Minnesota

Public Engagement

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the Minnesota Office of Broadband Development (MN OBD), the Association of Minnesota Counties, the League of Minnesota Cities, and the Minnesota Association of Townships co-hosted the Internet for All: Connecting One Minnesota Workshop in Prior Lake on January 25, 2023. Attendees included critical stakeholders, including local Tribal and government leaders, community anchor institutions, nonprofits and providers, all committed to furthering the border-to-border expansion of broadband across the state.

The workshop provided an overview of available federal funding along with a focus on creative solutions to the broadband deployment challenges in rural Minnesota. There were over 360 attendees, with over 170 joining in-person and over 190 joining virtually.

Digital Equity Regional Events

From August 29 through September 27, 2023, MN OBD hosted digital opportunity listening sessions in 16 cities and two online sessions.

The state hosted this series of digital opportunity listening sessions to convene digital opportunity supporters, solicit feedback on their Digital Opportunity (Equity) draft, plan and hear about Minnesotans’ digital opportunity ideas, concerns, experiences and solutions. 

Amplifying Investments

U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, U.S. Representative Angie Craig (MN-2), and Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan held an Investing in America press conference to announce the Minnesota Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program allocation.

Connecting Communities through Technology, Training, and Certifications

NTIA’s Connecting Minority Communities (CMC) Pilot Program awarded a grant to Red Lake Nation College (RLNC). The project upgraded on-site Internet service and security, upgraded laptop and desktop computers, increased learning software options at RLNC and provided digital devices and broadband service plans for RLNC students to enable access on- and off-campus. The project also provided professional development and capacity building opportunities for RLNC IT staff, cybersecurity training for RLNC faculty, staff and students and drone training and certification for community members, including a youth drone camp.  

Out of the adult participants, 16 became certified pilots after taking the drone pilot certification exam, one of which was hired by RLNC’s Tribal Engineering Department as their new Drone Specialist. Shortly after the program was completed, the drones (and newly certified specialists) were used to find a missing person who was lost in the woods.