Broadband initiative success stories shared with Blandin leadership

Community leaders from Aitkin met with Bernadine Joselyn and Mary Magnuson of Blandin Foundation, and Bill Coleman from Community Technology Resources in Aitkin on July 21.

The group met to share success stories and celebrate the first round of Blandin Broadband Communities (BBC) success stories.

The BBC program is an intensive, two-year partnership between rural Minnesota communities (cities, counties, tribes or other self-identified communities of interest or place) and the foundation. Selected communities work through a proven process to define their technology goals, measure current levels of broadband access and use, and seek technical assistance and resources to meet their goals.

Each BBC has the opportunity apply to Blandin Foundation for matching grants (around $75,000) for locally developed projects that advance community identified technology goals over the two-year project period.

Economic development committee members and community members involved in local broadband projects  shared their success stories, and affirmed the economic value of the initiative to the county.

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