Grant

Broadband Funding for Municipalities

Non-repayable grant of 50% for the construction or joint installation of passive broadband infrastructure in Vorarlberg municipalities. Applications can be submitted at any time before the project begins.

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Grant criteria

Application Deadline:
01.01.2023
Application level: Advanced
Region: Vorarlberg
Funding amount: Maximum €100,000 per calendar year with a 50% funding rate
Funding rate: 50%

Funding objective

Support for municipalities in all regions of Vorarlberg in the construction and joint installation of high-quality, sustainable, and cost-effective passive broadband infrastructures in accordance with the Vorarlberg fiber optic standard.

Eligible expenses

  • Planning services for the construction of passive broadband infrastructure
  • Training costs for fiber optic technology
  • Costs for empty conduit including installation
  • Costs for fiber optic cables including blowing and splicing
  • Costs for civil engineering works
  • Show more

Non-eligible expenses

  • License fees
  • Active network components
  • Ongoing costs
  • Applicant's own contributions
  • Investments not corresponding to the current state of the art

Eligible to apply

  • Public Institutions

Funding requirements

  • Application before the start of the project
  • Location of the investment in Vorarlberg
  • Compliance with the Vorarlberg fiber optic standard
  • Review of federal funding (e.g., Broadband Austria) before application
  • Guarantee of open, non-discriminatory access for at least 5 years

Documents required for application

  1. Detailed project description
  2. Detailed cost breakdown

Description

Broadband Funding for Municipalities supports municipalities in Vorarlberg, municipal cooperations, regional planning communities, and municipal associations in the construction or joint installation of passive broadband infrastructure according to the Vorarlberg fiber optic standard. As a non-repayable grant, the funding covers 50% of eligible investment costs up to a maximum of €100,000 per calendar year (minimum amount €3,000). Funded are planning services, training costs for fiber optic technology, empty conduit installation including laying, fiber optic cables (blowing, splicing), civil engineering works, fiber distributors or underground shafts, passive facilities for local exchanges, services for network planning and documentation, as well as installation costs for gigabit-capable connections of public educational institutions not recognized by federal funding. Applications can be submitted at any time before project commencement via the online form of the Department of General Economic Affairs and are subject to the application principle without any legal entitlement to funding.

Applicants must locate the investment site in Vorarlberg, comply with the Vorarlberg fiber optic standard, and ensure open, non-discriminatory access for at least five years. Prior to application, an examination of existing federal funding (e.g., Broadband Austria) is required. Non-eligible costs include license fees, active network components, ongoing costs, in-house services, or investments that do not meet the current state of the art. Applications must include a precise project description and a detailed cost breakdown. The objective of the measure is to establish a comprehensive, high-quality, sustainable, and cost-effective broadband supply, to utilize synergies in infrastructure measures, and to ensure future-oriented planning for fiber optic networks in all regions of Vorarlberg.

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