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Chatham County shifts ARPA funds to expand broadband CAP grant; board approves $2.5 million match
Summary
Facing ARPA obligation deadlines and new state funding windows, commissioners approved increasing the county’s match for the state Completing Access to Broadband (CAP) program to $2.5 million to leverage larger build projects for unserved addresses.
The Board of Commissioners authorized transferring additional ARPA funds to increase Chatham County’s match for the state Completing Access to Broadband (CAP) grant program, resolving to pursue a larger project package to reach more unserved addresses.
County broadband staff (Brenton Hutt and Will) described multiple federal and state programs available to bring high‑speed internet to unserved residents, including recent G.R.A.M.A. (state Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology) awards, RDOF allocations and the pending federal BEAD funding. Staff said the CAP program (also referred to as CAB in staff remarks) requires a local match and is being administered by the state (NCDIT). Because the state is using ARPA funds for CAP and offering pre‑qualified internet service providers for quick contracting, county staff proposed transferring additional straight ARPA dollars to increase the county match and thereby expand the total project size the state could bid.
County staff outlined three match options and NCDIT estimates of maximum resulting project sizes: a $500,000 county match (already allocated), $1.5 million and $2.5 million. Commissioners and staff discussed federal uniform guidance obligating ARPA funds by a deadline, the administrative advantages of CAP because the state handles contracting and reporting, and the potential to serve several hundred to a few thousand currently unserved locations depending on project configuration. Staff showed a map of CAP‑eligible red‑dot locations that are not covered by prior grants and noted close proximity of many underserved clusters along corridors and near existing towns.
After discussion about tradeoffs and the need to spend a large pool of straight ARPA dollars before the federal obligation deadline, a commissioner moved and the board voted to increase the county match to $2.5 million for the CAP grant effort. The board directed staff to return with a proposed contract and scope when the state issues the bid scopes.
