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Governor Kristi Noem Announces 24 Broadband Grant Awards

NEWS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, March 30, 2021
CONTACT: Natalie Likness, Governor’s Office of Economic Development

PIERRE, S.D. – Governor Kristi Noem announced today that 24 grants have been awarded to fund broadband projects to better connect unserved and underserved areas across South Dakota. In February, it was announced that $25 million in CARES Act funding was made available for broadband projects that could be completed by the end of 2021. Additionally, South Dakota legislators approved an additional $75 million in one-time state funding to finish connecting the state to high-speed broadband.

“We’re finishing our efforts to connect the entire state to high-speed broadband,” said Governor Kristi Noem.

The following grants were approved:

Alliance Communications
Fairview
$209,195

Ft. Randal Telephone Company
Wagner, Lake Andes, Keystone, Hermosa, Centerville and Viborg
$3,592,629

Interstate Telecommunications Cooperative
Grant County
$1,364,238

James Valley Cooperative Telephone Company
City of Groton
$293,927

Kennebec Telephone Company
Client Hardware
$55,836

Midco Communications
Harrisburg, Rural Tea and Rural Vermillion
$1,052,679

Midstate Communications
Oacoma
$190,966

Mitchell Telecom
Rural E Davison
$346,273

Northern Valley Communications
Brown County, Rural Bristol, Rural Conde
$4,252,653

RC Technologies
Big Stone Lake
$849,865

Santel Communications Cooperative
Beadle County and Rural Davison
$8,657,456

TrioTel Communications
Junius and Fulton
$883,882

Valley FiberCom
Rural Brookings and Kingsbury Counties
$1,549,138

Vast Broadband
Rural Belle Fourche, Spearfish, Yankton and Turner Counties
$1,457,352

Venture Vision
Hand County
$5,768,727

In total, $30.5 million in grant funds was approved for projects totaling more than $56.7 million on broadband upgrades. 5,886 households and 377 businesses will be impacted by the grant dollars, meaning 6,263 locations in total will soon have access to broadband internet.

“High-speed broadband internet has long been a commodity our rural communities have hoped for, and I’m pleased these dollars are helping make that a reality,” said Commissioner Steve Westra, Governor’s Office of Economic Development. “Governor Noem’s steadfast commitment to South Dakotans of today and tomorrow has never been stronger. I’m proud of the work being done to aid in a stronger, brighter South Dakota.”

Full Connect South Dakota grant details can be found at sdgoed.com/public-records/connectsd/.

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