Governor Cooper’s Common Ground Solutions budget included $20 million to improve internet access and service to households and businesses in underserved areas of North Carolina. Of that $20 million, $14.5 million would create a grant program to help local governments partnering with private providers and utility cooperatives complete "last mile" broadband projects.
Newly released information from the Broadband Infrastructure Office identified at least 16 last-mile and middle-mile broadband projects across the state that could compete for this funding. If approved, these projects could provide needed internet access to thousands of North Carolinians and spur economic development.
“Broadband access is a must for economic success in our rural communities,” said Governor Cooper. “We have already seen how access to high-speed internet has allowed business in rural areas to thrive. We cannot deprive rural North Carolinians of this vital tool for competition in a global marketplace.”
Below are last mile broadband projects that could be submitted for completion with the broadband funding in Governor Cooper’s budget.
| County | Broadband project description |
| Chatham County | Strowd Mountain fixed wireless project for unserved community |
| Watauga County | Deep Gap/Powder Horn Mountain, wired access for approximately 200 homes without service |
| Stanly County | MCNC middle-mile extension to Albemarle and Pfeiffer University |
| Avery County | Fixed wireless residential service for unserved homes in the southern and western areas of the county |
| Graham County | Fixed wireless project to serve 3,000 unserved and underserved households |
| Jackson County | Fixed wireless project to connect 5 communities and approximately 2,000 unserved or underserved households |
| Swain County | County wide wireless project to enhance residential and small business connectivity |
| Lee County Schools | Home connectivity pilot expansion to provide home access to unserved students |
| Lenoir County | Coverage for unserved residents in Pink Hill |
| Nash County | County-wide wireline connectivity for unserved or underserved residents |
| Chowan County | Enhance wireless coverage for unserved residents |
| Jackson County | Fiber to the home deployment for more than 3,500 households and businesses |
| Alexander County | County-wide Fiber to the home deployment for households and businesses |
| Polk/Rutherford County | County-wide deployment to unserved and underserved households and businesses |
| Madison County | Fiber to the home deployment to unserved and underserved households and businesses |
| Haywood County | Fiber to the home deployment to unserved and underserved households and businesses |
| *Source: Broadband Infrastructure Office records on last-mile projects in need of funding | |