KwiKom Communications of Iola will soon make a $4 million investment in Allen and Coffey counties thanks to an injection of vital grant funding via the Kansas Broadband Acceleration Grant.
The grants will be used to expand high-speed broadband in currently unserviced areas of the two counties. The awards total $950,000 for each county and requires a 50/50 match. “With the help of monies pledged by Allen County and the City of Humboldt, it’s actually just under a 50/50 match for Allen County,” said KwiKom Director of Business Development David Soffer.
John Terry, KwiKom Director of Government Affairs and Business, visited with Allen County Commissioners in mid-February seeking a monetary pledge and letter of support.
The commissioners pledged $1,000 to go towards the matching portion, contingent upon KwiKom receiving the grant. Similarly, the City of Humboldt pledged $2,000. “We also received many letters of support from school districts, county officials, businesses, and individuals that we sent to the state,” added Soffer. “We had a large showing of support for which we are very grateful.”
Soffer noted that the remainder of the matching portion has been funded privately through KwiKom and no further fundraising is needed.
Governor Laura Kelly announced the grant recipients in late-July. She noted that $10 million has been awarded to 12 Internet Service Providers across 14 counties in the state, with an additional $12.7 million in matching funds. Kelly stated that the investment for high-speed broadband access projects in Kansas totals nearly $22.7 million.
“By connecting every region of the state to reliable high-speed internet, we can ensure Kansans have the resources to invest in themselves and our state,” Kelly said. “Broadband drives innovation, unlocks potential, and ensures everyone can participate in services essential for economic, educational, and industrial growth.”
INITIATED in 2020, the Broadband Acceleration Grant is a 10-year, $85 million program designed to bring essential internet access to Kansas communities.
Administered by the Kansas Office of Broadband Development and funded through the Kansas Department of Transportation’s Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program (IKE), this latest round of grants brings the program’s total investment for broadband infrastructure to more than $41.5 million.
“Focusing on economically distressed areas, these awards are designed to meet the need for all Kansans to have access to high-speed internet,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Expanding opportunities for remote work, education, and fuller participation in the digital economy makes broadband infrastructure projects in alignment with our goal to make Kansas the best state to live, work, and raise a family.”
The projects were selected after review by an executive committee and public comment. Comments and community feedback are considered during the selection process.
Soffer noted the funding will bring high-speed broadband service to 159 locations near Gas.
“Over 80% of those in that area do not have basic service,” he stated. In Coffey County, the funding will help bring service to 173 locations near the Jacob’s Creek area.
Looking forward, Soffer says the next step is signing the agreement with the state in the next two to three weeks. “Then we will begin the engineering process and break ground later this year,” he said.
KwiKom hopes to have services up and running not too long after and begin connecting people by the middle of 2025. “We are very grateful for this funding and are excited to get people in these rural areas connected to high-speed broadband,” said Soffer.
