Tool matches partners for broadband grants

The two federal agencies charged with handing out $7.2 billion in grants to spur broadband access and adoption launched a new online tool Thursday aimed at helping those interested in applying for the broadband grants to find potential partners. BroadbandMatch was created by the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Agriculture Department's Rural Utilities Service to assist those who may want to seek out partnerships in an effort to improve their expertise and chances of obtaining one of the broadband grants.

The new tool allows any company, nonprofit, state or local government or individual interested in apply for a broadband grant through NTIA or RUS to post a profile with information about what they would bring to a grant proposal application. It also allows those seeking a partner to search criteria to find an entity that matches their needs. "In the first funding round, many applicants wanted to form partnerships but didn't know how best to locate other organizations with similar aims and complementary resources," NTIA Administrator Lawrence E. Strickling said in a statement, adding that the new online tool is aimed at addressing this need.

In the coming weeks, RUS and NTIA will be announcing the rules for the second and last round of broadband funding, which was included in the economic stimulus package passed last year.