Item:
Title
Broadband Infrastructure Funds Update (45min)
Body
Date of BOCC Meeting: September 3, 2024
Request for Board Action:
Agenda Text
The Board will receive an update on broadband and digital equity funding from the NC Department of Information Technology, Broadband Infrastructure Office (NCDIT). Discussions will highlight federal and state infrastructure funds available to address digital equity gaps, including allocations awarded from the Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) grant. The GREAT grant allocated funds to Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to deploy broadband services to thousands of North Carolinians, businesses, and farms in underserved communities. Frontier and Lumos were awarded GREAT grants in Durham County, bringing high-speed internet to approximately 1,776 households by December 2026.
The presentation will highlight other infrastructure funds, including the Completing the Access to Broadband (CAB) grant, which allows counties to apply for funding that supports broadband deployment projects. CAB-funded projects require matching investments from counties and the selected broadband service providers. The update will clarify the next steps in the application process for CAB funds and highlight other infrastructure funds that will become available in outlying years.
Alignment with Strategic Plan: This item aligns with Durham County Strategic Goals: Empowered Community and Financial Stewardship
Resource Persons: Claudia Hager, Deputy County Manager; Greg Marrow, Chief Information Officer; Jeffrey M. Brooks, NC Department of Information Technology, Broadband Infrastructure Office
County Manager’s Recommendation: The County Manager recommends that the Board of County Commissioners receive the report.
Signature