Guidance for the Library Community Preparing a Proposal for the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP)

Abstract

The economic stimulus legislation (officially known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or ARRA) that was signed into law in February of 2009 allocated a total of $7.2 billion in funding to provide or improve broadband connectivity. Two federal agencies – the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in the Department of Commerce and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) in the Department of Agriculture – were identified to administer this funding. Accordingly, NTIA established the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) and RUS established the Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) to manage the funding to be awarded under the respective agencies. Although there are funding possibilities for libraries in both BTOP and BIP, we conclude that there is significantly more opportunity for the library community in BTOP, specifically in the funding categories Expand Public Computer Center Capacity and Stimulate Broadband Adoption.