The U.S. Department of the Treasury approved last week $82.2 million for high-speed internet projects in North Carolina. The state was awarded the money through the $10 billion Capital Projects Fund (CPF).
Specifically, the funding will go toward North Carolina’s Broadband Stop Gap Solutions Program, which provides grants to ISPs, local government entities and nonprofits for the provision and installation of broadband infrastructure to unserved and underserved households.
All told, the CPF money will help connect 16,000 additional homes and businesses in the state. This latest award comes after North Carolina received $177.7 million in CPF funding in 2022, which covered approximately 78,100 locations.
“Fiber-optic cable is being laid in the ground as we speak,” said President Joe Biden in a statement. “Over the next 3 years over 300,000 homes and businesses across North Carolina will be connected.”
The Treasury Department began awarding CPF allocations to states in June 2022. To date, it’s awarded over $9 billion for “broadband, digital technology, and multi-purpose community center projects” in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Other states that recently scored CPF funding include Oregon and Oklahoma.
North Carolina was among the states that received a sizeable Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) allocation of $1.53 billion. Like other states and territories, North Carolina had to submit an initial proposal detailing how it plans to run its BEAD grant program to the NTIA by December 27.
According to the NTIA’s BEAD Initial Proposal Progress Dashboard, North Carolina has submitted both volumes one and two of its initial proposal. It must update volume two with the NTIA’s feedback.
Volume one of the initial proposal is focused on the Eligible Entity’s challenge process, whereas volume two must detail the remainder of a state’s BEAD implementation plan.
Thus far, Louisiana is the only state that scored approval for volume two, unlocking access to at least 20% of its $1.4 billion allocation.