February Newsletter Updates
Bead Program Update
The Indiana Broadband Office BEAD Subgrantee Selection process closed on February 12, 2025. The team is reviewing the applications from internet service providers who are bidding on underserved and unserved addresses across the state.
DISCLAIMER: We have not completed scoring but will be in the coming weeks.
Want the full details? Learn more on our Subgrantee Selection webpage.
Upcoming Listening Sessions
The Indiana Broadband Office (IBO) is hosting a series of public listening sessions across the state, and we want to hear from you!
Register here!
These sessions are an opportunity to:
- Get the latest updates on Indiana’s broadband expansion efforts
- Learn about the Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) and Digital Opportunity (DO) programs and what they mean for your community
- Ask questions and share your feedback directly with state broadband officials.
The scheduled sessions are as follows:
Staff Spotlight: Alexxus Smith
"Hello! My name is Alexxus, I go by Lexi most of the time!
I have been a state employee for a little over two years. My favorite thing about working at IBO is the collaborative environment we have.
Outside of work I spend my time tackling my never-ending 'To Be Read' list and summer vegetable gardening."
Digital Opportunity
Coming Soon: The Digital Opportunity Grant Program Application is opening in the spring of 2025! The first allocation of $15,096,770 was awarded on December 1, 2024, by the NTIA (National Telecommunication and Information Administration) to the Indiana Broadband Office (IBO).
Tentative Date: 4/30- Application opens
How to prepare:
- Register for a Unique Entity ID (UEI) at SAM.gov
- Read Indiana’s Digital Equity Plan
- Connect with community members
- Engage with local planning efforts and coalitions
- Visit in.gov/indianabroadband for updates from our office
- Email IndianaBroadband@iot.in.gov to subscribe to our newsletter and receive updates on timelines and application instructions, or if you would like a brief presentation on the grant.
Indiana Connectivity Program/Next Level Connections
In the Indiana Connectivity Program, the 3rd round of final reporting and project closeout continues. The 4th round of projects of the 1st quarter of reporting have been received, and all 49 projects were awarded.
In the Next Level Connections program, the Round 13 bid period collection and Round 14 challenge phase address collection ends on March 3, 2025. The Round 14 Challenge phase will take place from March 10-21.