Nearly two-thirds of states and territories signaled their intention to apply for the broadband fund within a week of the program's launch.

On the Priorities Podcast, North Carolina broadband official Nate Denny explains his approach to new federal funding for high-speed internet.

"Having the formal recognition is extremely valuable," Rob Main, the state's chief risk officer, said of a recent move by Gov. Roy Cooper.

Gov. Roy Cooper signed an executive order establishing an incident-response effort that draws on state and local cyber professionals.

Carol Burroughs, formerly North Carolina's interim chief data officer, was appointed to serve as the permanent replacement to John Correllus.

Cherie Givens, an attorney and federal contractor, will be responsible for developing a statewide data-privacy program, officials said.

North Carolina has nearly $2 billion in planned broadband infrastructure and digital literacy investments on the way, officials said during a press conference on Tuesday.

Local governments and community groups say the $65 billion in broadband funding could close states' digital divides for good.

Rob Main, a longtime state IT official, was named as North Carolina's new chief risk officer.