Grant Program For Broadband Internet!

As part of President Obama's stimulus plan there is a grant program that has been started to increase broadband internet access! The first of these grants are supposed to start this month - April 2009!

$8 Billion Dollars has been earmarked for this grant program although the details haven't been fully finalized on how this grant funding will be spent and who will qualify for the grants.

There has been a lot of interest in this particular grant program from lobbyists, telecommunications service providers and community organizers.

The funding agency said it plans to have three rounds of funding for broadband grants, with the first funds available as early as next month through June. The grants must be awarded by Sept. 30, 2010 and the government must ensure that the projects are mostly complete within two years. Applicants must also show the project would not have occurred if not for this funding program.

Part of the reason for this funding program is to generate jobs right away; workers will be needed to dig more trenches to lay down fiber and put up more cell towers. It is also a key to creating valuable high-paying jobs in the future that can help lift troubled economies.

There will be three agencies that will be in charge of the funding program which will oversee $4.7 billion in funding!. The U.S. Department of Agriculture will distribute $2.5 billion in grants and loans. The FCC has been given $350 million to create a better data collection system with a mapping program showing what services are provided in every geography of the nation. The FCC is also supposed to come up with a plan within one year to bring broadband Internet to all Americans. The remainder of the $8 billion will go to administration costs, subsidy programs for low-income users, and audits of the grants.

But before doling out the money, the agencies said they will host a series of public meetings to get comments about how best to implement the program. The agency decided to host the public meetings after receiving more than 2,000 requests for private meetings from telecom companies and other interested parties!

At the hearings and on the agency's public comments web site, interested parties can make recommendations. The funding plan was broadly worded in a way that can include wireless, fiber optic and cable networks and the agencies said they will take into consider which technologies make the most sense from an economic and technological perspective for the area served.

Updates!

The Washington Post also noted that under the stimulus law, the "first funds" for broadband expansion must start flowing between April and June of this year! All grants must be awarded by Sept. 30, 2010, and the broadband projects are supposed to be almost complete within two years.

The administration says it is soliciting comments from interested parties on a wide range of topics, including the criteria for awarding grants and who will be eligible to receive them.

It just goes to show you that I am not the only one that knows that there are government grant programs out there to be had for the small businesses! Here is a link to an article written by someone else who knows that there are government (and other) grant programs out there for the small business. I hope you enjoy reading the article and I hope that it convinces you that there are indeed government grant programs out there for those that have (or are thinking about starting) a small business!

Government Grant Program For Removal of Lead Paint In Homes!

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has issued A Federal Grant award in the amount of $7 Million Dollars to one city to help eliminate lead hazards in the homes of low-income households. This grant money is expected to help more than 500 families over the next three years. (So far this grant program has helped over 700 families in the local area!)

To qualify for one of the individual grants

• the home must have children under the age of 6
  
  
• the home must be owner-occupied or rental housing built before 1978
  
  
• Families are eligible if their household income is at 80 percent or below the median income, or $63,200 for a family of four.

The individual grant awards are at a maximum of $10,000 per individual grant award and the home repairs / improvements may include the replacement of lead paint-contaminated doors and windows or removal of the paint itself, followed by repainting.

For more information about this government grant program you can contact the Housing Commission by the phone number that they have included or you can send them an email via the email address that was given.



Government Grant Programs For Housing?

In their continuing efforts to help people to not become homeless the government has grant programs for housing which should be available in most states. If you need help for building a new home, financial assistance help with your mortgage or you need financial help to help pay your rent then you should look into what the government grant programs may have to offer you! They have government grant programs that help provide financial relief for those that are having problems paying their rent, if you need a low interest loan to help construct your own home!, and government programs for special prices for homes and apartments.

This is probably another one of the reasons that real estate investors have been applying for government grants relating to housing! For instance homeowners may be eligible to apply for government programs where they get reimbursed for providing discounted rent to low income families!

People who want to build their own home can get housing grants and loans. People who can afford small amount of down payment can build homes through sweat equity and get low interest home owner funds and loans.