Posted: 12.06.2011

Building Community Capacity through Broadband, the stimulus-funded project led by the University of Wisconsin-Extension, has been awarded a Top Rural Development Award 2011 from Wisconsin Rural Partners, Inc.

BCCB is a public-private collaboration that is benefitting Wisconsin communities by connecting 182 community anchor institutions (libraries, education, government and health care). Commercial providers can use this network to provide services to homes and businesses.

Project director Maria Alvarez Stroud will be speaking at this year's Governor's 2011 Northern Wisconsin Economic Development Summit in Minocqua, Dec. 13-14, representing the work of the BCCB project and coordinated efforts with the Public Service Commission (PSC) and private industry.

Representatives from the PSC, the broadband service industry, and economic development leaders from rural Wisconsin will provide an update on broadband mapping, planning, and deployment efforts in northern Wisconsin. This is the thirteenth year that Wisconsin Rural Partners has recognized Wisconsin's Top Rural Development Initiatives.

The program is designed to identify, highlight, and share innovative models, practices and programs that have a positive impact on rural Wisconsin communities. Wisconsin Rural Partners created the program to provide a mechanism for rural communities to learn from each other. The award was presented at the December 2nd Rural Summitby Wisconsin Rural Partners president Dennis Deery at the luncheon of the 2011 Wisconsin Rural Summit.

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