Idaho Office of Broadband Update: February 2025

This is just a friendly reminder that the State’s BEAD Prequalification Application Phase closes Friday, 2/14/25 @ 11:59pm MT.

Resources and guidance documents for the Prequalification Phase can be found online here.

The Prequalification Application can be accessed via to the Idaho Department of Commerce’s Grant Portal. If you do not already have portal access, please make sure to select “New User?” on the login page. New portal users will be sent PDF directions regarding how to navigate the portal. Please note, that organizations are only able to have one active portal user at a time. For grant portal questions, please contact grants@commerce.idaho.gov.

Open Office Hours during the Prequalification Phase can be found here. Please be sure to register. The last one is Tuesday, 2/11 @ 2pm MT. Additionally, staff is also standing by to provide technical assistance, if needed.

Applying during the Prequalification Phase does not obligate the applicant to anything. It simply puts the applicant in position to apply for BEAD funding during the Funding Application Phase. Forgoing the Prequalification Application results in the inability to be eligible for BEAD monies.

BEAD Application Project Areas – Mapping Update

At the end of 2024, the IOB held an open, public comment period for the State’s BEAD APAs. Those public comments can be reviewed here on Link Up Idaho. Based on the feedback the State received, the Team is working on a significant map overhaul to refine the APAs with a stronger focus on fiber as well as re-evaluating those BSLs that are likely the hardest to reach and/or the costliest.

Idaho Broadband Advisory Board

No meeting is currently scheduled. 

View additional updates here.