Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) announced a joint project to distribute over $115 million in grants to local and Indigenous communities through the DOA’s Flexible Facilities Program (FFP) for the construction and renovation of public libraries and community centers throughout the state.
The project is funded through the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund (CPF) as part of the American Rescue Plan Act passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden in 2021. According to the Office of the Governor, these grants will go toward funding public facility expansion or improvement projects designed to provide reliable broadband access to local libraries, community centers and multi-purpose community facilities.
Evers said that the state is working to build the 21st-century infrastructure and workforce that Wisconsin needs, including expanding access to high-speed internet.
“Every Wisconsinite should have access to reliable, affordable, high-speed internet, and these investments will help build upon our work to close the digital divide, especially in our rural areas and communities,” Evers said. “I’m incredibly proud to be working alongside our dedicated state agencies and federal partners to help bolster our public infrastructure, including supporting our libraries and community centers and expanding access to critical services for folks in every corner of our state.”
While no local communities received money from the grants to make improvements in Winnebago County, the City of Ripon received nearly $2 million to assist with public library renovations, which are estimated to help give over 7,600 people access to high-speed internet. The funding received from the grants will go towards expanding the existing library through the addition of telemedicine rooms for healthcare monitoring and appointments, computer labs and a large multi-purpose space.
The Village of Fremont received $4.25 million to help build a tri-county public library and community center, which is estimated to help over 2,100 people from low-income families, as well as seniors and youth. The library and community center will have three telemedicine rooms, a senior center and a computer lab with 10 desktop computers. The project will also feature spaces that supposed to enable remote access to work, education and health monitoring, study rooms, a dedicated teen space, a STEM space and an indoor children’s play area.
The City of New London was given $3.9 million as part of the FFP to assist with public library renovations and improvements, which are estimated to help over 15,000 people. The funding will go towards the expansion of an existing library space to include six classrooms, a science lab,and three computer labs with 30 desktop computers. The library will also have increased broadband speed and technology that, according to the Office of the Governor, will address digital equity gaps.
U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) said that she’s thrilled to work with state and local partners to expand internet access in Wisconsin communities.
“Access to reliable internet is a necessity for Wisconsinites across the state to attend school, make doctor appointments, manage their farms and run their businesses,” Baldwin said.
The state of Wisconsin received $189 million from the U.S. Department of Treasury for the FFP, the CPF Broadband Infrastructure Grant Program and the Digital Connectivity and Navigators Program at the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to improve high-speed internet access and affordability in local communities.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is making significant progress nationwide to ensure Americans have access to high-speed internet and close the digital divide,” U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo said. “With these resources, Wisconsin families and small business owners will gain access to new economic opportunities and vital services like healthcare and education.”
The projects that the grants will fund are intended to serve disadvantaged populations in Wisconsin who were disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and who have limited or no access to broadband. The state said the funded projects must provide new or expanded facilities, broadband/high-speed internet service, digital connectivity equipment and devices that will enable remote access to work, education and health monitoring resources.
The FFP was open to all local governments and Indigenous governments in Wisconsin, with the maximum award for the grant being $4.25 million.
Evers has directed over $200 million in federal funds to broadband expansion after creating the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Access in 2020 to advise the governor and the state legislature on broadband actions, policies and strategies to expand high-speed internet in Wisconsin.
“We’ve seen a lot of interest in these projects to remove barriers and expand vital broadband services for Wisconsinites,” DOA Secretary Kathy Blumenfeld said. “I’m excited about the variety of projects these grants will help support across the state.”
