ARRA grants will enable broadband mapping and planning

Des Moines, IA- Recently, Iowa received a match grant of approximately $2.2 million from the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to support a comprehensive broadband mapping and planning initiative through the Connect Iowa program.

Connect Iowa (www.connectiowa.org) is a partnership between the Iowa Broadband Deployment Governance Board, the Iowa Utilities Board and Connected Nation to increase broadband Internet access throughout rural Iowa. The grant is comprised of $1.7 million for broadband data collection and mapping activities over a two-year period and almost $500,000 for broadband planning activities over a five-year period in Iowa, bringing the total grant award to approximately $2.2 million. The award provided through NTIA's State Broadband Data and Development Grant Program is a matching grant and part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The data collected from the Connect Iowa initiative will be displayed in the national broadband map, which will help inform policymakers and provide consumers with improved information on broadband Internet services available in the United States.

Robert Berntsen, Chair of the Iowa Utilities Board, noted the importance of the grant by stating, "The Iowa Broadband Map is the foundation upon which policy leaders and industry will build a plan to bring high-speed Internet access to the unserved and underserved parts of Iowa."

As part of the Connect Iowa initiative, Connected Nation will be implementing a brand new interactive mapping tool for viewing, analyzing and validating broadband data. Called BroadbandStat, the new interactive mapping platform is a multi-functional, user-friendly way for local leaders, policymakers, consumers and technology providers to devise a plan for the expansion and adoption of broadband. BroadbandStat was developed by Connected Nation in conjunction with ESRI, the world market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software.

BroadbandStat is unique because it allows a user to build and evaluate broadband expansion scenarios using a wealth of data, including education and population demographics, current broadband speeds and availability and research about the barriers to adoption. The tool also provides an instant feedback mechanism for consumers to validate broadband data electronically or via phone.

"We are pleased to be working with the Iowa Utilities Board and the Iowa Broadband Deployment Governance Board to help create a comprehensive broadband map in the state of Iowa," said Brian R. Mefford, Connected Nation's chief executive officer. "We applaud NTIA for working diligently to create a national broadband map and are honored to have been selected to help Iowa in its efforts to close the digital divide in the state."

As the organization that produced the nation's first accurate statewide broadband availability map in 2005, Connected Nation is a prominent voice for the nation's need for better broadband data. Connected Nation has worked closely with national leaders and provided numerous filings in support of a process for broadband data collection at the national level.

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Washington, DC - Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa) announced today the city of Davenport will receive a $983,300 grant from the Department of Energy for energy efficiency and conservation projects.  This funding is from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, which provides grants for projects that reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency across the country.  The grant was awarded as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

"I'm pleased to announce more than $983,000 to help create jobs and move Iowa towards a stronger energy-efficient future," Braley said.  "During these tough economic times, grants like this will play a critical role in putting Iowans back to work, creating good-paying jobs that can't be outsourced and moving our country away from our addiction to foreign oil."

Activities eligible for EECBG funding include energy audits and building retrofits in the residential and commercial sector, the development and implementation of advanced building codes and inspections, and the creation of financial incentive programs for energy efficiency improvements.

For more information on Stimulus projects in the First District, please click here.

Scott County ag learning program becomes "hit of the [Mississippi Valley] Fair" with Farm Bureau's help

WEST DES MOINES, IOWA - Sept. 3, 2009 - Since 2005, the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) Community Enhancement Grant program has awarded 102 grants - totaling more than $100,000 - to neighborhood organizations around the state.  Today, Farm Bureau continues its tradition of building community strength by announcing its support for four rescue and education programs in Taylor, Clinton, Scott and Madison counties.

"Safety and education programs provide Iowa communities with stable foundations," said IFBF Community Resources Director Barb Lykins.  "Farm Bureau helps reinforce those foundations by actively supporting the local people and organizations that make those programs work."

In Davenport, Anything's Kaasa-ble, an area non-profit organization that educates youth about poultry and egg farming, received $500 from Iowa Farm Bureau and $500 from Scott County Farm Bureau to establish an ABC's of Learning Animal Birthing Center.  For the past ten years, Anything's Kaasa-ble co-founders Gary and Denise Kaasa have visited North Scott schools, sharing information about a chicken's life cycle and bringing in eggs for students to watch them hatch.  The annual visits have become a hit, and this year the Kaasas were invited to bring their show to the Mississippi Valley Fair.

"We were told by members of the fair board that we were the hit of the fair!" said Gary.  "A couple days after the end of the fair the general manager [of the fair] called to say that he wants us back next year."  The Kaasas' next goal is to broaden the presentation's theme, focus on the role farmers play in the care and production of livestock and start an Animal Birthing Center similar to the Iowa State Fair's Animal Learning Center.  The grant from Farm Bureau will help the couple reach that goal.

"Farm Bureau realized this was an important project, and they were among the first to jump in," said Gary.  "They did a lot for us, and it's very much appreciated."

Agriculture education also got a lift in Winterset, where the schools' ag and science department received two $1,000 grants, one from Iowa Farm Bureau and one from Madison County Farm Bureau, to purchase greenhouse supplies for its new year-round greenhouse for 7th-12th graders.

In Bedford, the city's volunteer ambulance service received $500 from the Iowa Farm Bureau and $470 from the Taylor County Farm Bureau to put toward the purchase of two defibrillators.  Bedford is nearly a half hour away from a hospital, making adequate staff and equipment important to the city and surrounding communities.

In Clinton County, the Welton Volunteer Fire Department got one step closer to its goal of purchasing a 2002 Freightliner Rescue vehicle with the help of a $750 grant from the county Farm Bureau and a matching $750 grant from Iowa Farm Bureau.  The vehicle will replace the department's 1978 rescue van, which services a rural community spanning 40 square miles.

Community Enhancement Grants are awarded on a monthly basis to projects that fall within the four key areas of IFBF's strategic direction: farmers and agriculture; community and rural development; youth and education; and health and wellness. For more information about the program, or to request an application, call your county Farm Bureau office.

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