Get Ready: Community Support Program
Program Description​
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The Get Ready Community Support program will accelerate community broadband planning at a regional scale through tailored technical assistance and the coordination of multiple professional service providers to support participants.
Through this approach, we hope to make the planning process more efficient for all public and private partners working to achieve Maine's connectivity goals while building a pipeline of private-public partnerships ready to leverage and accelerate future state funding deployment.
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Based on prior planning and partnerships, members of the Get Ready cohort will receive one or more of the following through MCA's stable of professional services:
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Up to $10,000 per community to fund
local engagement efforts -
High-level network design
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Capital cost analysis with narrative
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Technical guidance on project viability
Who is Eligible?​
Single or a collaboration of municipalities, broadband utility districts, economic development corporations, county-level
administration entities
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MCA Contact
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Kendra Jo Grindle kgrindle@maineconnectivity.org
(207) 370-0160
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RFP design
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Legal assistance
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Digital inclusion planning
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Project management and facilitation support
Fall 2022 Award Recipients
The Fall 2022 award recipients include the following municipalities and community organizations:
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Bath Fiber Optic Alliance
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Eastern Maine Development Corporation (Lincoln, Newport, Milford)
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Eastport Fiber Connectivity Committee
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Four Directions/Wabanaki Nations (Passamaquoddy Tribe at Pleasant Point)
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Frankfort/Stockton Springs/Winterport Broadband Committee
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Greater Portland Council of Governments (Casco, Raymond, Sebago, Naples and Standish)
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Greene Broadband Committee
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Schoodic Peninsula Broadband - Town of Gouldsboro
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Town of Chelsea
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Town of Dresden
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Town of Woolwich
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Wiscasset Broadband Committee
Program Priorities
Program priorities for the first round of Get Ready will be in two categories:
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Eligible areas that have already begun either community-driven broadband planning; defined connectivity goals; engaged and assessed their community to define a distinct ownership and/or partnership model; and are focused on applying for state infrastructure funding in Spring 2023.
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Eligible areas embarking on broadband planning through a mandate from their municipality's governing body.
Expectations, Reporting and Compliance
The First Cohort will be awarded in early November 2022. The first portion of this cohort will be on an accelerated track working toward receiving Connect the Ready funding in early 2023. The second portion of the cohort will be operating on a 12-month timeline, working toward funding in late 2023. Reporting and success metrics will be determined at the time of award.
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We expect awarded applicants to be able to invest time into forming a partnership with MCA, our stable of professional service providers, and their current or future private sector partner to ensure the success of their planning process. There is no financial commitment required for applicants. Deliverables expected from the awardee include, but are not limited to:
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Local and/or regional community engagement events
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Development of local communication channels focused on broadband
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Municipal government education and liaison
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Involvement in data collection and verification
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Accelerating collection of digital asset inventory
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Digital equity planning support and implementation
