Pilot broadband grant

This $6,410,158 Project Grant was awarded on January 13, 2025 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service under the Distance Learning and Telemedicine (CFDA 10.855) Grants program. The grant recipient, Star Telephone Membership Corp, is a not-for-profit telecommunications cooperative in Clinton, North Carolina that specializes in expanding rural broadband, telecommunications, and technology infrastructure. The funding will be used to acquire and deploy telecommunications-enabled equipment, including audio, video, and information technologies, to extend educational and medical services to underserved rural communities in the organization's service area. This project aims to bridge technological gaps and enhance access to critical resources for rural residents through innovative telecommunications infrastructure and services, supporting the program's goal of improving the use of telemedicine, telecommunications, and related technologies to provide educational and medical benefits to people living in rural areas.