Blandin Foundation believes that encouraging the use of broadband is a critical component for increasing the technological vitality of Minnesota's rural communities.

The Broadband Initiative funds innovative programs and works in partnership with others to:

• Increase awareness about the value of broadband
• Increase business and residential use of broadband in rural communities
• Increase public and private investment in rural broadband capacity.

This is important work. Broadband is revolutionizing business, government, education, work and lifestyles. By opening markets, it creates new jobs and gives new focus and hope to communities in transition. By making possible the export of services and skills, broadband puts workers into wage and skill competition with people around the globe. Absent adequate broadband access and technologically literate populations, rural communities will be unable to take advantage of the extraordinary benefits that ultra high-speed next generation broadband can provide.

Since 2003, the Broadband Initiative has:

• Created a Strategy Board of public and private leaders to guide the Initiative.
• Published the Community Guide to Broadband Development to help local leaders across Minnesota learn more about broadband and explore their options for increasing broadband service and use.
• Brought our Get Broadband – Keeping Communities Competitive, program to 29 rural Minnesota communities.
• Dedicated $250,000 to support the Get Broadband program in local communities and raised more than twice that amount in additional public and private sector support.
• Initiated the Light Speed Program
• Initiated the Robust Networks Feasibility Fund program
• Published Open Access Networks: Keeping Minnesota Communities Competitive
• Initiated the Community Broadband Resource Program
• Applied for and received federal stimulus funding on behalf of the Minnesota Intelligent Rural Community coalition.