Commission Awards Grant for Kentucky's Statewide Broadband Initiative

Earlier this month, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) granted $900,000 to ConnectKentucky in support of Prescription for Innovation Kentucky's statewide broadband initiative. The funds will be used to support the expansion of broadband infrastructure and technology adoption throughout the Appalachian region.

Launched in 2004, Gov. Ernie Fletcher's Prescription for Innovation In October 2004, the Governor launched the Prescription for Innovation, which called for broadband to cover the entire state by 2007. This statewide broadband initiative brings together federal, state, and local government entities, universities with the goals of blanketing Kentucky with high-speed Internet access, encouraging citizens to use computers and the Internet and providing every community in the state with an online presence to promote service to the citizen and economic development.

To better understand the existing condition at the community level, ConnectKentucky, in partnership with the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority, has generated a map-based inventory of Kentucky's existing broadband service infrastructure, creating the most sophisticated and comprehensive broadband technology maps of any state in the nation. These maps illustrate where gaps need to be filled and also provide each community with an economic development asset for demonstrating where current infrastructure exists.

In addition, local technology leadership teams are being created to begin addressing the gaps illustrated by the maps and to begin to address all "Five A's" towards accelerating technology in Kentucky: Availability, Awareness, Applications, Affordability, and Adoption. Ultimately, Governor Fletcher's Prescription for Innovation strives to create a statewide environment where citizens, businesses, and governments are using technology towards greater opportunity.