Over the last several weeks, I have co-hosted broadband meetings in Grant and Lafayette counties to learn about the needs of our rural communities and to make connections with the state's Broadband Expansion Grant program. This program is offering $6 million in grant funds to communities to bring broadband technology to unserved and underserved areas of our state. The federal government has also launched the Connect American Fund (CAF) Phase II for 2015-2020.