Monday, January 8th 2024, 5:02pm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Town of Nederland and Gilpin County are thrilled to announce the successful approval of our Capital Project Fund (CPF) grant application, in collaboration with Maverix Broadband, Inc., to extend fiber optic broadband services to Nederland, Gilpin County, and parts of Unincorporated Boulder County. The Colorado Broadband Office has awarded our project a total amount of $8, 667, 692.00, marking a significant stride towards bridging the digital divide in the region.
The Advance-CPF application process, initiated in June and concluded in September 2023, saw an overwhelming response with 112 applications requesting over $642 million across 47 counties. The selection process, guided by various criteria, including the percentage of eligible unserved locations, cost efficiency, community engagement, and alignment with Executive Order 2022-023, reflects the commitment to equitable broadband access.
The Town of Nederland and Gilpin County acknowledge the pivotal role played by Maverix Broadband, Inc. and thank them as the grant recipient, leading the charge in expanding high-speed internet infrastructure. The grant funding will empower us to reach 2,725 addresses in areas classified as un- or underserved, fostering educational, economic, and healthcare accesses while promoting digital inclusion.
"We are delighted with the approval of the CPF grant, which will significantly enhance the digital landscape in Nederland, Gilpin County, and Unincorporated Boulder County. This aligns with our broader mission of advancing community well-being through accessible and reliable broadband services," said Miranda Fisher, Nederland Town Administrator.
"This announcement is an amazing recognition of the strong leadership of the BoCC and the commitment of County staff and our partners to make reliable broadband access a reality, which became our highest priority goal after the school swatting incident of February 2023 exposed weaknesses in this area. This is just the start of a long overdue effort to increase access to the 4th utility across rural Gilpin County and our neighbors," said Ray Rears, Gilpin County Manager.
The attached map illustrates the areas earmarked for coverage under this grant funding, emphasizing the expansion's reach and impact. Maverix Broadband will spearhead the implementation, and the Town of Nederland has allocated $40,000 in matching funders under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to support direct installations in Nederland residents' homes. Gilpin County has allocated $500,000 in 2024 towards efforts to further expand high-speed internet infrastructure, redundancy, and resiliency.
This milestone reinforces the Town of Nederland's and Gilpin County's commitment to collaborative regional partnerships and to spearheading transformative initiatives, positioning our communities and the region for a commented and prosperous future. We express gratitude to all stakeholders involved in this collaborative effort and look forward to the positive outcomes this project will bring to the residents of Nederland, Gilpin, and the surrounding areas.
For further information about the project in the Town of Nederland and Unincorporated Boulder County, please contact: Miranda Fisher, Town Administrator - townadmin@nederlandco.org
For further information about the project in Gilpin County, please contact: Jamie Boyle, Grant Manager and Broadband Project Lead - jboyle@gilpincounty.org