By Charles Berry, Knight Center of Digital Excellence

As the Aug. 14 stimulus application deadline draws near, here are a few to-do items to include on your checklist.

Don’t forget to register by going to http://www.broadbandusa.gov/register.htm. This is a must, and time is running out. At this government registration site, you’ll be able to:

1. Get a DUNS Number for your organization.

2. Ensure your organization has a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) or Employer Identification Number (EIN). (You should know the taxpayer name associated with these numbers.)

3. Register with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR). You also must register for a Level 1 eAuthentication ID to enable you to draw the proposed service area for the application.

Monitor BroadbandUSA’s website for FAQs and the latest announcements about funding requirements. You may also ask questions at the workshops hosted by the RUS and NTIA. The vetted answers are the basis of the FAQs.

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After covering the basics, you may also be wondering how to make your application stand out in a crowded field. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Show your community is working together to leverage assets toward common goals. Instead of going it alone, develop strong partnerships with anchor institutions in your community. Create a vision for how public/private partnerships can really work.

Pay attention to details and precise specifications in your application. Use concise, persuasive language, and present clear plans and supporting information.

Capture attention with your executive summary. Make sure it conveys the big picture, while flowing logically and matching information detailed in your narrative. At one workshop, a panelist suggested the executive summary be written after the application is complete in order to ensure consistency. Remember, the pieces have to fit together to tell your story.

Describe your methodology for gathering and analyzing data used in substantiating claims of unserved or underserved service areas.

Remember, it’s all about jobs. Focus on impacts to economic development, job creation, education/skill building and public safety.

Clearly say what you propose to do. Describe the applications to be deployed and the benefits to your community. Detail the user training and education programs, along with adoption and communication plans.

Calculate the expected ROI (return on investment) and VOI (value on investment) and explain how the project will become sustainable over time.

On the flip side, here are some things you don’t want your application to convey:

A timeline that doesn’t mesh with requirements for stimulus funding. ARRA projects must be substantially complete in two years and fully completed in three.

Don’t say what you don’t know for sure. Avoid statements or claims about resources, infrastructure or capabilities that might be difficult to substantiate should you be challenged during the due diligence period.

Avoid shortcuts. In particular, proving eligibility based on the unserved/underserved guidelines is very difficult given the lack of information available. But don’t ignore this step. Take your best shot at describing the data that leads you to believe your analysis of the service area is valid.

Finally, here are a few hints to further help you on your way:

Perform the BIP Self-Assessment test and ensure you have assigned individuals/experts who will be responsible for specific sections of the application.

Pay close attention to the Project Description section of the application. This is a three- to four-sentence description (400 characters) that should concisely describe your proposed project. Your answer will be published on Recovery.gov and BroadbandUSA.gov to showcase the types of projects received. Make sure those three to four sentences say exactly what you want to convey to the world as well as to any entities that may challenge your proposal.

Continue to collect data corroborating broadband demand and access after you submit your proposal. The NOFA infrastructure application offers incumbents a 30-day period to contest your proposal by claiming they already cover the unserved or underserved areas you want to cover. Best to compile data even after submitting your proposal, so you’ll be ready for a challenge, should it occur.

If you have questions, consult the proper documents or e-mail us at info@knightcenter.org

Charles Berry serves as Chief Operating Officer for the Knight Center of Digital Excellence, based in Akron, Ohio. The center is operated by Cleveland-based technology nonprofit OneCommunity, in partnership with The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, and is dedicated to creating connected communities through strategies that utilize information technologies to drive civic progress and economic development. To learn more about the Knight Center, go to www.knightcenter.org or e-mail info@knightcenter.org