(Image source: Lucent_Designs_dinoson20 from Pixabay)
On May 19, 2026 Gov. Tony Evers, together with the PSC, announced that the latest round of the State Broadband Expansion Grant Program open and currently accepting applications. This grant round makes up to $60 million available to expand high speed internet to unserved areas of the state. This webinar will help communities prepare and position themselves to use this program to close their remaining broadband access gaps in service. It will be held:
June 29, 2026
2:00 PM
What We’ll Cover:
- Who are the eligible applicants and what are eligible projects
- Using the PSC’s updated maps to understand eligibility and identify the gaps in service
- What makes a good public-private partnership for a broadband grant project
- How can applicants and communities formalize and document partnerships to increase their scoring in this grant
Who Should Watch:
This webinar is designed for community leaders and broadband providers seeking to expand broadband access in their communities.
Webinar Recording- coming soon
Slide Deck- coming soon
Our Presenters
Gail Huycke
UW-Madison Division of Extension
Gail is a Professor of Practice with the University of Wisconsin Extension where she serves as a Broadband Specialist. Gail has 39 years of experience in delivering community outreach programs in family and community economic development. She joined the Broadband Education Center in 2015 serving as Director for the Connected Aging Communities Initiative. Connected Aging Communities is a groundbreaking initiative that’s uses a unique “high tech, high touch” holistic, community development approach to enable aging residents to live independently at home. Gail’s current broadband efforts center heavily on community planning for broadband access. She is a member of the National Digital Extension Education Team and has played a key role in the development of broadband community planning curriculum, training Extension staff at a national level. Gail has developed training materials for the National 4-H Council’s Tech Changemakers- Digital Ambassador program on digital inclusion. Over the last two years, Gail has served as a member of the Wisconsin’s Governor’s Task Force on Broadband.
Brittany Beyer
UW-Madison Division of Extension
Brittany Beyer is a Community Economic Development Specialist with UW Madison, Division of Extension. Brittany brings her decades of experience to the team, with positions that have spanned arts and culture management, economic development, rural prosperity, and community engagement. She is a member of the statewide broadband support team with a focus on Relationship Procurement. Broadband became a focus of her work as the director of Grow North Regional Economic Development Corporation (2018-2022), leading her to be named the inaugural Chair of the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband (Chair 2020-2022, continued membership) and working as a Senior Broadband Consultant for HealthTech Solutions / Solarity on multiple projects around the country. Brittany is also the recipient of the 2021 Wisconsin Idea Award.
This webinar is co-sponsored by:
Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations are those of the presenter and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsors.
This event is open to all. The University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming in compliance with state and federal law. You may request an interpreter, materials in an alternative language and/or format, and/or other services to make this event more accessible. Contact oaic@extension.wisc.edu. Make your request 25 days before the event. There is no added cost to you for these services.