KINGSBURG – Kingsburg was one of two cities in the state to receive a grant from T-Mobile, which was awarded to the city to help jumpstart projects as well as strengthen the community.
As of Sept. 28, Kingsburg has received a $50,000 T-Mobile Hometown grant to help fund improvements at Athwal Park, including new restrooms, solar lighting, landscaping and Wi-Fi access points. According to City Manager Alex Henderson, Kingsburg applied for the grant in June.
“We’re honored and thankful to T-Mobile for selecting Kingsburg as a Hometown Grant recipient,” Kingsburg Mayor Vince Palomar said via press release. ”These new improvements are part of the next phase of our investment into Athwal Park.”
The T-Mobile Hometown grant program was launched in 2021, and awards 25 grants each quarter. According to the T-Mobile website, the company is looking to invest $25 million into 500 rural towns over the course of five years to jumpstart projects and help build stronger communities.
“Together, we can help upgrade tech at your local library, build new hiking trails, revitalize historic buildings and so much more,” the T-Mobile website reads.
Thus far, T-Mobile has given out $10 million to 225 communities in 42 states, according to the news release on the grant distributions. Kingsburg was one of two cities in the state of California to receive a grant in this quarterly round of allocations alongside Mount Shasta.
According to T-Mobile, communities with populations of less than 50,000 are eligible. Any community that receives a grant must complete its project or projects within 12 months of receiving the money.
To qualify for a grant, a community must demonstrate a need. This means shovel-ready projects that cannot be funded through municipal funding. A project must connect the community in meaningful and innovative ways. And the project must align with T-Mobile’s small town strategy, which includes empowering citizens digitally.
