Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity

Purpose: the Purpose of This Grant Is to Support Closing the Broadband Availability Gap and Support the Development of a Five-year Action Plan.the Proposed Project Includes the Following Planning and Pre-deployment Activities: Research and Data Collection, Including Initial Identification of Unserved Locations and Underserved Locations Consistent With Rules, Regulations, and Processes Commission Has Established for Making Determinations in Broadband Data Maps; the Development of a Preliminary Budget for Pre-planning Activities; Training for Employees of Broadband Program or Office of Eligible Entity or Employees or Political Subdivisions of Eligible Entity, and Related Staffing Capacity or Consulting or Contracted Support to Effectuate Goals of Bead Program; Establishing, Operating, or Increasing Capacity of a Broadband Office That Oversees Broadband Programs and Broadband Deployment in an Eligible Entity; Asset Mapping Across the Eligible Entity to Catalogue Broadband Adoption, Affordability, Equity, Access and Deployment Activities Occurring Within the Eligible Entity; Conducting Surveys of Unserved, Underserved, and Underrepresented Communities to Better Understand Barriers to Adoption; Reasonable Post-nofo, Pre-award Expenses <$100,000 Relating to Preparation of Program Submissions or Adding Additional Capacity in Preparation for Bead Program; Publications, Outreach, and Communications Support; Providing Technical Assistance to Potential Subgrantees, Including Through Workshops and Events; and Costs Associated With Meeting the Local Coordination Requirements in Section IV.C.1.C of This Nofo Including Capacity Building at the Local and Regional Levels or Contracted Support. Expected Outcomes: the Outcomes of Michigan's Proposed Project, "mi Connected Future," Are the Creation of a Comprehensive Five-year Action Plan Identifying Michigan's Broadband Access, Affordability, Equity, and Adoption Needs, Serving as a Benchmark for Adopting Strategies, Goals, and Initial Measures for Connecting All Residents of Michigan With Reliable Broadband Service; Comprehensively Addressing Connectivity Challenges and Create a More Digitally Equitable State by Combining Bead and Sdepg Efforts Into a Single, Robust Comprehensive Broadband Infrastructure and Digital Equity Plan Addressing the State's Challenges and Connect Every Resident, Business, Institution, and Community to High-speed Broadband; Thereby, Reducing Confusion Among Stakeholders; Creating an Inclusive Plan by Weaving Together the Universal Access and Digital Equity Goals of Both Programs; and Making Efficient Use of Federal Resources by Reducing the Duplicative Activities and Sharing of Costs. in Addition to Overarching Goals, More Specific Outcomes Include Allowing for Better Gauging of Activity Progress and a Means for Measuring Activity Completion, Greater Capacity and the Creation of a More Comprehensive Five-year Action Plan, as Well as Future Project Deliverables; Creating an Asset Inventory to Identify Gaps When Compared With Needs Assessment; Community Engagement and Understanding of Community Needs. Intended Beneficiaries: the Intended Beneficiaries Are Unserved and Underserved Groups in the State of Michigan With a Focus on Rural and Unserved Populations.subrecipient Activities: the Recipient Does Not Intend to Intend to Subaward Funds.