State Capacity Building:

The Montana Department of Commerce (MDOC) will use this funding to create a state broadband program, directing state-wide efforts to support broadband growth and adoption. The Montana Broadband Program will support a Broadband Task Force, which will place special emphasis on rural and tribal concerns. Funding will also support research and identification of the barriers to broadband availability and adoption.

Local Regional Technology Planning Teams:

MDOC will work in partnership with Montana’s Certified Regional Development Corporations (CRDCs) and Tribal Governments to support the development of regional broadband planning teams. With support from an MDOC employee and the local CRDC, each team will inventory local resources, identify areas for improvement, and provide specific technical assistance to create locally-owned state and federally supported technology plans.

Collection, Integration, and Validation:

This project was originally funded for broadband planning activities and two years of data collection. In September of 2010, this project was amended to extend data collection activities for an additional three years and to identify and implement best practices.

Address File Development:

Montana proposes to partner with 16 counties and 7 tribal governments to geocode current cadastral information in an efficient and cost-effective manner.