ARIZONA RURAL BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT GRANT

The Arizona Broadband Development Grant is funded by $3 million in taxpayer funding to expand broadband services in underserved rural areas across the state. The grant supports planning and deployment, enabling Arizona communities to more easily access broadband services at speeds and prices equal to national averages in rural areas, and provide consistent and reliable service.

Eligible applicants are Arizona cities and towns with a population of fewer than 150,000 that are not part of a larger contiguous metro area; Arizona counties with a population of fewer than 750,000; federally-based Indian tribes located in Arizona; established non-profit enterprises focused on economic development in Arizona; and for-profit enterprises with a minimum of five years operating history in the telecommunications industry. 

The grants will be allocated in two separate categories:

• Shovel-ready projects to immediately improve broadband infrastructure, with a maximum award of $1,000,000 per project.
• Broadband planning activities for projects that are not shovel ready, with a maximum award of $50,000 per project.

RBDG-A/B GRANT AWARDEES

The reimbursable grant will be used to accelerate the enhancement of broadband infrastructure to support economic growth and improve quality of life for Arizona’s rural residents.

RBDG-A Awardees

• Sparklight, formerly known as Cable One, will provide fiber to approximately 400 business customers in Payson, Star Valley and Tonto Apache Tribe that has symmetrical service up to 2 Gbps.
• Mohave Electric Coop will provide high-speed broadband service at speeds up to 10 Gbps symmetrical to its 35,000 members. The project will serve Bullhead City, Fort Mohave and Mohave Valley.
• Commnet Wireless will create a new fiber-optic middle mile to Page to serve 310 small businesses and 1,066 households within the area.

RBDG-B Awardees

• Coconino County
• Gila County
• Town of Springerville
• City of St. Johns