The state announced a dollar-for-dollar matching program last year for towns that use some of their federal COVID-19 relief money to build out broadband infrastructure.
Fast forward to today, and .
Almost every town in Vermont got ARPA funds as part of the federal COVID-19 relief effort.
And towns had until the end of May to contribute their ARPA money into the matching grant program.
Rob Fish is with the Vermont Community Broadband Board. He says the state will match each dollar, and the towns can use the money for challenging addresses that aren鈥檛 covered by larger construction grants.
鈥淪o the connection from the pole to the house, if it鈥檚 beyond a standard drop, in many cases that wouldn鈥檛 be covered, but this could bridge that gap," Fish says.
Towns put up a little more than $2.8 million statewide.
鈥淭owns all over the state stepped up and gave what they can. It was just them having skin in the game and just doing what鈥檚 necessary to make this happen, to get Vermonters connected," Fish says.
Calais and Bolton are leading the pack with contributions of $200,000 each 鈥� the maximum total the state will match.
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