Earlier this summer, we talked with Jase Wilson and Lindsey Brannon from Neighborly, the investment firm that uses online investing to allow individuals to invest in publicly owned infrastructure projects, including broadband networks. Jase and Lindsey described a program they had just launched, the Neighborly Community Broadband Accelerator.
A Boost for Local Broadband
The program is designed to help local communities with necessary tools and financing from the start of their project planning. The Accelerator will provide mapping and community engagement tools, help from experts who will share best practices, and access to industry partners, such as ISPs and engineers. In addition to these and other information perks, communities accepted to the program will have the benefit of Neighborly financing at a competitive, below industry rate cost.
Applications were due by September 28th and more than 100 applications indicate that, more than ever, local communities are interested in taking action to improve connectivity. These 35 communities were accepted into the Broadband Accelerator Program:
- Fresno, CA
- Nevada City, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Palo Alto, CA
- Santa Rosa, CA
- Salinas, CA
- Lyons, CO
- Madison, CT
- Jacksonville, FL
- New Orleans, LA
- Brockton, MA
- Cambridge, MA
- Millinocket, East Millinocket & Medway, ME (on behalf of Katahdin Broadband Utility)
- Windham, ME (on behalf of Lakes Region Broadband Partnership)
- Blue Hill, Brooksville, Deer Isle, Penobscot & Sedgwick, ME (on behalf of Peninsula Utility for Broadband)
- Metuchen, NJ
- Cleveland, OH
- Portland, OR
- Harrisburg, PA
- Block Island, RI
- Sweetwater, TN
- Baird, TX
- Ashland, VA
- Manquin, VA
- Richmond, VA
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Enosburgh, VT
- Sauk County, WI
- Laramie, WY
To get started, communities will receive curriculum from experts in municipal broadband and related policy, including our Christopher Mitchell, Deb Socia from Next Century Cites, and Blair Levin, Senior Fellow of the Metropolitan Policy Program at the Brookings Institute. Read more about the list of lecturers for the first cohort.
Listen to Christopher’s conversation with Jase and Lindsey for episode 320 of the Community Broadband Bits podcast.
Congrats to these local communities who took the chance, applied, and now have access to tools and financing to help them achieve their vision.
This article was originally published on ILSR’s MuniNetworks.org. Read the original here.
