DeKalb County, TN, (November 2021) – The Foundation for Rural Service (FRS), the philanthropic arm of NTCA– The Rural Broadband Association, announced the recipients of 20 grants totaling over $89,000 to support projects in communities served by NTCA members.
The Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce was sponsored for the grant by NTCA member, DTC Communications, and awarded $5,000 by FRS to purchase technology equipment for meeting rooms and training areas in the new DeKalb County Agriculture Building located on the grounds of the DeKalb County Fairgrounds in Alexandria.
“FRS is proud to support these projects throughout the country to promote health, safety, education and growth in rural communities,” said FRS Executive Director Pam Becker. “The pandemic has shown us how important access to these vital services is, and these organizations have done tremendous work in their communities. Thank you to the NTCA members who partnered with FRS to fund these projects. I also want to thank former FRS Board Chair Carri Bennet for her generosity and vision to create the Carri Bennet Rural Economic Development Grant Fund to support rural economic development as part of the FRS Community Grant Program.”
“Many thanks to our sponsor, DTC Communications! Without their endorsement, the Chamber wouldn’t have been eligible to apply for this grant,” says Chamber Director Suzanne Williams. “And we are so grateful to FRS for the award to equip the agriculture building’s meeting and training areas that will be utilized for many purposes for years to come.”
Plans are in place to showcase all the new Agriculture building interior projects at the 2022 DeKalb County Fair in July.
The Foundation for Rural Service (FRS), the philanthropic arm of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association and its members, seeks to sustain and enhance the quality of life in rural America by advancing an understanding of rural issues. Through scholarships, grants, and a variety of educational programs, FRS focuses on educating rural youth, encouraging community development and introducing policymakers to challenges unique to rural communities. Visit us at www.frs.org.
NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association is the premier association representing nearly 850 independent, community-based telecommunications companies that are leading innovation in rural and small-town America. In an era of transformative technological advancements, regulatory challenges and marketplace competition, NTCA members are leading the technological evolution for rural consumers, delivering robust and high-quality services over future-proof networks that make rural communities vibrant places in which to live and do business. Because of their efforts, rural America is fertile ground for innovation in economic development, e-commerce, health care, agriculture and education, and it contributes billions of dollars to the U.S. economy each year. Visit us at www.ntca.org.