BroadbandOhio seeks input from community to guide future broadband & technology investments

A series of community listening sessions about investments in broadband and technology being made in Ohio will be held Wednesday, April 5, at the Wood County District Public Library.

Bowling Green State University Center for Regional Development and Toledo Lucas County Public Library have teamed up with BroadbandOhio to conduct in-person community listening sessions. 

Feedback from the sessions will be used to influence how the State of Ohio will make future broadband and technology investments.

The Wednesday sessions at the Wood County District Public Library, 251 N. Main St., will each focus on input from specific groups:

Government Entities and Elected Officials, 2-2:45 p.m.

Businesses and Economic Development Leaders, 3-3:45 p.m.

Community Groups and Local Nonprofits; 4-4:45 p.m.

General Community Members and Concerned Citizens, 5:30-6:15 p.m.

BroadbandOhio was awarded $5 million by the U.S. Department of Commerce to conduct stakeholder outreach as a first step towards receiving full allocation of federal funds through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program and Digital Equity Act.

The BEAD program provides $42.45 billion to all 50 states and U.S. territories to fund planning, infrastructure, deployment, and adoption programs for expanding broadband connectivity throughout the next five years.