NCDIT Launches $86 Million Stop-Gap Solutions Program to Provide High-Speed Internet Access to Rural North Carolinians

The North Carolina Department of Information Technology’s (NCDIT) Division of Broadband and Digital Opportunity announced the launch of the $86 million Stop-Gap Solutions program to accelerate the expansion of high-speed internet infrastructure to eligible unserved and underserved rural households, businesses, community anchor institutions and state facilities in each county. This Stop-Gap Solutions program will fund broadband line extension projects to connect individuals or small pockets of households or businesses that have not been reached through the Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology grant or Completing Access to Broadband program. The Stop-Gap Solutions program relies on the concept of leveraging and extending nearby infrastructure to make service available so that work may be completed in the timeline available. NCDIT must expend these program funds by Dec. 31, 2026. While matching funds are not required from broadband providers, the provision of match funding will be considered a strength in the evaluation criteria for this scope of work. Broadband providers that prequalified through the Broadband Expansion and Access Request for Proposals must submit application materials online as described in the Stop-Gap Solutions Scope of Work by 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 26, 2026.