The Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) is encouraging rural Iowa communities to submit their applications for future expansion of broadband internet access in the less-populated areas of the state. The Invitation to Qualify (ITQ) application period opened earlier this week and allows community leaders to propose areas that should be next in line for the latest round of Empower Rural Iowa broadband grant funding. Selected areas will be classified as “Broadband Intervention Zones” and will be prioritized for resource allocation. Iowa Chief Information Officer Matt Behrens says, “We believe the ITQ application process is a first of its kind in the country and unique to Iowa. The ITQ lets Iowans tell stakeholders and decision makers where they want to see broadband build-out occur.” Since its creation, Empower Rural Iowa has encouraged millions of dollars of investment through public/private partnerships, including substantial completed, ongoing, and planned projects in the Carroll Broadcasting listening area. Links with more information about the program and details on how to complete the ITQ application are included below.
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Broadband | Office of the Chief Information Officer
