Consortia Grant Program
Fourteen regional broadband consortia are funded and have started operations, thanks to votes on 1 December 2011 and 16 February 2012 by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). Click on the map above for more information on these regional broadband champions. Information is also available regarding the nine California counties that have not yet applied.
The commissioners unanimously approved all fourteen grants, including language that gives an extra million dollars to the umbrella consortium and five sub-consortia that cover Los Angeles County.
The money is coming from the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF), a program established by the state legislature to extend high-speed broadband service throughout California.
The California regional broadband consortia initiative began with the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF). Thirteen of the fifteen applicants received early seed funding and other assistance from CETF, and coordinated their applications to avoid overlaps. All of the consortia nurtured by CETF were funded through the CASF program.
Tellus Venture Associates
Tellus Venture Associates prepared the successful grant application for the Central Coast Broadband Consortium, and collaborated with other CETF-sponsored consortia during the application process. In 2009 and 2010, we developed the business plan for a 300 mile fiber optic network on California's central coast and managed a successful $5 million CASF infrastructure grant application to help fund it. We also advise several cities that are members of the East Bay Broadband Consortium and other municipal and community broadband projects around California.
We are available to assist other regional broadband consortia with new or pending requests. The CPUC has said that applications will be accepted after the first round deadline, and considered based on funding availability.
Background
The CPUC approved specific grant requirements for the regional broadband consortia program established in 2010 by Senate Bill 1040, after years of development work by CETF. The grants are funded through the California Advanced Services Fund (CASF). Qualifying regional consortia could apply for up to $150,000 in funding for each of three years ($450,000 total).
The first round of applications were filed on 22 August 2010. Fifteen consortia covering 49 of California's 58 counties requested funds. On 1 November 2011, a draft resolution was released by the CPUC naming seven consortia as approved, a recommendation which was adopted by the Commission on 1 December 2011. One application was rejected outright. The second batch of seven were recommended for funding by CPUC staff and approved on 16 February 2012.
