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Rural Broadband
Economic Development
Rural Broadband Initiative
A Joint Venture for Rural California
GSFA, alongside affiliate entities Golden State Connect Authority (GSCA) and Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC), is working diligently to bring high-speed broadband services to historically unserved and underserved communities of California. In a joint venture, the three organizations endeavor to advance the development of critical infrastructure for rural communities so residents and businesses can fully participate in the 21st Century Economy.
$2.7 Million Federal Grant Award
In August of 2022, the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded GSFA a $2.7 million federal grant in American Rescue Plan funding on behalf of rural California. With this funding, GSFA, as contract manager and grant administrator, assisted rural counties in establishing foundational readiness for broadband infrastructure deployment within their communities.
In total, GSFA has assisted 26 of its Member Counties in establishing countywide broadband strategic plans and helped two areas within the county membership to develop Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS). The broadband strategic plans were completed and approved in 2024. Both CEDS were completed and accepted by EDA in late 2023.
- Alpine
- Amador
- Butte
- Calaveras
- Colusa
- Glenn
- Inyo
- Lassen
- Madera
- Mariposa
- Modoc
- Monterey
- Napa
- Plumas
- San Benito
- San Luis Obispo
- Shasta
- Sierra
- Siskiyou
- Sutter
- Tehama
- Trinity
- Tulare
- Tuolumne
- Yolo
- Yuba
- Colusa County CEDS – Colusa County
- Eastern Sierra CEDS – Inyo, Mono, Alpine Counties
The Importance of High Speed Broadband
Broadband deployment is one of the most critical missing infrastructure components to support economic health and growth in rural California. California’s rural communities play a crucial role in supporting the world’s fifth-largest economy. The absence of bedrock services such as high-speed broadband can inhibit unserved and underserved communities from participating in the 21st Century Economy. It can also put life and safety at risk, place students behind their urban and suburban peers, and add significant costs to healthcare and other public services.
The establishment of high-speed internet access is vital to the overall health, safety, education, and economic well-being of our rural communities. This critical investment represents the first crucial step in broadband implementation for 27 of our member counties, helping them to establish foundational readiness for broadband deployment, and advance the overall reduction of the digital divide in rural California.
– Jack Garamendi
Calaveras County Supervisor and Former GSCA Board Chair
Oroville, California, USA - November 23, 2021. Photo by Matt Gush.
Goals of Strategic Plans Under Grant
The strategic plans will increase the ability of those rural counties to invite and direct broadband investment into their communities in a strategic manner that ultimately delivers broadband for all residents and businesses. It will also open the door for counties to take advantage of other upcoming federal and state funding opportunities that often require broadband strategic plans to be in place.
Purpose of CEDS Under Grant
CEDS are local stakeholder-driven strategies that guide regional economic development, encourage partnerships and collaboration, and improve economic outcomes and overall quality of life in a region. Having a current CEDS in place is a prerequisite for access to many federal infrastructure and technical assistance programs.
Establishment of the Golden State Fiber Network in Rural California
Building upon the foundational readiness established in the strategic plans and CEDS plans, GSCA has since secured $110.9 million in bond financing and $185.4 million in Federal Funding Account grants awarded by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
With these funds, GSCA will deploy its Golden State Fiber open-access broadband network in seven rural jurisdictions: Alpine, Amador, Glenn, Imperial, Mono, and Tehama counties, as well as the Town of Mammoth Lakes.
The network will utilize an open-access municipal model that GSCA will finance, construct, own, operate and maintain and on which multiple internet service providers will compete for rural customers. Once deployed, the Golden State Fiber network is anticipated to reach over 31,000 locations, many of which are currently unserved, within the seven jurisdictions.
With funding now secured, GSCA plans to break ground on construction in early spring 2026 and begin connecting residents to high-speed broadband later that year.
Want to Learn More?
For more information, resources and updates on the Rural Broadband Initiative visit Golden State Connect Authority or learn about the upcoming network at Golden State Fiber.
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