round 9 awards (PDF) Border to Border Broadband Grants 2014-2017, 2019-2020, 2022-2023 (PDF) 2023 Broadband Grant Recipients - Round 8 Download a list of 2023 Grantees (DOCX) Read about the 2023 challenge process (DOCX) for grant applications Challenge process results 2023 (DOCX) Download the 2023 Funding Summary (DOCX) View a map of the 2023 awards (PDF) Border to Border Broadband Grants 2014-2017, 2019-2020, 2022-2023 (PDF) Arvig (Tekstar) – Wright County Area Fiber Extension – GRANT $879,747 Total eligible project cost is $1,759,493 Arvig (Tekstar) – Sherburne County Area Fiber Extension – GRANT $182,576 This last-mile project will build to 240 unserved households near the Travelers Country Club on the Mississippi River, southeast of Clearwater.

Thanks to a funding partnership with Sherburne County ($91,288) and the State of Minnesota, Arvig will be able to extend its growing fiber network to these structures with internet speeds between 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload to 10 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload, meeting and exceeding Minnesota's 2026 state speed goal.

The all fiber-to-the-premises construction will begin as soon as the grant is awarded and the environmental reviews are completed, and will be completed before December 2025, allowing these customers to receive the internet service they need and deserve.

Total eligible project cost is $456,440 Benton Cooperative Telephone – Benton County South of Trunk Highway 23 – GRANT $2,988,275 This last-mile project will build to 836 households, businesses, farms, and community institutions in Glendorado Township and portions of Gilmanton, Maywood, Minden, and Saint George Townships that do not have access to high speed broadband located in Benton County.

In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and Benton County ($2,000,000 in ARPA funding), Benton Cooperative Telephone will improve unserved levels to a maximum of 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload, exceeding Minnesota's 2026 speed goal.

Building a fiber-to-the-premises network that provides advanced high-speed broadband services to households, business and farms will improve access to e-learning applications, agriculture enhancements including access to pricing, parts, and enabling precision agriculture tools. The broadband network will also improve access to rural health care resources and will stimulate the local area economy.

Total eligible project cost is $8,537,928 Local match is $5,549,653 Comcast-Xfinity – Comcast Washington County – GRANT $2,908,829 This last-mile project will bring gigabit broadband service to 1,075 households, businesses and farms in Grant, Hugo, and Stillwater Township that currently receive inadequate speeds at an average of 10Mbps/1Mbps.

In a funding partnership with Washington County ($635,574), the City of Grant ($150,000), and Stillwater Township ($61,400), Comcast will extend its network throughout these communities and provide these residents 1. 2 Gbps download and 200 Mbps upload, far exceeding Minnesota's 2026 state speed goal.

Providing broadband service to this primarily unserved area will greatly improve the quality of life by enabling residents to expand their career pathways; access and engage in telehealth opportunities; pursue education; thrive in commercial farming, and more.

Total eligible project cost is $8,472,372 Local match is $5,563,543 Comcast-Xfinity – Comcast/City of Nowthen – GRANT $2,549,413 This last-mile project will deploy broadband service to 1,227 households, farms, businesses, and community institutions in the City of Nowthen.

In funding partnerships with the City of Nowthen ($800,000) and Anoka County ($150,000), Comcast will construct a network that will provide these residents 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload, exceeding Minnesota's 2026 state speed goal.

Providing broadband service to this primarily unserved area will greatly improve the community's quality of life by enabling residents to expand their career pathways; access and engage in telehealth opportunities; pursue education; thrive in commercial farming, and more - all while protecting the rural landscape that is a goal of the city.

Importantly, 25% of the population of Nowthen is under age 19, and approximately 1,150 children attend school within three different school districts. As the local school districts explained in their letter of support, the children need access to high-speed, reliable broadband service, in order to participate fully in all educational experiences available to them.

Total eligible project cost is $8,498,043 Local match is $5,948,630 East Cental Energy – Isanti South – GRANT $4,900,000 With funding support from the State of Minnesota and funding partnerships with Chisago County ($2,000), Isanti County ($39,600), North Branch Township ($9,600), Lent Township ($1,000) and the City of North Branch ($100), East Central Energy will cover 1,990 passings to at least 100 Mbps download and 100 Mbps upload, and access to Gbps connectivity, exceeding Minnesota's 2026 state speed goal.

A fiber-to-the-premises network will benefit households, businesses, and farms, furthering community and economic development by saving time, money, and other resources. A high-speed fiber network will provide critical e-learning access to students and training resources to businesses in the project area. 89.

4% of businesses in Isanti County have fewer than 20 employees and will greatly benefit from ECE's affordable pricing model for small, local businesses. In addition to skills development and telework opportunities that reliable internet supports, ECE's fiber network will enable resource optimization for agricultural lands and managed vegetation through supporting the use of precision agriculture tools.

The impacts of ECE's fiber-to-the-premises network will be felt throughout the community, supporting diverse strategies for community and economic development.

Total eligible project cost is $18,267,826 Local match is $13,367,826 In a partnership with Wright County ($780,000), this last-mile fiber broadband project will provide 5 Gbps symmetrical service to 316 households, businesses, community anchor institutions and farms that are currently unserved or underserved. Frontier's project area primarily includes locations in the northernmost point of Wright County near Clearwater.

In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and Wright County, Frontier will offer fiber broadband services at speeds as high as 5 Gbps download and 5 Gbps upload, exceeding Minnesota's 2026 state speed goal.

Building a fiber-to-the-premises network that provides advanced, high-speed broadband services will improve access to critical school e-learning applications and rural healthcare resources while also making agricultural operations more efficient and enhancing crop production through enabled precision agriculture tools.

The broadband network will stimulate a more robust local area economy and will also improve the quality of life for area residents. Total eligible project cost is $2,766,000 Local match is $1,936,200 Gardonville Cooperative Telephone – Carlos – GRANT $665,950 This last-mile project will serve 122 households, businesses, home based businesses and telecommuters in the Alexandria area.

In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Gardonville Cooperative Telephone Association will improve unserved/underserved levels to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload, exceeding Minnesota's 2026 state speed goal. By enabling families to spend more time at home together and away from the office and school, this will enhance the quality of life in this neighborhood for years to come.

Total eligible project cost is $1,479,884 Gardonville Cooperative Telephone – Buckskin – GRANT $857,013 This last-mile project will serve 214 households, home based businesses and telecommuters in the Alexandria area. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Gardonville Cooperative Telephone Association will improve unserved levels to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload, exceeding Minnesota's 2026 state speed goal.

Providing customers with adequate speeds to perform daily activities, along with improving their functionality, makes this project a great choice for a Border-to-Border Broadband Grant.

Total eligible project cost is $1,904,474 Local match is $1,047,461 Harmony Telephone Company – North Fountain Fiber-To-The-Premises GRANT – $2,991,038 The North Fountain Fiber-To-The-Premises Project will serve 311 households, businesses, and farms in Fillmore County.

In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Harmony Telephone Company (HTC) will improve unserved levels to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload on their fiber network, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. Building a fiber-to-the-premises network will improve access to education and healthcare services. It will also increase employment as businesses leverage this new network and telecommuting opportunities become available.

Total eligible project cost is $7,477,595 Local match is $4,486,557 Harmony Telephone Company – Rural Preston Fiber-To-The-Premises GRANT – $1,044,436 The North Preston Rural Fiber-to-the-Premises Project will serve 68 households, businesses, and farms in the rural portions of Fillmore County.

In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Harmony Telephone Company (HTC) will improve unserved levels to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload on their fiber network, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. This network is vital to their rural community and economy.

Total eligible project cost is $2,611,089 Local match is $1,566,653 KM Telecom – Rural Byron & Salem Corners Fiber Build – GRANT $1,931,046 This last-mile project in SE Minnesota will serve 221 households, businesses, farms, and community institutions. The project area is primary located in Olmsted County with partial coverage of Kalmer and Salem Townships. It also covers a small portion of Mantorville Township within Dodge County.

In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, KMTelecom will offer up to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gpbs upload, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. This rural fiber build is an extension of the gig-capable network currently serving Kasson, Mantorville, Rock Dell and surrounding rural areas.

The improved network will provide the necessary high-speed broadband connectivity for these rural residents to finally experience reliable access to e-learning, telehealth, and telework. The network will also allow farming operations to increase their productivity and improve their access to the latest agricultural technologies.

Total eligible project cost is $3,862,092 Local match is $1,931,046 Koochiching County – Koochiching County International Falls Economic Development – GRANT $77,300 This last-mile project will serve 13 businesses along an established trucking route that is heavily used to connect Highway 53 and Highway 11 E. It will also provide service to an area designated for economic development within the City of International Falls.

Through a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Koochiching County ($28,987), the City of International Falls ($28,987) and Midco ($57,974), the project area will become an attractive location for development where multimodal transportation options are needed to support business operations.

Businesses along this corridor that have had no connectivity options will now have access to high-speed broadband service levels to symmetrical 5 Gbps speeds, making them able to compete in an economy that is becoming increasingly reliant on consistent, reliable and affordable broadband as a standard utility.

Total eligible project cost is $193,248 This last-mile project will serve 525 households, businesses and the French Lake Township Hall in central Minnesota, north of MN Highway 55. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and Wright County ($776,192), Meeker Coop Light & Power will improve an unserved/underserved area to super-fast speeds of 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload, exceeding Minnesota's 2026 state speed goal.

Building a fiber-to-the-premises network that provides advanced, high-speed broadband services will improve access to critical school e-learning applications while also making agricultural operations more efficient and enhancing crop production through enabled precision agriculture tools. In addition, the broadband network will improve access to health care resources and will stimulate a more robust local area economy.

Total eligible project cost is $2,822,516 Local match is $1,552,384 Meeker Coop Light & Power – Harrison Township – GRANT $533,959 This last-mile project will serve 216 households, farms, businesses and community anchor institutions in central Minnesota, north of the city of Atwater.

In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Kandiyohi County ($251,600) and Harrison Township ($44,400), Meeker Coop Light & Power will improve unserved/underserved areas to super-fast speeds of 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload. A fiber-to-the-premises network will ultimately improve the lives of all citizens of the area, lessening the "technological divide" between urban and rural areas.

Total eligible project cost is $1,186,576 Midco – Midco Rural Independence – GRANT $1,519,500 This last-mile project will serve 423 households, businesses, farms and community anchor institutions in rural Independence and Greenfield. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and Hennepin County ($250,000), Midco will improve unserved/underserved levels to symmetrical 5 Gbps speeds, exceeding Minnesota's 2026 state speed goal.

Building a fiber-to-the-home network provides advanced, high-speed broadband services to households, businesses and farms, improves access to critical school e-learning and makes agricultural operations, business and government more efficient. The broadband network will improve access to rural health care resources and will stimulate a more robust local area economy.

Total eligible project cost is $3,039,100 Local match is $1,519,600 Midco – Midco May Township – GRANT $1,580,300 This last-mile project will serve 575 households, businesses, farms and community anchor institutions in May Township.

In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and Washington County ($311,000), Midco will improve unserved/underserved levels to symmetrical 5 Gbps speeds, exceeding Minnesota's 2026 state speed goal.

Building a fiber-to-the-home network provides advanced, high-speed broadband services to households, businesses and farms, improves access to critical school e-learning,and rural health care resources, and will stimulate a more robust local area economy.

Total eligible project cost is $3,511,700 Local match is $1,931,400 Otter Tail Telcom – South Battle Lake – GRANT $2,331,792 This last-mile project will serve a total of 506 households, businesses, farms, and community anchor institutions in the South Battle Lake area.

In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and Otter Tail County ($233,179), Otter Tail Telcom will provide 1 Gbps download and 1 Gpbs upload broadband speeds, exceeding Minnesota's 2026 state speed goal.

Building a fiber-to-the-premises network that provides advanced, high-speed broadband services to households, businesses and farms will improve access to critical school e-learning applications while also making agricultural operations more efficient and enhancing crop production through enabled precision agriculture tools.

The broadband network will improve access to rural healthcare resources and will stimulate a more robust local area economy. Total eligible project cost is $4,663,585 Local match is $2,331,793 Runestone Telephone Assoc.

– Stearns County West Phase 2 – GRANT $4,800,000 This last-mile fiber-to-the-home project will bring high-speed internet to 628 households, farms, businesses and anchor institutions within rural western Stearns County in Central Minnesota, improving the available broadband service speeds from under 25 Mbps to 1 Gbps, with room for future bandwidth needs.

By partnering with the Office of Broadband Development, along with local county and township boards, Runestone Telephone Association has the opportunity to help this struggling community get connected to broadband. In an effort to deploy its allocated ARPA funds smartly and equitably, Stearns County has committed to investing over $3. 66 million dollars, including over $100,000 from the seven Townships included in this project.

Leaders of Stearns County recognize that there is an urgency to provide better broadband infrastructure to its citizens, and this project closely aligns with their goal of bringing high speed internet access to 100% of the county. Access to reliable internet is vital for famers in western Stearns County in adopting precision agriculture and automated technologies, which will improve food production and boost the local economy.

It will also close the achievement gap by providing essential broadband internet to students who currently do not have access to reliable internet. Total eligible project cost is $12,123,378 Local match is $7,323,378 SCI – Aitkin County Broadband Expansion – GRANT $794,822 This last-mile project will serve 199 households and businesses in the townships of Balsam, Logan, Spalding, Turner and Workman with fiber-to-the-home.

In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and Aitkin County ($5,000), Savage Communications, Inc (SCI) will improve unserved/underserved to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload, exceeding Minnesota's 2026 speed goal.

Building a fiber-to-the-home network that provides advanced, high speed broadband services to households and businesses will improve access to critical school e-learning applications, improve access to rural health care resources and will stimulate a more robust local area economy.

Total eligible project cost is $1,589,644 SCI – Carlton County Broadband Expansion – GRANT $1,271,835 This last-mile project will serve 503 households and businesses in the townships of Barnum, Eagle Lake, Lakeview and Moose Lake with fiber-to-the-home.

In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota and Carlton County ($50,000), Savage Communications, Inc (SCI) will offer broadband service speeds to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload. This new network will improve access to critical school e-learning applications, improve access to health care resources and stimulate a more robust local economy.

Total eligible project cost is $2,543,670 Local match is $1,271,835 Low-Density Pilot Program Awards 702 Communications – Western Clay County Kragnes Township– GRANT $2,624,830 This last-mile project will serve 369 households, businesses, and farms in rural Clay County.

In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, 702 Communications will improve unserved/underserved levels to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload, exceeding Minnesota's 2026 state speed goal.

Building a fiber-to-the-premises network that provides advanced, high-speed broadband services to households, businesses and farms improves access to critical school e-learning applications while also making agricultural operations more efficient and enhancing crop production through enabled precision agriculture tools.

The broadband network will improve access to rural health care resources and will stimulate a more robust local area economy. Total eligible project cost is $3,499,773 Federated Rural Electric Assoc. – Jackson County Fiber-To-The-Premises – GRANT $7,068,222 The Jackson County Fiber-To-The-Premises Project will serve 480 households, businesses, and farms in Jackson County.

In a funding partnership with Jackson County ($500,000) and the State of Minnesota, Federated Rural Electric Association will improve unserved levels to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload on their fiber network, exceeding the 2026 state speed goal. Building a fiber-to-the-premises network will improve access to education and health care services.

It will also increase employment as businesses leverage this new network and telecommuting opportunities become available. Total eligible project cost is $10,097,460 Local match is $3,029,238 Garden Valley Technologies – 2023 Rural Warren SW – GRANT $1,488,322 This last-mile project will serve 96 unserved and underserved households, businesses, farms and community anchor institutions.

These locations are located in northwest Minnesota and include portions of Farley, Keystone, Northland, Sandsville and Tabor Townships in Polk County and portions of Vega and Boxville Townships in Marshall County. In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Garden Valley Technologies will improve unserved levels to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload, exceeding Minnesota's 2026 state speed goal.

Building this fiber-to-the-premises network and providing advanced high-speed broadband services to households, businesses, farms and community institutions will improve access to critical work from home opportunities within the region as well as making agricultural operations more efficient and enhancing crop production as well as making on-line education accessible to area students.

The broadband network will improve access across multiple industries and will stimulate a more robust local area economy.

Total eligible project cost is $1,984,430 Interstate Telecommunications Company – Yellow Medicine County West Fiber-To-The-Home Project – GRANT $4,988,174 ITC's Yellow Medicine County West Fiber-To-The-Home last-mile project will construct a 100% fiber-to-the-premises broadband network with speeds capable of up to 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload. The project will serve 483 locations in Yellow Medicine County.

The project will improve the lives of the residential customers and will improve economic development opportunities for businesses and farms within the project area. The deployment of reliable fiber-optic high-speed internet will provide various home-based business options, as well as stimulate economic growth, agricultural innovation, and investment.

From a quality-of-life perspective, the project will have benefits for people of all ages. Students can participate in e-learning initiatives and take advantage of world-class education opportunities from the comfort of their home. Working-age individuals will be able to telecommute and work for virtually any employer in the country, while maintaining the safety and quality of life that comes with living in rural Minnesota.

Elderly residents will stay in their homes longer, thanks to technologies and applications enabled by the broadband infrastructure. All ages of people will be able to utilize telemedicine, resulting in quicker access to medical professionals and lower cost services.

Total eligible project cost is $6,650,899 Local match is $1,662,725 Meeker Coop Light & Power – Lake Elizabeth-East Lake Lillian Townships – GRANT $1,428,066 This last-mile project will serve 185 households, farms, businesses and community anchor institutions in central Minnesota.

In a funding partnership with the State of Minnesota, Kandiyohi County ($148,125), Lake Elizabeth Township ($20,800) and East Lake Lillian Township ($19,000), Meeker Coop Light & Power will improve unserved/underserved area to speeds of 1 Gbps download and 1 Gbps upload, exceeding Minnesota's 2026 state speed goal.

Building a fiber-to-the-premises network that provides advanced, high-speed broadband services improves access to critical school e-learning applications while also making agricultural operations more efficient and enhancing crop production through enabled precision agriculture tools. In addition, the broadband network will improve access to rural health care resources and will stimulate a more robust local area economy.

A fiber-to-the-premises network will ultimately improve the lives of all citizens of the area, lessening the "technological divide" between urban and rural areas. Total eligible project cost is $1,904,088 Paul Bunyan Rural Telephone Coop – Paul Bunyan Communications Rural GigaZone Fiber – GRANT $5,569,281 Paul Bunyan Communications will implement the St. Louis County GigaZone Fiber Expansion Project to bring high-speed,