CARES Act Provides Funding for Broadband Internet

Gov. Tony Evers has announced that more than $5 million in funding from the federal CARES Act will be awarded to expand high-speed, broadband internet and administered through the Public Service Commission (PSC) of Wisconsin. The state’s Broadband Expansion Grant Program provides grant funding to organizations, internet service providers and local governments to expand in underserved and unserved areas.

Applicants may not have received funding already and must be able to connect customers by Dec. 30 and satisfy the CARES Act requirements. This funding is expected to be awarded during an open PSC meeting in October, and a list of applicants will be available on the PSC website in advance.

The CARES funding comes as the PSC is also accepting applications for a second round of $24 million in grants that was appropriated during the state’s 2019-21 biennial budget. That application period closes Dec. 1; funding is expected to be awarded in the spring.