DES MOINES- The Department of Management Division of Information Technology, formerly the Office of the Chief Information Officer, awarded $148,960,000 as part of the Empower Rural Iowa Broadband Grant program. 39 broadband provider applications representing 47 Iowa counties received a Notice of Intent to Award (NOIA) for applications submitted under NOFA #008.

This round of grant funds will be used to incentivize broadband infrastructure build out in the newly established Broadband Intervention Zones (BIZ). Through feedback from 55 public meetings in Iowa communities, 96 BIZ zones were created across the state. These are areas deemed to be in the most need for broadband infrastructure expansion.

Funding for NOFA #008 was made possible through the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund. For information on NOFA #008 please refer to the link below. This link provides all application materials.

https://ocio.iowa.gov/empower-rural-iowa-broadband-grant-program-notice-funding-availability-008