DEED grants $11M to Northern Minnesota broadband projects

More than $11 million in funding is heading to Northern Minnesota for broadband expansion in rural areas.

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development’s Office of Broadband Development announced the awards Tuesday, March 5. Six broadband expansion projects in Northern Minnesota are among them.

CTC in Brainerd received over $2 million from DEED, plus funds from the Department of Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation and St. Louis County.

Joe Buttweiler, CTC's director of business development, said the funding will go toward 15 homes north of Highway 210 between Crosby and Deerwood, 300 locations in Clinton Township south of Mountain Iron, and a project in Morrison County.

The timeline isn’t a sure thing because of the contracting and permitting process, but CTC hopes to start construction for the Crow Wing County project in late 2024 and the St. Louis County project in 2025.

Buttweiler said without grant funding, internet companies wouldn’t be able to get broadband to rural communities.

“The grant program exists because it’s impossible for private investments, even from co-ops like CTC, to get a return on the investment that’s required to get to rural areas," he said.

Homes and businesses in northwestern Polk County; southeastern Aitkin County; Lake of the Woods, Kittson and Marshall counties; Biwabik Township and Naytahwaush will also be receiving high-speed broadband through grant funding.