Idaho Broadband Coalition
The Idaho Broadband Coalition is a formalized group of Idaho local governments, nonprofits, philanthropy, and businesses advancing broadband, empowering communities, and strengthening regional economies.
Overview
The Idaho Broadband Coalition is a growing alliance of entities across the state representing tens of thousands of residents and businesses that have historically lacked affordable, high-speed internet. For over five years, the coalition has worked to bridge the digital divide by championing local broadband development and priorities.
Join Us
The Idaho Broadband Coalition is open to all local governments, nonprofits, and businesses committed to creating a connected, digitally empowered future. Together, we are building more than broadband—we are building resilience, access, and opportunity for Idaho.
Idaho communities, especially growing cities and rural counties, have long faced inadequate broadband infrastructure, limiting access to education, healthcare, jobs, emergency services, and local and state government functions. The Coalition formed and has grown in response, uniting local governments and private partners around a shared vision: to build a connected future through regional and statewide collaboration with local control.
Open Access Infrastructure – Members support and promote open access broadband models that are locally controlled, future-proof, and focused on affordability, reliability, and sustainability.
Public–Private Partnerships – Encourages collaboration between local governments, ISPs, and private investors to accelerate broadband expansion.
Coordinated Planning – Develops shared broadband strategies tailored to the unique needs of each Idaho community.
Grant-Funded Growth – Working together, the coalition has secured tens of millions in funding from federal, state, and philanthropic sources, maximizing consulting and strategy efforts to deliver better outcomes, lower costs, and attract more private investment.
Free to join: No membership fees or dues.
Economy of scale: Joint planning and applications improve funding success and reduce costs.
Community-driven: Members retain independence while benefiting from regional and statewide support.
Unified voice: Coordinated advocacy amplifies Idaho’s influence with state and federal agencies.
Access to expertise: Members gain connections to qualified professionals in planning, strategy, engineering, and technical fields.
Coalition members actively contribute to Idaho’s broadband future by:
- Collaborating on planning and strategy to address community broadband needs.
- Sharing knowledge, data, and resources to strengthen projects and proposals.
- Advocating for local priorities at the state and federal levels.
- Promoting open access, affordability, and local control as core broadband values.
- Participating in peer learning, joint initiatives, and best practice development.
Membership is flexible—participants can engage at whatever level fits their capacity, from sharing data and insight to leading regional projects or advocacy efforts.
The coalition fosters a collaborative, community-first culture rooted in trust, transparency, and mutual support. Local governments are equal partners in this mission. We recognize that Idaho’s broadband challenges—rural and urban alike—can only be solved through collective effort, open access infrastructure, and the sharing of best practices that strengthen every community.
Our Coalition Members:
