Building Community Capacity through Broadband

How the BCCB broadband project saves money locally:
• This grant-funded project saves public and civic organizations such as schools, libraries, and hospitals served by this grant an average of $46,500 per year, per institution in operating costs.
• When looking just at governmental facilities (state and local) in our demonstration communities alone, this grant saves $27.7 million dollars in the first five years.

Here are a few local examples:
• If we lose the grant, Eau Claire city and county tax payers will pay an additional $3-$11 million over the next 10 years.
• In 2007 the City of Platteville determined that it would cost approximately $350,000 to connect all its municipal facilities using cable from existing providers. With the federal grant, the City of Platteville will get, for a $100,000 cash match over 2 years, connectivity for 13 facilities, saving $250,000 and significant future annual savings.
• The Platteville School District connected its facilities with cooperatively-owned fiber and is saving more than $31,000 per year. The School District will have increased opportunities for collaboration and cost savings through this grant.
• State Superintendent Tony Evers has said that “If our schools and libraries must use other Internet providers most will pay at least 2-3 times more than what WiscNet now charges.” He also acknowledges that after the state has already returned $23 million in federal broadband funds, this action “ …represent(s) a lost opportunity and $62 million in lost federal competitive grants.”

The 2011.006.010_How the broadband project saves money locally (bullet points above PLUS cash and in-kind match table, PDF format)