R3 Project Invites Humboldt and Trinity County Residents to Help Shape Their Communities' Broadband Future

Community broadband meetings October 6-8 will give residents an opportunity to share local needs and help guide broadband plans for 23 rural communities

ARCATA, CA, UNITED STATES, September 25, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Residents, businesses, and community members across rural Humboldt and Trinity Counties are invited to participate in a series of Community Broadband Meetings October 6–8 as part of the USDA-funded Redwood Rural Reach (R3) project organized by Brightscape Networks and Cal Poly Humboldt.

The meetings are an important part of the R3 project's work to develop community-informed, grant-ready broadband plans for 23 rural communities across the two counties. Rather than beginning with predetermined solutions, the project team is asking residents to help identify what is working, what is not, how they use the internet today, and what they need from better broadband service.

"The people who live and work in these communities understand their broadband challenges better than anyone," said Brian Court, Deputy CIO, Brightscape Networks. "Our role is to listen, combine that local knowledge with technical expertise, and develop practical broadband solutions that reflect what each community actually needs. Community participation is essential to that process."

“The R3 project is an opportunity to engage directly with rural communities and better understand how unreliable internet service affects residents, businesses, educators, first responders, and local professionals,” said Matthew Torres, Community Connectivity Coordinator, Cal Poly Humboldt. “As technology becomes increasingly essential to everyday life and economic opportunity, rural communities must have a voice in planning for their future connectivity needs. These community meetings give residents an opportunity to share the local knowledge and experiences that technical experts need to develop stronger, community-informed broadband plans.”

Funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Broadband Technical Assistance (BTA) program, R3 is a partnership between Brightscape Networks and Cal Poly Humboldt. The initiative is providing broadband planning and technical assistance to 23 eligible rural communities in Humboldt and Trinity Counties. The goal is to give communities the information, planning, and tools needed to pursue future state and federal broadband infrastructure funding.

Amanda Eversole with USDA Rural Utilities Service will participate in the community meetings to provide information about USDA programs and resources available to rural communities. Participants will have an opportunity to learn more about these resources and how federal programs can support rural connectivity and community development efforts.

Community Broadband Meetings

The meetings are open to community members and will be held from 4:00–6:00 p.m. on the following dates:

October 6 — Humboldt County: Redwood Playhouse, Garberville, 286 Sprowl Creek Rd., Garberville, CA 9542
October 7 — Humboldt & Trinity Counties: Willow Creek Community Service District, 135 Willow Rd., Willow Creek, CA 95573
October 8 — Trinity County: North Fork Grange, Junction City, 131 Dutch Creek Rd., Junction City, CA 96048

What to Expect

At each meeting, participants will hear from Brightscape Networks, Cal Poly Humboldt, and a representative of the Rural Utilities Service. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about the R3 project, and ask questions, and provide input regarding connectivity needs of their communities.

Central to the R3 effort is a community broadband survey designed to gather information about current internet service, reliability, affordability, usage, community priorities, and what better broadband connectivity will mean for their households, businesses, and communities.Survey results will directly inform the development of community-specific, grant-ready, broadband plans that identify practical solutions and potential funding opportunities. The objective is to ensure that as broadband funding becomes available, these rural communities have stronger projects and the information needed to compete for investment.

23 Communities. One Shared Voice.

The R3 project serves the following communities:

Humboldt County: Alderpoint, Benbow, Miranda, Myers Flat, Orick, Petrolia, Phillipsville, Redcrest, Shelter Cove, Weott and Willow Creek.

Trinity County: Burnt Ranch, Coffee Creek, Douglas City, Hayfork, Hyampom, Junction City, Lewiston, Mad River, Post Mountain, Salyer, Trinity Center and Trinity Village.

Community members do not need to be broadband or technology experts to participate. The project team wants to hear directly from the people who know these communities best. Whether residents have reliable internet today, struggle with inconsistent or unaffordable service, or have limited connectivity altogether, their perspectives can help build a more complete picture of each community's needs.

For additional information about the R3 project and upcoming community meetings, visit brightscapenetworks.org/R3.

Matthew Torres
Cal Poly Humboldt
+1 626-290-7938
email us here