The current Empower Rural Iowa Broadband Grant round application period is set to close at 5 p.m. Wednesday. Providers must have applications completed and submitted through the Iowa Grants System by that time in order to be eligible for consideration for funding from the $100 million grant program. The grant program, which began accepting applications on July 1, is part of a state initiative aimed at providing universal broadband access in Iowa by 2025. Legislation signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds in April established three grant tiers with various upload and download speed requirements that companies can apply for to extend service to sparsely populated areas of the state. More information about the program can be found in this Business Record article.