Soon, BroadbandOhio will be implementing a grant program to leverage $793 million in federal Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) funds which were allocated to Ohio by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in June 2023. That money will be used to make sure that every Ohioan has access to a provider that can give them high-speed internet in their home.

 

To make sure that we have identified all unserved and underserved households as part of the BEAD process, BroadbandOhio will be conducting the Ohio BEAD challenge process. The goal of this process is to finalize the map of broadband serviceable locations (BSLs) and identify community anchor institutions that will be eligible for the $793 million in BEAD grants. Units of local government, internet service providers, and nonprofit organizations will all be able to access the portal and submit challenges as to whether a BSL has internet service. BroadbandOhio is once again looking to partner with Ohio’s public libraries so that we can be a resource for those that need help with the challenge process.

 

The OLC will host a webinar with BroadbandOhio Chief Peter Voderberg and Anna Miller, Manager of Digital Equity & Inclusion, on Mon., Dec. 18 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. to cover the process and how your library can help. This webinar is free for OLC members, but you must register to attend. If you are unable to attend this live presentation, the webinar will be recorded and posted on the OLC website.

Register now