Broadband Authority Scoring Criteria
1. Percent by which the applicant will provide tier two broadband access in an unserved area instead of in an area that has tier one service
Important Ohio Residential Broadband Expansion Grant Program Timeline
– Scoring Criteria, Application and Guidebook Posted (30 days): Friday, August 6, 2021
– Application Submission Period Opens (60 days): Monday, September 6, 2021
– Application Submission Deadline (60 days from open date) (extension can be granted up to 14 days by BroadbandOhio if cause shown): Monday, November 8, 2021
Tracked House Bills – July 2021
State News:
Reminder: Grant money available from ODOD for Ohio small businesses hurt by pandemic: Small and medium-sized Ohio businesses hurt by the coronavirus pandemic are eligible for grants up to $30,000 under programs offered by ODOD and funded by federal aid (see link for Columbus Dispatch reporting: https://www.dispatch.com/story/business/2021/06/25/ohio-small-business-grants-available-applications-open-june-29/5344308001/). Programs will provide a total of $155 million to businesses that opened in 2020, lodging or entertainment venues, and food and beverage establishments, according to the article. Information on the grant programs is available at BusinessHelp.Ohio.Gov, and Ohio Small Business Development Centers and Ohio Minority Business Assistance Centers “have advisors who can help businesses with the application process.” The federal money is first allocated among the state’s 88 counties; any money not claimed within a county by July 31 will become available to businesses statewide.
Tracked Senate Bills – July 2021
Federal News:
Federal infrastructure plan signed on by 5 Republican & 5 Democratic Senators: When formal negotiations ended in June between the Biden Administration and the Senate Republican caucus on new federal infrastructure spending, an effort to get traction materialized among a small group of senators led by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D – Arizona) and Sen. Rob Portman (R – Ohio).
On June 24, a bipartisan group of 10 senators (5 Rep., 5 Dem.) announced with the President the arrival at an agreed-upon $1.2T plan, including $579B in new spending on roads and bridges, as well as $65B for broadband expansion. This package includes authorizing the issuance of direct-pay municipal bonds for infrastructure investment, and the Republican caucus’ favored expansion of public private partnerships.
New State Budget Enacts Significant Changes to Economic Development Policies, Programs, and Tools
In the late evening of Wednesday, June 30, Governor DeWine signed the budget bill into law. The final enacted version had elements of particular interest to economic developers.
Below you can find a synopsis of these changes from Bricker & Eckler. Please note OEDA will be hosting a complimentary webinar in partnership with Bricker & Eckler on the new budget and its impacts on economic development later this month.
The date will be finalized soon and a save the date notice sent out shortly. Be sure to check your e-mail and the website in the next few days so you don’t miss this important webinar.