The feds released the rules for applying for broadband stimulus funding today. We’ve been waiting on pins and needles for weeks. Finally the day has come.

As we anticipated, the application window is short — July 14, 2009 at 8:00 a.m. ET until August 14, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. ET.

Anyone anticipating applying for or being part of an aggregated application for broadband stimulus funding should read the rules at at http://broadbandusa.sc.egov.usda.gov/files/BB%20NOFA%20FINAL%20with%20disclaimer_1.pdf. Yep, all 121 pages.

The rules cover both the RUS Broadband Initiatives Program (loans and grants for broadband infrastructure projects in rural areas) and the NTIA Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) (grants to fund broadband infrastructure, public computer centers and sustainable broadband adoption projects).

There’s also a notice in the Federal Register (V.74 no. 125, Wednesday, July 01, 2009) at http://broadbandusa.sc.egov.usda.gov/files/BroadbandBuyAmericaNotice7-1-09.pdf. It includes details on the “Buy American” waiver for the RUS broadband initiative.

The Washington State Library will participate in a conference call with the American Library Association Washington Office on Thursday, July 2. We anticipate that ALA Washington will host an open webinar on July 8. We will be send out the details when we have them.

In the meantime, Jan Walsh continues to serve on the Governor’s Broadband Advisory Council which is wrestling with the issue of criteria for awarding broadband grants. We are doing our best to ensure that Washington’s libraries are well represented. We’ll be in touch. You do the same.