Broadband USA: “The Recovery Act appropriated $7.2 billion and directed the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS) and The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA) to expand broadband access to unserved and underserved communities across the U.S., increase jobs, spur investments in technology and infrastructure, and provide long-term economic benefits. The result is the RUS Broadband Initiatives Program (BIP) and the NTIA Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). BIP will make loans and grants for broadband infrastructure projects in rural areas. BTOP will provide grants to fund broadband infrastructure, public computer centers and sustainable broadband adoption projects. For details on the definitions and requirements of the BIP and BTOP programs, please refer to the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for Broadband Initiatives Program and Broadband Technology Opportunities Program. For details on the definitions and requirements of the State Broadband Data and Development programs, please refer to the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the State Broadband Data and Development Grant Program. For details on the “Buy American” waiver for the NTIA broadband initiative, please refer to the July 1 Federal Register notice.”