The spigot is officially on. Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced the first four stimulus grants for broadband deployment in four states. The initial projects will be in California, Indiana, North Carolina and Vermont, and are aimed at increasing broadband access and adoption through improved data collection and planning.

Federal officials are continuing to review applications from all remaining 46 states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories.

Here’s a synopsis of the first four projects:

• California will receive $1.8 million; North Carolina, $1.6 million; Indiana, $1.3 million; and Vermont, $1.2 million, to collect data and verify the availability, speed and location of broadband across those states. The projects are to extend from now through 2011, with initial data to become available next month.

• California will also receive an additional $500,000 for broadband planning over four years. An additional $435,000 will also go to North Carolina for broadband planning over five years.

In a press release, the NTIA offered clues as to the degree of thoroughness it expects in successful applications. Specifically, the four winning applications contained the following:

• Plans for data collection from multiple sources. All four recipients will collect data from broadband providers – but each plans to delve further by tapping other sources of information as well. For example, there will be speed tests as well as online and field surveys. Recipients also plan to use third party existing data (developed for other purposes) to assist their mapping efforts.

• Plans for multiple verification methods. Once again, recipients will seek independent information on speeds and locations of broadband.

• Collaboration: Each state demonstrated commitment to build partnerships to achieve desired results with the greatest efficiency possible.

The comments from federal officials echo our thoughts at the Knight Center of Digital Excellence: The best projects are meticulously planned, draw on well-documented information from as many sources as possible and bring government and civic-minded organizations together in partnerships.

Tags: American Recovery & Reinvestment Act 2009, bandwidth, BIP, broadband, Broadband Expansion, Broadband Initiatives Program, broadband mapping, Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, BTOP, California, collaboration, Indiana, infrastructure, Internet, Knight Center of Digital Excellence, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, network, North Carolina, NTIA, stimulus, stimulus watch, Vermont