Pilot broadband grant

Poka-Lambro Telephone Cooperative, Inc. received a $6.69 million Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service (RUS) under the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants program (CFDA 10.855), effective August 1, 2025, with completion targeted for August 1, 2027. This Pilot Broadband Grant will fund the acquisition and deployment of telecommunications-enabled equipment and infrastructure in Tahoka, Texas to extend distance learning and telemedicine services to rural populations with limited or no access to such resources. The initiative represents a two-year effort to bridge technological gaps and enhance critical educational and healthcare delivery capabilities in an underserved rural community.

Under the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants program, RUS provides financial assistance to enable rural residents and community facilities to access advanced telecommunications systems, including audio, video, and information technology infrastructure. The program prioritizes projects serving rural areas with populations under 20,000 and requires recipients to demonstrate economic feasibility and compliance with federal regulations. Awardees must provide a minimum 15 percent matching contribution and utilize funds exclusively for approved telecommunications and distance learning or telemedicine purposes that benefit the served rural population.