Across North Carolina, 63 community service, nonprofit, higher education and regional organizations will get $30 million in Digital Champion grants to help North Carolinians access and use high-speed internet. The grant program, funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act, will expand digital equity programming and advance digital inclusion and opportunity across North Carolina.
"All North Carolinians need the resources and skills to safely and effectively use high-speed internet and benefit from the opportunities it offers,” said Governor Cooper. “Digital Champion grants will help more families take part in our increasingly digital world to work, learn, access vital telehealth services and connect with others online.”
Digital Champion grants are being awarded to the following organizations by the N.C. Department of Information Technology’s Office of Digital Equity and Literacy:
- Appalachian Regional Library: $402,655.75
- Asheville Medical Research and Education Corporation: $500,000
- Beaufort County Community College: $800,000
- Caldwell County Schools: $402,972
- Camino Community Development Corporation: $600,000
- Catawba County Library System: $300,000
- Caterpillar Ministries: $100,000
- Center for Digital Equity: $1,000,000
- Central Pines Regional Council: $800,000
- City of Raleigh Municipal Government: $300,000
- City Startup Labs Inc.: $400,000
- College of The Albemarle: $700,000
- Durham Technical Community College: $400,000
- E2D: $1,500,000
- El Centro Hispano Inc.: $600,000
- ESG Foundation: $200,000
- Fontana Regional Library: $300,000
- Franklin County Library System: $387,006.72
- Goodwill Industries of Central North Carolina Inc.: $500,000
- Granville County Schools: $400,000
- Haywood Community College: $399,371.76
- High Country Council of Governments: $800,000
- Hispanic Federation Inc.: $600,000
- Hola Carolina: $600,000
- HUBZone Technology Initiative - HTI: $600,000
- Kinston Teens Inc.: $396,129.61
- Kramden Institute: $1,500,000
- Land of Sky Regional Council: $689,960.61
- Lions Services Inc.: $367,373.05
- Lumbee Land Development Inc.: $400,000
- Lumber River Council of Governments: $800,000
- Madison-Mayodan Recreation Commission: $300,000
- MANNA FoodBank: $440,364.85
- Moore County Schools: $300,000
- Nash County: $58,665
- N.C. Agricultural and Technical State University: $300,000
- N.C. Coalition Against Domestic Violence: $300,000
- N.C. Telehealth Network Association: $400,000
- New Arrivals Institute Inc: $1,000,000
- Operation Gateway: $463,325
- Opportunities Industrialization Center Inc.: $500,000
- Orange County Library: $83,821
- Orange County Literacy Council Inc: $86,756.50
- OurJourney: $400,000
- Peletah Ministries: $459,127.76
- Piedmont Triad Regional Council: $800,000
- Pitt County Health Department: $398,608.90
- Randolph County Cooperative Extension: $47,790
- Richmond County Schools: $400,000
- Sandhill Regional Library System: $500,000
- Shackle Free Community Outreach Agency Inc.: $600,000
- South Piedmont Community College Foundation: $500,000
- Southern Conference United Church of Christ: $200,000
- Southern Vision Alliance: $200,000
- Southwestern North Carolina Planning and Economic Development Commission: $568,606.56
- Stanly County: $200,000
- TechWorks Gaston: $300,000
- The Caraway Foundation: $200,000
- Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments: $1,000,000
- Wake County Library System: $398,700
- Washington County: $44,639.33
- Western Piedmont Council of Governments: $473,000
- WinstonNet Inc.: $399,713.39
A list of all awardees with project descriptions is available at ncbroadband.gov/digital-champion-grantees.
“We were thrilled to receive so many great applications from organizations across the state that want to help more North Carolinians take advantage of digital opportunities,” said NCDIT Secretary and State Chief Information Officer Jim Weaver. “With firsthand knowledge of their communities’ needs, these grantees will help us build digital equity so everyone in the state can take part in the modern digital economy.”
Program grantees will partner with the N.C. Department of Information Technology’s Office of Digital Equity and Literacy to help people from target populations identified in the Digital Equity Act, including low-income households; rural residents; aging residents; incarcerated or justice involved people; veterans; individuals with disabilities; individuals with a language barrier; and individuals who are members of a racial or ethnic minority group.
All projects will develop or expand digital equity programming and address at least one of the following elements of digital inclusion:
- Affordability of reliable high-speed internet
- Provision of internet-enabled devices (computer, laptops, etc.) that meet users' needs
- Access to digital literacy and skills training
- Quality technical support
- Applications and online content designed to increase accessibility and inclusivity
The Digital Champion grants are part of Governor Cooper’s plan to close the digital divide by expanding access to high-speed internet and addressing issues of affordability and digital literacy. For more information, please visit ncbroadband.gov.