T-Mobile has committed $25M in funding for small-town community development projects over the next 5 years.
The Town of Stuart, VA received a check from T-Mobile today to expand public wi-fi along the primary business corridors within the Town’s two historic districts. With the funds provided by T-Mobile, the Town of Stuart will partner with Aerolina Wireless Internet Services to install equipment along N Main Street in the Uptown Historic District and along Patrick Avenue in the Downtown Historic District. At this time, a project completion date has not be established; however, Bryce Simmons, Town Manager, would like to have the project fully completed before the Stuart Farmers’ Market opens back up in the Spring.
“All of us at T-Mobile are so proud to support small towns with Hometown Grants,” said Jon Freier, Executive Vice President of Consumer Group at T-Mobile. “From revitalizing a historic theater to creating an arts and innovation incubator, building new parks, renovating a shelter for abused women and their children, and so much more, the first 25 Hometown Grant winners embarked on amazing and important projects that will bring long-lasting benefits to the citizens of their towns. We’re excited to see how the next 25 towns use Hometown Grants to improve their communities.”
To select Hometown Grant recipients, T-Mobile worked with Main Street America and Smart Growth America, two organizations that have decades of experience helping build stronger, more prosperous small towns and rural communities. Together, they considered applications from small towns based on level of detail and completeness, potential community impact, project viability and other factors.
“The 25 towns selected to receive a T-Mobile Hometown Grant have committed to investing in their downtowns, reimagining their public spaces, and providing gathering spaces for all parts of their communities. SGA applauds these efforts as we continue to support scores of towns and cities in rural places,” said Smart Growth America’s President and CEO Calvin Gladney.
“These winning grant projects demonstrate the ingenuity and dedication to community we’ve seen in Main Street towns for decades,” said Main Street America’s President & CEO Patrice Frey. “We’re proud to work with T-Mobile and Smart Growth America to support these grant recipients, and we’re excited to see how their inspiring projects bring communities together in the years to come.”
T-Mobile will announce new Hometown Grant recipients on a quarterly basis — every town in America that has a population of fewer than 50,000 people and a vision for how to make their community even stronger than it is today is encouraged to apply.