Governor Laura Kelly Introduces Program to Provide Broadband Access to Rural and Underserved Communities

~Broadband Acceleration Grant to invest $85 million in statewide funds to broadband expansion~

TOPEKA –Governor Laura Kelly today announced the introduction of the new Broadband Acceleration Grant Program to expand broadband access to rural and underserved communities across the state. This year marks the first time in Kansas history that there has been a concerted, statewide, bipartisan effort to fund increased broadband access.

Over the next ten years, the program seeks to invest $85 million toward bridging the digital divide in Kansas thanks to broadband modernization funding provided through the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE). As the result of swift legislative action, $5 million will be available annually over the next three years, with $10 million annually made available over the following seven years.

“These grants are a critical part of my administration’s work to provide underserved Kansans with the high speed internet they need to compete economically and to improve access to health, education, and commercial tools,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “We are working quickly to ensure our communities, no matter their zip code, are adequately equipped for prosperity and growth, as Kansas continues to rebuild its foundation.”

A maximum of $1 million per grant will go toward funding projects that provide access to high quality, reliable broadband throughout Kansas, with priority given to applications that address unserved areas, economically distressed communities, and areas of compelling need.

“The Office of Rural Prosperity has engaged with thousands of Kansans, and one thing we hear time and time again is that expanding broadband would be a blessing for their communities,” Lieutenant Governor Lynn Rogers said. “Governor Kelly and her administration as a whole are committed to delivering the resources rural Kansans need.”

Broadband Acceleration grants will specifically assist with projects that address priorities for unserved, economically distressed, and service areas with compelling needs.

“These grants will make the difference for so many communities without access to broadband,” Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “We’re looking to assist innovative, forward-thinking organizations and projects through this program, in order to ensure that Kansas communities aren’t just catching up but are pushing forward into the future.”

Applicants are expected to engage community leaders and stakeholders in developing projects that are strategic, scalable, and bridge critical access gaps to support the quality of life considerations and economic viability for Kansas citizens and communities.

“These grants will be very complementary with the work we have undertaken through the SPARK-funded Connectivity Emergency Response Grant projects, which will be completed by year-end.” Stanley Adams, Director of the Office of Broadband Development at the Kansas Department of Commerce, said. “Accelerating broadband deployment is critical for all of us, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and I’m grateful to Governor Kelly for her commitment to our work in broadband development. This new grant program will be a powerful tool in the ongoing mission to get Kansas fully connected.”

The application window will open at 4 p.m. December 7, 2020, with intent to apply due on December 11, 2020, and applications due by noon on January 7, 2021. Broadband Acceleration grant program guidelines and information are available at this link.

A grant application workshop webinar will be offered by the Office of Broadband Development on December 9 at 10:30 a.m. for entities interested in applying for the grant. Those interested in participating can sign up here.

This new grant program is the latest signal of the Kelly administration’s continuing efforts toward increasing connectivity across the state. Previously, Governor Kelly announced nearly $50 million in Connectivity Emergency Response Grant (CERG) funds through the SPARK grant program to underserved communities across the state, with 67 broadband projects designed to address pandemic-related health, education, and business challenges.

Governor Laura Kelly Proclaims November as Native American Indian Heritage Month

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly this month proclaimed November as Native American Indian Heritage Month and encouraged Kansans to strive to learn more about the rich and diverse indigenous cultures of the four tribes of Kansas.

“Native American Indian Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories, and to acknowledge the important contributions of American Indians and indigenous peoples,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “The Kansas tribes are valuable partners to the State, and to the communities and economies near their reservations.”

There are over 570 federally recognized tribes in the United States, and Kansas had once been home to many American Indian tribes. Some of the Tribes that are considered to be native to present day Kansas include the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Comanche, Kansa, Kiowa, Osage, Pawnee, and the Wichita. Kansas was also inhabited by many emigrant tribes. The emigrant Indians are those people who had been moved to a new geographic region after being displaced from their original homelands.

Nearly 30 tribes were given land in the Kansas Territory with the assurance of the federal government that they would not be moved again. However, the Kansas Territory was opened for settlement in 1854 and once again the tribes were forced to move off the land.

Kansas is home to four Indian tribes:

• The Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska located in White Cloud, KS
• The Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas located in Horton, KS
• The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation located in Mayetta, KS
• The Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska located in Reserve, KS

Each tribe has a rich history and works maintain their own language, ceremonies and customs. And, while it is easy to view the tribes from a historic lens by visiting museums and reading history books, it is important to remember that the tribes are modern sovereign governments, as well as citizens of Kansas.

Visit the Kansas Native American Affairs website to learn more about their history, culture and the contemporary operations of their governments. You can also learn more about the Kansas tribes by visiting one of the three tribal museums and the Kansas Museum of History.

View the proclamation here.