Iowa State Broadband Office

The office of the Chief Information Officer facilitates broadband infrastructure initiatives.

Their website offers a broadband availability map and information to apply for funding, derived from the American Rescue Plan and local funding.

Broadband programs include the property tax exemption program that provides residents tax exemption for installation of broadband infrastructure to meet federal internet speeds within a specified service area.

The Governor’s Empower Rural Iowa Grant Program has up to $97 million in grant funding available for private ISP’s to apply.

$200 million is anticipated for Iowa to expand broadband infrastructure via the ARPA.

The funding will go towards networks that will facilitate last-mile broadband speeds of 100 Mbps x 100 Mbps or 100 x 20 in cases where the symmetrical option is not feasible due to cost or geography.