[imgbelt img=North-CArolina-quilt500.jpg]The races for broadband funding are multiplying faster than you can say Nordic Alpine Super G.Craig Settles, who’s been reporting on how rural applicants should approach these grant competitions, has interviewed one of the multi-sport contestants: ERC Broadband in Western North Carolina.Hunter Goosman, ERC’s general manager, told Settles that its request for federal funding concentrates on improved communications in education and government. “We proposed in NOFA 1 a six-county middle mile and last mile network.”ERC also plans to go after Google’s fiber-network funding, hoping to capitalize on the creative-rep of Asheville and knowing that, as Goosman says,  “Everything done in Asheville regarding technology has a snowball effect in the region.”Goosman imparts some exciting ideas for how communities can – and should –integrate scientific goals and know-how in broadband applications. Read Craig’s whole report here.