(The Center Square) — Gov. Roy Cooper is touting new grants for "digital equity" designed to help more North Carolinians afford high-speed internet and improve digital literacy, though some question whether it's the best approach.

Cooper on Tuesday announced $10 million in grants funded by the federal American Rescue Plan Act for the first round of a new digital equity grant program that will help 10-15 state government entities create "digital inclusion programs."

"We want more North Carolinians to get the tools and knowledge they need to connect to high-speed internet and to use it to transform their communities and their lives," Cooper said. "This is an important step toward getting more people connected online so they can work, learn, access telehealth and connect with one another."

Applicants for the first round must be state government entities and each grantee will receive a maximum of $2 million for a project that must be completed by the end of 2024.

The State Office of Digital Equity and Literacy is hosting information sessions on the program on Oct. 4, Oct. 10 and Oct. 20, with an Oct. 28 deadline for state government entities to apply.

The second phase of the digital equity grant program will begin in the winter of 2023 with a competitive grant process for $14 million in total funding. The second phase will be open to municipalities, nonprofits, community organizations and "key stakeholder groups for local digital inclusion projects and device distribution," according to a Cooper release.

"We are excited to collaborate with digital equity experts across the state through this new grant program," NCDIT Secretary Jim Weaver said. "These strategic partnerships at the state and local level will help drive meaningful and measurable change for North Carolinians in the next two years."

The grants are part of Cooper's plan to connect 95% of North Carolina households to high-speed internet access by addressing issues with affordability and digital literacy. The effort is particularly focused on target populations outlined in the Digital Equity Act, including low-income households, rural residents, older Americans, minorities, incarcerated and "justice involved" citizens, veterans, the disabled and those who do not speak English.

Mitch Kokai, senior political analyst with the John Locke Foundation, contends that while the goals of the program are well-intentioned, the methods to broaden internet access are questionable.

"Boosting North Carolinians' access to high-speed Internet is a laudable goal, though it's not entirely clear how this announcement will contribute to that goal. The first round of this program appears to involve state government agencies applying to other state government agencies for grant money. Once the process opens up to entities outside state government, the grants seem targeted toward local governments and groups that rely heavily on government for their funding," he said.

"This might prove helpful, but it's likely to fall short of the best way to address the underlying problem: Remove obstacles and roadblocks that discourage private investment," Kokai said. "Government solutions tend to be slower, cost more money and fail to adapt well to changing circumstances. A program that relies primarily on the government bureaucracy should give us pause."