Additional detail on uses:
Eligible Expenses and Use
To ensure compliance with state budget guidelines and legislative boundaries, NCDIT and applicants must clearly distinguish between covered equipment costs and ongoing broadband service costs. This Program is to award grants to eligible entities to purchase equipment that can deliver satellite internet service, as well as related installation materials. Equipment must be for the grantee's own use and not for distribution to other parties. No portion of funds granted under this program shall be used for internet service subscriptions. While there are no specific requirements regarding the internet speed and data capacity that can be delivered by this equipment, it is assumed that equipment would be compatible with LEO satellites that can deliver substantially more speed and capacity than legacy satellite technologies. Other satellite technologies may be considered with explanation by the applicant as to why it is necessary and best for a particular need. NCDIT expects that equipment purchased under this Program by State agencies, local governments and many community anchor institutions would ultimately be utilizing the State network or other governmental networks. For these entities, only equipment reviewed and approved by NCDIT as having appropriate cybersecurity protections may be purchased and reimbursed under this Program.
Approved Equipment
In October, NCDIT will post a list of eligible “resilience in a box” vendors that meet the specifications set forth by the agency. This list will be updated as vendors make solution packages available to NCDIT that meet the program’s resiliency and cybersecurity requirements. All purchases must be made from this list. Awarded Program funds will strictly cover the foundational product, cybersecurity components, and maintenance infrastructure provided in portable “resilience in a box” packages reviewed by NCDIT.
Eligible Applicants
Per Session Law 2025-89, eligible applicants include the following public and community focused entities operating within North Carolina:
• State agencies
• Local government units (counties, cities, towns, and municipalities)
• Volunteer fire departments
• Community Anchor Institutions, as defined in G.S. 117-18.1(d)(1). The term includes schools, libraries, community colleges, community centers, and other similar places.
Any non-governmental entities applying for funding must be registered with the N.C. Secretary of State as a business operating in North Carolina. Entities on the Suspension of Funding List maintained by the Office of State Budget and Management and for-profit entities are not eligible for this program.
Prioritization of Funding
As mandated by the legislation, NCDIT will strictly prioritize applicants operating within the 39 North Carolina counties designated inside the Hurricane Helene federal disaster area, including Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cabarrus, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Forsyth, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Lee, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Nash, Polk, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, Surry, Swain, Transylvania, Union, Watauga, Wilkes, Yadkin, and Yancey (including the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) counties.
While applications are open statewide, NCDIT may further prioritize applicants within these zones that directly provide emergency services, disaster relief, educational services, or local economic development.
Prohibited Uses:
Excluded Costs
Funding for broadband service shall not be included in the grant funding and must be paid separately using alternative funding streams. This includes but is not limited to ongoing monthly data plans, internet access fees, or bandwidth subscriptions. If an eligible entity is located within an area declared as a state of emergency or disaster, broadband service may potentially be considered a reimbursable or covered expense through other funding sources outside of this Program. Additionally, personnel costs shall not be included in grant funding application requests, including but not limited to salaries or overtime for internal IT staff or local agency employees.