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The internet is the backbone of the economy.

Unfortunately, too many people and businesses in Greater Minnesota lack access to the broadband service needed to fully engage in the regional, national, and international economies, as well as social and community life.

The state has a goal for all Minnesotans to have access to high-quality broadband with 100MBPS download speed and 20MBPS upload speed by 2026. In the seven metro-area counties, more than 98% of properties have access to broadband service that meets the state goal. In Greater Minnesota, counties range from 99% access to less than 30%. The GMNP supports full funding of the 2026 goal, as well as policies designed to address the needs of underserved properties.

Read the full list of 2024 GMNP policy priorities

State Broadband Funding

After aggressive advocacy by the GMNP, the Legislature created the Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant program in 2014. This program provides a 50% match to communities, co-ops, nonprofits or private providers who wish to expand broadband in “unserved” (no broadband service) or “underserved” (poor service) areas.  Since its creation, the program has received over $300 million in state funding, including $100 million in 2024-2025.  During the 2023 Legislative session GMNP advocated for changes to programs intended to address gaps in broadband coverage including:  

  • Pilot of a Lower Population Density Grant Program that allows the state to provide up to a 75% match for broadband projects in unserved and underserved areas of the state.  The state legislature allocated $50 million for this pilot across 2024-2024.   
  • Creation of the Broadband Line Extension Connection Program – to award grants for the extension of existing broadband infrastructure to unserved locations.  The state legislature appropriated $15 million for this program in 2023.   

Federal Funding -Internet for All 

The Federal Government is making approximately $65 billion available for broadband nationwide through two programs: 

Minnesota will receive a formula-based allocation for each program and was required to develop a plan for how it will spend its allocation.  Minnesota’s BEAD allocation is $651,839,368.   

  • The MN Legislature has directed that any federal BEAD funds will flow through the existing Border-to-Border programs, however, the federal BEAD program has priorities that the Initial Proposals must met: 
  • Priority #1: Service to all unserved locations (those identified on FCC maps as not having broadband service at speeds of at least 25Mbps download/3Mbps upload from broadband service provided over a wired connection or licensed fixed wireless) 
  • Priority #2: Service to all underserved locations (those identified on FCC maps as having broadband service of at least 25/3 but not at or above 100/20 over a wired or licensed fixed wireless service) 
  • Priority #3: Gigabit symmetrical service to Community Anchor Institutions

The Office of Broadband Development has estimated that all funding available will be needed to address Priorities #1 and #2. 

It will be important as the state works to deploy federal broadband resources, to ensure that Greater Minnesota communities are actively participating in the process to ensure that this one-in-a-lifetime investment does not pass any rural communities by.