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Print Edition StoriesWednesday, January 20, 2010
UMass Lowell picks up broadband adoption funds
By Mass High Tech staff
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The University of Massachusetts Lowell was one of three organizations sharing $63 million in U.S. Department of Commerce grants to expand broadband access and adoption, although the bulk of the money went to projects in Michigan and North Carolina.
UMass Lowell was awarded a $780,000 grant — accompanied by $190,000 in matching funds raised by the school — to promote broadband use among the Lowell area’s large Cambodian population, low-income and at-risk youth, the unemployed, residents without college degrees and seniors. UMass students are expected to work in local computer centers with youths and seniors to develop training and outreach materials.
The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced the grants, which are funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. NTIA’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program provides grants to support the deployment of broadband infrastructure.
NTIA said that it has received nearly 1,800 applications for BTOP funding and is awarding grants on a rolling basis.
Of the $63 million announced today, $34 million is destined to fund two projects in Michigan and $28.2 million is heading for projects in North Carolina.
In December, the city of Boston was awarded a $1.9 million grant to expand broadband access in the city . That award was part of a $182 million batch of grants from NTIA. The city and other agencies are still waiting to hear on other grant applications.
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