[1st-mile-nm] USDA's Distance Learning & Telemedicine (DLT) Grants: Briefing

[Richard Lowenberg]

Subject	USDA's Distance Learning & Telemedicine (DLT) Grants: 
considerable work, limited compensation, problematic rewards

 From	Sol SaguaroAdd contact
To	1st-mile-nm at mailman.dcn.org
Date	Tue 15:05
	I earlier today attended a 90-minute USDA online briefing re its Round 
2 Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) grants.

	What I heard was both encouraging and disheartening. Encouraging, 
because any money is precious for these purposes.  And applying is 
pretty easy.  Discouraging, because as usual with federal government 
grants, It's a case of them's that has is them's that gets.

	The grants, ranging from $50K to $1MM, can be used for onsite tech 
(computers, local networking and inside wiring, various devices for 
learning, possibly software) and possibly as compensation for working 
with these devices (i.e., teaching).

	But only 20% of an award can be used for broadband facilities.  And the 
applicant must provide a 15% match to the final award.  So in a 
roundabout way, if the applicant needs broadband service, he, she, or it 
— an organization or consortium — must expect no more than a net 5% of 
an award to acquire broadband infrastructure and service.  Unless I'm 
missing something.

	If you already have such infrastructure and/or service and a sufficient 
degree of "rurality," you can get more spendable funding for application 
projects.

	Consultants need not apply, as they are considered "vendors" and 
vendors cannot be compensated.  Guess you have to get hired or consult 
out of the goodness your heart.   To the question, "What about 
overlapping or adjacent jurisdictions each applying for a grant?", the 
response was, "Why would that be a problem?  Wouldn't you just work 
together?"  These are definitely ag folks, cooperative barn-lifters, not 
educators or medicos.

	The skinny is, applying for a USDA grant will require quite a lot of 
work in the short time afforded — the deadline for applications is early 
July — for relatively small reward. You might run into the problems 
above.  Or simply you might end up as number 101 on a list of 100 
awardees.  Once the program money allotted — I believe $25MM, about 
enough to buy one wing of a jet fighter —  is gone, it's gone.  Good to 
know Uncle Sugar keeps rural America in his heart.

	Should you be interested in the program, go here:  
https://globalmeetwebinar.webcasts.com/viewer/landing.jsp?ei=1306301&tp_key=e28476ff16 
where a recording of the webinar and slides will be posted.  There are 
also links to the program handbook and an ESRI rurality map.

	Personally, I'll work with our local school district — pro bono if 
necessary — if the Supe wants to apply, because he's a good guy and the 
kids can benefit from more resources.  But this program is hardly a 
Covid-19-like bailout.  And our town and its schools still won't have 
broadband.

	Solly, Somewhere in Rural AZ (ESRI-approved)
	sol.saguaro at gmail.com


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Richard Lowenberg, Executive Director
1st-Mile Institute     505-603-5200
Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504,
rl at 1st-mile.org     www.1st-mile.org
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