Kentucky’s Prescription for Innovation – Delivering Broadband Technology for a 21st Century

Kentucky's Prescription for Innovation is a comprehensive plan to accelerate technology growth, particularly in the areas of broadband deployment and technology literacy and usage. The initiative maintains four key goals for impacting statewide economic development:

•  Significant improvement in broadband deployment ;
• Dramatically improved use of computers and the Internet by all Kentuckians;
• A meaningful online presence for all Kentucky communities, to improve citizen services and promote economic development through e-government, virtual education, online healthcare; and
• eCommunity Leadership Teams in every county - local leaders assembled to develop and implement technology growth strategies for local government, business and industry, education, healthcare, agriculture, libraries, tourism, and community-based organizations.

Over the course of implementation of the Prescription for Innovation, statewide broadband availability and adoption have increased by 53% and 73% respectively. An estimated 546,000 previously unserved households can now access broadband as private sector investment in telecommunications infrastructure has reached an unprecedented level in Kentucky. By the end of  2007, 95% of Kentucky homes could access broadband. Home computer ownership has grown by 20%, and all 120 Kentucky counties are actively engaged in the eCommunity Leadership process or programs to establish a nine sector technology growth plan for accelerating technology locally. Moreover, the rate of Kentucky’s high-tech job growth is outpacing the national average.

ConnectKentucky is implementing the Prescription for Innovation initiative with operational support from the Department for Local Development, the Appalachian Regional Commission and the Department for Commercialization and Innovation in the Kentucky Economic Development Cabinet. Additional state support is provided by the Finance and Administration Cabinet and the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet.