USDA Rural Utilities Service Community Connect Grant

1. USDA Rural Utilities Service Community Connect Grant Lauren Harris Broadband Florida Initiative Grants Assistance Team Department of Management Services Division of Telecommunications October 10, 2012

2. Webinar Topics • Overviewof the grant • What are the features of a winning proposal? • What is involved in applying for this grant? • How does a community get started? • Stepsto creating a successful proposal • What is the Broadband Grants Team?

3. About the USDA RUS Community Connect Grant

4. Purpose The Community Connect Grant Program is designed to provide financial assistance to furnish broadband service in rural, economically-challenged communities where such service does not currently exist.

5. Define Broadband • Broadband Transmission Service -providing an information-rate equivalent to at least 200 kilobits/second in the consumer’s connection to the network, both from the provider to the consumer (downstream) and from the consumer to the provider (upstream). • Includes any of the following (with minimum 200 kbps ↕) • 3G & 4G (Mobile) • Combination • Fixed Wireless • Cable • Fiber • DSL

6. Purpose Grant funds may be utilized to: • Deploy broadband transmission service to critical community facilities, rural residents, and rural businesses • Construct, acquire, or expand a community center • Equip and operate a community center that provides free access to broadband services to community residents for at least two years

7. Purpose • Community Center: • 10 computers for the community center, etc. • Building construction • Facility improvements What is Funded? • Broadband System: • Network equipment • Outside plant • CPE, towers • Tower lease • Engineering service • Operating Expenses: • Salaries • Maintenance costs

8. Funding Over 3 years: • Minimum grant request amount is: $100,000 • Maximum grant request amount is: $1,500,000 Match: • At least 15% of the grant amount requested • Matching contributions are for allowable costs that can be financed with grant funds

9. Who can apply? Eligible Entities Include: • Incorporated organization • Indian Tribe or tribal organization, as defined in 25 U.S.C. 450b(b) and (c) • State or local unit of government • A cooperative, private corporation or limited liability company organized on a for-profit or not-for-profit basis.

10. What are the features of a winning proposal?

11. No Florida community has ever received this grant. Why?

12. Scoring: Plan to Win Assess whether the community meets the objective criteria. Develop plans specifically to meet the grant requirements. Secure community buy-in.

13. Scoring Objective The application scoring is based on three (3) criteria: • Rurality(up to 40 points) • Economic Need (up to 30 points) • Benefits Derived (up to 30 points) Subjective Sample Ideal Community Profile (60/70 points) • Under 1,000 Residents • Community Median Household Income (MHI) ≤$26,213.55 (55th percentile or lower)

14. Objective Criteria Rurality (40 Points) is based on population. • Smallest communities are best positioned to receive funding

15. Objective Criteria Economic Need (30 Points) is based on avg. income. • Communities with MHI in the 60th percentile or lower are best positioned to receive funding. (Percentile = Community MHI/ State MHI) Median Household Income for Florida (2006-2010) is $47,661. (U.S. Census Bureau) Applicant Community MHI must be $35,745.75 or lower to qualify.

16. Florida CommunitiesNeeds Assessment

17. Subjective Scoring:Points to Consider When Planning Benefits Derived (30 Points) are outlined in narrative. • Discuss issues and challengesfacing this community and how the applicant’s proposal will address them • Document community’s involvement in project planning, implementation, and supportby local residents, institutions, and critical community facilities • Describe how the community center will be usedfor instructional purposes including Internet usage • List Web-based community resources enabled or provided at the Community Center

18. Getting started with your community. Starting the Planning Process Resource Development Grant Proposal: Develop, Review, Submit

19. Plan to Plan • Leadership First • Identify stakeholders • Identify Project Lead • Decide who will “push the button” • Timeline your process • Create project management structure • Communication plan • Internal and external resources • Set up and create permissions for Dropbox, SharePoint, and other resources • Set up shop • Create/ register entity, as needed • Apply for DUNS, SAM, CCR/ CAGE code, etc., as needed • Make sure your “button-pusher” has requisite permissions well in advance. Registration may take up to 2 weeks for each password or login code.

20. Resource Development • Resource the community • Community buy-in is important • Identify existing resources • Human capital • Real Estate • Other • Vendors • Can assist in match • May serve as applicant • Engineering assessments • Government Resources • REDI • Broadband Florida Grants Team • DivTel with FL DMS

21. Grant Proposal: Develop, Review, Submit Standard Form 424 • Download this form* • Enter information as required by the form/ FOA: • Contact information • Brief descriptive title • Congressional District • Amount Requested • Budgetary information for the applicant entity • Upload attachment documents as PDF files Upload * This form must be downloaded from the funding opportunity announcement page. If you use an old version, it might not be right.

22. SF424: Download the most current version Form content changes from year to year Some areas may require both paste-in and uploaded content

23. Grant Proposal: Develop, Review, Submit Executive SummaryDescribing the following: • Project (as a whole) • Applicant Entity • Project Goals • Overview of telecom system to be developed (include equipment, technologies, facilities, etc.) • Describe procedure to determine unavailability of service* • Community partners *The Grants Assistance Team has done a basic needs assessment of communities in Florida. Additional research by applicant communities is needed regarding potential expansion by local vendors.

24. Document Scoring:Sources of Information for Objective Criteria ► DOWNLOAD THE WORKSHEET FROM THE USDA WEBSITE • Broadband Bandwidth and Rurality(based on population) • FCC Data files • Broadband Florida Initiative Mapping Project • Applicants must further confirm regional vendors have no intent to expand into the applicant community. • Economic Need (based on Median Household Income) • US Census Fact Finder • S1903: MEDIAN INCOME IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS (IN 2010 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS), 2010 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates (http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml)

25. Grant Proposal: Develop, Review, Submit System Design • Narrative describing community center • Engineering design studies • Technical specs • Data rates • Cost • Map of Service Area • Community Center • Critical Community Facilities Scope of Work • Specific Activities • Project Timeline • Budget and supporting documents Community-Oriented Connectivity Plan • List critical facilities (libraries, schools, clinics, fire stations, etc.) • How will services be deployed? • List equipment • Role of telecom carrier in deployment

26. Grant Proposal: Develop, Review, Submit Financial Information & Sustainability: • Narrative demonstrating sustainability in resources, funding plan, and expertise • Certified financial documents • 5 years of Pro Forma financial info for applicant and project, including income collected (past and projected budget) Statement of Experience • Narrative format • Describe capacity to operate the proposed telecom system • Must include owner and principal employees relevant work experience Evidence of Legal Authority and Existence • May include articles of incorporation, bylaws, excerpts from state statutes, etc. (see FOA for full list)

27. Grant Proposal: Develop, Review, Submit Funding Commitments from Other Sources • Letters of Support • Proof of commitment to make minimum 15% match • If in-kind commitment, describe material contribution with detailed values Compliance with Other Federal Statutes and Regulations(upload as attachment PDFs) • Equal Opportunity Employment • Certificate Regarding Architectural Barriers • Certificate Regarding Flood Hazard Area Precautions • Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act • Drug-free Workplace • Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment/ Disclosure of • Non-Duplication of Service Cert. • Fed. Obligations on Delinquent Debt • Environmental Questionnaire • E.O.s 12549/ 12689 Debarment and Suspension

28. Review & Submit! Copy edit Checklist content Review, as needed/ required Load content into SF424 (PDF) and SUBMIT. (Have your grants.gov, DUNS and other login info handy!)

29. Important Dates Projected Dates for FY 2014: • Funding Announcement Released: May 2013 • Submission Deadline: June 2013

30. Broadband Florida InitiativeGrants Assistance Team Who are we? How can we help you?

31. Who we are Broadband Assistance Grants Team • Florida Department of Management Services’ (DMS) • Broadband Florida Initiative • Funded by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)

32. Mission Provide technical assistance for grant application development to Community Anchor Institutions at no cost in Floridain order to: • Reduce the digital divide • Increase the digital economy • Improve Florida’s performance on federal and other competitive grant applications

33. Funds Left On The Table: Florida vs. New York on E-Rate Funding NY Averages 4.5X Funding of Florida Year Over Year since 1998 New York Total Funds Received Since 1998 $3,935,328,996 Billion $955,246,134 Million Florida

34. What can we do? Our services include: • Grants research • Grant writing resources and training • Project management • Partnership development support • Grant funding opportunity announcements • Broadband Grants Digest eNewsletter • Website

35. Who do we assist? Community anchor institutions (CAI) are eligible for our services and are defined by the NTIA as : • Schools • Libraries • Medical and Healthcare Providers • Public Safety • Institutions of Higher Education • Community Support Organizations • Entities that facilitate greater use of broadband services

36. Thank you for joining us. For more information about FREE grants assistance, please contact: Melanie Simmons PhD – Team Lead Melanie.Simmons@dms.myflorida.com(850) 921-1652 Lauren Harris – Grant Writer Lauren.Harris@dms.myflorida.com(850) 922-7503 Kristin Williams – Grant Writer Kristin.Williams@dms.myflorida.com(850) 487-9252 Or learn more on the Broadband Grants Assistance Team website.