Locally-Driven Broadband Solutions

Generation West Virginia, in partnership with the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, launched the Locally-Driven Broadband Solutions initiative to overcome barriers to broadband access and start enacting tangible change in local communities.

When it comes to broadband, West Virginia is one of the least-connected states in the nation, and there are more opportunities than ever to leverage federal resources to bring broadband internet to remote, underserved areas.

Broadband infrastructure is expensive to build, and its profitability is highly dependent upon the number of subscribers. For states like West Virginia with rugged terrain and low population density, providing service is expensive. These high costs not only mean higher monthly rates for West Virginia consumers, but they also make it harder for internet companies to provide quality service.

of West Virginians have no access to internet services that meet the minimum speed for daily functionality.

0 %

More recent data collected on actual home internet speeds suggest that this may be a gross underestimation.

of West Virginia households choose not to have a broadband internet subscription.

0 %

Connectivity is not an issue of availability alone—quality and affordability also play a major role.

We believe that local contexts demand local solutions, and that public-private partnerships between municipal government, regional planning and development councils, and internet service providers are the key to successful broadband projects.

We provide wrap-around technical assistance and support in navigating the process, including grant writing, strategic planning, and partnership development tailored to local needs. We want to strengthen the work that’s already happening in communities by filling in capacity gaps and facilitating partnerships across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors.

With the help and expertise of CTC Technology & Energy, we’ve created Bringing Broadband to Your Community: A Process Guide for Communities. The guide lays out eight basic steps for a successful local broadband project. The steps are based on CTC’s experience in local broadband projects across the country, especially in rural and suburban areas.

Get involved.

Whether you are a local government official, healthcare leader, education leader, nonprofit leader, or community member, we would love to talk with you and help you get plugged in to our resource network.