SD’s Broadband Initiative Awards 22 Community Anchor Institutions with Technology Grants

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Earlier this month, technology grants for projects totaling nearly $200,000 were issued to 22 Community Anchor Institutions (CAIs) across South Dakota. This program is part of the federal Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunication and Information Administration’s (NTIA) State Broadband Initiative (SBI).

“A key goal for the State Broadband Initiative is to increase broadband utilization; these community institutions continue to invest, improve and expand their computer infrastructure and we thank them for helping us accomplish this goal,” said Jim Edman, Deputy Commissioner for the state Bureau of Information and Telecommunications and project manager for the State Broadband Initiative. “Broadband technology can support successes in economic development, energy efficiency, agriculture, education and health care across South Dakota and these grants will help assist community institutions across the state with just that.”
The following institutions were awarded funding through the grant application program. Details below include the CAI and total project costs (including the requirement of the CAI providing a 20 percent matching investment).
  1. Armour School District, Armour ($12,142.07)
  2. Aspire Inc, Aberdeen ($12,360.63)
  3. City of Freeman, Freeman ($11,439.19)
  4. City of Groton, Groton ($6,202.20)
  5. City of Kimball, Kimball ($7,387.60)
  6. City of Webster, Webster ($2,145.00)
  7. Davison County Public Safety, Mitchell ($11,772.59)
  8. Dow Rummel Village, Sioux Falls ($9.088.00)
  9. Elk Mountain School District, Dewey ($9,497.60)
  10. Estelline School District, Estelline ($12,468.75)
  11. Freeman Community Center, Freeman ($10,249.69)
  12. Gregory County, Burke ($3,677.50)
  13. Horizon Health Care, Howard ($10,860.57)
  14. Mitchell Technical Institute, Mitchell ($9,980.00)
  15. Oahe Inc., Pierre ($9,607.40)
  16. Sacred Heart School, Yankton ($12,250.50)
  17. Sisseton Memorial Library, Sisseton ($6,661.20)
  18. Sunset Manor, Irene ($9,862.07)
  19. Wakonda Heritage Manor, Wakonda ($9,702.92)
  20. Webster Public Library, Webster ($4,001.00)
  21. Wessington Springs School District, Wessington Springs ($5,056.88)
  22. YWCA of Huron, Huron ($12,481.50)
Check out the map of the community institutions who were awarded technology grants here. 

Project funding will provide technology improvements in the areas of:
  • Firewalls (a form of cyber security) to protect computers against malware, spyware, viruses and other threatening content. 
  • Network switches to ensure uptime and stability as well as increase network speeds and performance. 
  • Wireless equipment for mobile connectivity and increased performance. 
  • New or additional laptops and desktops to provide access to broadband services.