Governor Cooper Announces Nearly $10 Million to Expand Internet Access
From the office of the NC Governor:
“Better internet access is coming to 19 rural, economically disadvantaged counties in North Carolina thanks to nearly $10 million in grants, Governor Roy Cooper announced today along with the NC Department of Information Technology and its Broadband Infrastructure Office.
“Access to reliable, high-speed internet service is critical for businesses to grow, students to learn, and communities to thrive,” Gov. Cooper said. “These grants will help connect thousands of homes and businesses with opportunities across the state and around the world.”
The Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) program provides matching grants to internet service providers and electric membership cooperatives that compete for funding to lower financial barriers that prevent high speed internet service expansion in Tier 1 counties.
Twenty-one applicants in 19 counties will receive a total of $9,855,026 in GREAT Grant funding to bring high-speed internet access to 9,800 households and more than 590 businesses, agricultural operations and community institutions like libraries, schools and hospitals. Of the 14 companies receiving grant funding, 11 are North Carolina-based small businesses, telephone cooperatives and an electric membership cooperative.”
In the Mountain West region, four providers were selected to receive funding for projects in four different counties. See the Official Press Release for more information.
