SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — The Washington State Broadband Office has awarded more than $121 million in grants for 19 broadband construction projects that will deliver high-speed internet across the state, including on the Spokane Tribe Reservation.
The Spokane Tribe was awarded more than $3 million for the Spokane Tribe HWY 231 FTTH project. Some projects that also got funding include Okanogan County Electric Co-Op, Port of Whitman County, Whatcom PUD No. 1, and Yakima County.
The awarded funding is part of the state’s investment in the federal Coronavirus Capital Project Fund and continues the state's plan to provide unserved and underserved communities with high-speed internet.
“These grants will provide initial service availability to 14,794 end users located across the state, in communities as diverse as the San Juan Islands, Kittitas County and the Spokane reservation,” said Mark Vasconi, the Broadband Office Director.
Broadband infrastructure investments promise access to high-speed internet connections for nearly 15,000 Washington households.
Not all the projects who applied were awarded the funds. Grant demand exceeded available funds by 261% and 50 different projects requested more than $316 million.
This round of awarded grants as well as future funding efforts will bring the Washington State Broadband Office closer to its goal of ensuring that all Washingtonians have reliable access to broadband service.
"Broadband access is essential infrastructure, providing a critical gateway to education, health care, social and economic opportunities,” said Mike Fong, the director of the Washington Department of Commerce. “This funding is the next significant step toward our goal to have high-speed internet access available to every Washington resident and business.”
To learn more about the Washington State Broadband Office, visit the Washington State Broadband Office webpage.
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