Our Community Broadband Projects
Creating and implementing fundable business plans for community broadband projects is a speciality of Tellus Venture Associates. Our experience includes:- Financial and technical feasibility studies
- Primary market research to determine demand and community support
- Business case assessment
- Business model and funding development
- Public/private partnerships
- Reference designs
- RFP development and support
Tellus Venture Associates managed grant applications in both rounds of the broadband stimulus program. We were responsible for a broadband infrastructure stimulus grant application to NTIA for a $50 million project on behalf of the Central Coast Broadband Consortium (CCBC) in California. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger endorsed the proposal, and formally requested that NTIA fund it, as did Congressman Sam Farr, State Senator Abel Maldonado and Assemblyman Bill Monning, who represent the three county region.
We also prepared a grant request for $5 million in matching funds for the project from the California Advanced Services Fund, which is managed by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). The CPUC commissioners unanimously approved the grant at their 20 November 2009 meeting.
Assistance was provided to other clients, including the City of Los Angeles and the City of Oakland, in assessing and preparing stimulus grant requests.
Matching Grants from the State of California
In addition to the California Advanced Services Fund, which is managed by the CPUC, the California Emerging Technology Fund has offered matching grants to federal broadband stimulus grant applicants. Neither CPUC or CETF have formal application packages, but the application requirements are here:
CASF grant application details
CASF grant application summary
CETF online application
CETF grant application summary
More information is available from the California Advanced Services Fund and California Emerging Technology Fund web sites.
