Michael Paddock

If you’re planning to apply for a broadband grant, keep in mind that all the work you put into your application will eventually get boiled down to a number: the score the proposal receives from the reviewers. It's important that your proposal not only be compliant with the application requirements, it should also be as competitive as possible by qualifying for as many additional points as your project can.

New and expanded broadband funding programs are being launched to reduce disparities in access to robust internet capacity across the country. Find out how to choose a funding program that matches your intended rural broadband project and make your applications more likely to be successful.

If you’re a winning RDOF bidder, you are required to complete a Long Form Application (FCC Form 683), including a detailed technology and system design plan.

By proactively working with community leaders, service providers can leverage their mutual interests with a wide range of public and private sector customers to build trust among all the stakeholders involved in the provision and use of essential broadband services.

If you’re planning to bid in the upcoming RDOF auction, preparation is key, and there are several strategies that can help make you more successful at winning the bids at the values you want, and just as importantly, avoiding placing low bids.

The digital divide has been closing over the past decade, with help from a range of federal funding programs aimed at extending broadband services to underserved areas of the country. Before you start thinking about how much funding you want or where to go to find it, it’ll help to consider how and where you want to expand broadband services and what these services will enable your customer and stakeholders to do. Then you can start looking into the funding opportunities that can help make those more concrete plans a reality.