Broadband Usage
Community Development Corporations

Small Business Technical Assistance Program

The MBI is working with the state’s community development corporations to provide technical assistance for small businesses and non-profit organizations interested in integrating broadband use and computer ownership into their organizations and programs to grow and create new jobs.

In 2011, the MBI will competitively select four community development centers and provide them with a grant award to run the program in their service area.  The MBI and each CDC will then work together to identify 10 small businesses for sub-grant awards for a total of 40 businesses.    

Over the course of the project, the CDCs will help the small businesses develop and implement technology plans for their businesses and provide technical support along the way.

The businesses will use their sub-grant awards to purchase technology hardware, software and services that will help them better utilize computers and technology that they might not otherwise have access to.   

The MBI was awarded $1 million from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s State Broadband Initiative Program to create broadband adoption programs for small businesses and non-profit organizations.