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Institute for Emerging Issues

Digital Inclusion Planning

Information on North Carolina’s regional and county-level digital inclusion plans

A color-coded map of North Carolina showing the status of county-level digital opportunity plans. The map shows a mix of all three statuses across the state. Many western, central, and eastern counties are green (completed). Yellow counties (in progress) are scattered, particularly in the south-central region. Blue counties (independently funded) are sparsely distributed in the central region (e.g., Chatham, Mecklenburg and Wake).
NC counties that have completed a digital inclusion plan or have one in progress.

Completed Digital Inclusion Plans

Alamance CountyLand of Sky
(Buncombe, Henderson, Madison, Transylvania counties)

Albemarle Commission
(Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hyde, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell, Washington counties)
Lumber River
(Bladen, Hoke, Richmond, Robeson and Scotland counties)
Alexander CountyMcDowell County
Burke CountyMid-Carolina COG
(Cumberland, Harnett, Sampson counties)
Caldwell CountyMid-East Commission
(Beaufort, Bertie, Hertford, Martin, Pitt counties)
Carteret CountyPiedmont Triad Regional Council
(Caswell, Davidson, Davie, Guilford, Montgomery, Stokes, Surry, Yadkin counties)
Catawba CountyPolk & Rutherford counties
Centralina Regional Council
(Anson, Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Rowan, Union counties)		Randolph County
Cleveland CountyRockingham County
Durham CountySouthwestern Commission
(Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain & The Qualla Boundary)
Eastern Carolina Council
(Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, Onslow, Pamlico and Wayne counties)		Stanly County
Franklin CountyUpper Coastal Plain COG
(Edgecombe, Halifax, Nash, Northampton, Wilson counties)
Forsyth CountyVance County
Granville CountyWarren County
High Country COG
(Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes, Yancey counties)

Digital Inclusion Resource Hub

A helpful, one-stop-shop for digital inclusion planning resources.

View the Hub

past webinars & workshops

Knockout Opportunities: Measuring Your Digital Program’s Impact (Pt. 1)

In part one of the webinar series “Knockout Opportunities,” IEI’s BAND-NC team dives into the fundamentals of program measurement and how to navigate the data landscape, with an emphasis on using SMART goals and logic modeling to effectively track progress. This webinar also includes a sneak peek of part two and features guest speakers from NC State’s Friday Institute for Educational Innovation and NC Central University.

Watch recording

Knockout Opportunities: Measuring Your Digital Program’s Impact (Pt. 2)

In part two of the webinar series “Knockout Opportunities,” IEI’s BAND-NC team shows participants how to turn data from their digital programs into a clear, compelling story. This webinar featured guest speakers from NC State’s Friday Institute for Educational Innovation and NC Central University.

Watch Recording

Connected for the Long Haul: Local ISPs Bridging the Digital Divide

IEI’s BAND-NC team hosted a webinar on March 18, 2025, focused on local Internet Service Provider projects and solutions to community needs, as well as a discussion on approaches to disaster preparation, relief and recovery. Speakers included representatives from Broadband Catalyst, eNCore, Greenlight, PANGAEA and Roanoke Cooperative.

Watch recording

Connected for the Long Haul: Digital Equity and Disaster

IEI’s BAND-NC team hosted a webinar on Dec. 10, 2024, focusing on digital inclusion and disaster response and recovery after Hurricane Helene. Digital inclusion leaders from Western and Eastern North Carolina, as well as experts from disaster coalitions nationwide, share important milestones and lessons learned from their disaster response.

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Data Deep Dive: Accessing Data for Digital Inclusion Planning

In this webinar, BAND-NC, along with our guests from the NC DIT Office of Digital Equity and Literacy and The Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, reviews digital inclusion data sources and how they can support and refine your digital inclusion planning and programming.

Watch recording

2024 Digital Opportunities: Growing Connections Across NC

The Digital Opportunities: Growing Connections Across NC conference took place on June 4, 2024, at Blue Ridge Community College in Flat Rock, NC. The event was held by the Institute for Emerging Issues BAND-NC initiative in in partnership with the Dogwood Health Trust. This playlist features each of the plenary sessions from the event, as well as the breakout session on telehealth.

View full playlist

Planning Digital Inclusion: Device Distribution & Digital Skills

A BAND-NC webinar following up on IEI’s 2023 Talent First Economics Forum talking about providing tangible resources (devices and training) to help workers prepare and excel for their careers and lives.

Watch recording

“Closing the Digital Skill Divide” Report Overview

BAND-NC was joined by one of the report’s authors, Amanda Bergson-Shilcock, to discuss the findings as well as highlighting North Carolina solutions and partnerships.

Watch recording

WNC Digital Inclusion Celebration

Watch recording

Questions? Contact:

Jess Epsten

Digital Opportunities Initiative Lead

919-513-0805