Meeker Cooperative and VIBRANT Broadband have been awarded $4 million in grant funding, thanks to Minnesota’s Border-to-Border Broadband Grant and county grants. This funding will extend essential broadband services to underserved rural areas in Minnesota.
The announcement was made by Minnesota’s Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Commissioner Matt Varilek during an event at a construction site in rural French Lake Township. This site is part of a project funded by a previous Border-to-Border Broadband grant awarded to Meeker Cooperative in the ninth round of the program. Alongside Commissioner Varilek, Bree Maki, the Executive Director of the DEED Office of Broadband Development, and Luke Johnson, CEO & General Manager of Meeker Cooperative, emphasized the vital importance of broadband access for rural communities.
“Broadband is a critical piece of modern infrastructure,” stated Commissioner Varilek. “You cannot participate in modern civic life, commerce, or education without access to affordable, fast broadband.”
The $4 million in grant funding will be used for projects in several townships, including Gennessee and Kandiyohi in Kandiyohi County, Paynesville in Stearns County, and Cokato in Wright County. These projects will lay over 170 miles of new fiber, benefiting over 400 rural locations. The upgraded broadband infrastructure will provide enhanced speeds and reliability for services such as e-learning, telemedicine, and business operations in rural areas.
Luke Johnson expressed his gratitude for the funding and underscored the importance of broadband access in rural areas. “Broadband access is more than an internet connection; it’s a lifeline for rural communities. This funding will help us bridge the gap in rural infrastructure costs and extend critical broadband services to homes, farms, and businesses.”
These projects are another step toward narrowing the digital divide and ensuring rural Minnesotans can stay connected to
the world.