The American Connection Corps (ACC) is an AmeriCorps fellowship program focused on bridging the digital divide. Fellows work in local, regional, state governments, and nonprofits on a range of broadband development and digital inclusion projects while building the community-based relationships necessary to make projects sustainable. This year, Lead for America is focused on building an intergenerational cohort. Fellows at all stages of life are working to improve connectivity through digital access, digital adoption and broadband infrastructure and development in their communities.
During the weeks of July 25 and August 1, 2022, a nationwide cohort of ACC fellows convened in Washington D.C. for training with broadband experts. On August 2, NCC’s Corian Zacher moderated a panel joined by Mo Earley, Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Treasury; Tom Curtin, Program Director of Infrastructure at National Governors Association; Angie Cooper, Chief Program Officer of Heartland Forward; and Mike Tibodeau, Telecommunications Policy Analyst, Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth at NTIA.
With an unprecedented amount of funding geared toward broadband programs and initiatives, leaders like fellows in the ACC program will play a pivotal role in maximizing the impact of this opportunity. Programs like the Capital Projects Fund and Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment will make billions of dollars available through states across the US over the next several years. Heartland Forward’s Accelerate program is one initiative that is helping local leaders in Arkansas and Illinois. Participants develop the hard and soft skills needed to create and execute equitable and resilient local broadband plans.
About American Connection Corps
In the first three months of the program, ACC fellows celebrated:
- 14 grant applications for digital inclusion and infrastructure were submitted on behalf of their local communities.
- 2,000 households participated in Fellow-led speed mapping initiatives.
- 500+ households nationwide now have access to high-speed internet.
- Fellows have created and/or are leading 142 local partnerships.
- 4,000+ EBA awareness materials were distributed.
- 600+ laptops, desktops, and tablets distributed to community members.
Additionally, fellows build community relationships that provide intangible benefits that cannot be captured through quantitative data alone. Find a handful of stories about the fellows’ work here:
- Raneisha Rudder, Indiana ACC Fellow, Indiana’s First Regional Digital Inclusion Plan Launches in Southeastern Indiana | Purdue Center for Regional Development
- Oliver Borchers-Williams, Nebraska ACC Fellow, Gage County Moves Forward with Broadband Project | Beatrice Daily Sun (Borcher-Williams’ work helped the County move forward with a $11M fiber development project)
- Liz Lima, Ohio ACC Fellow, Where Are Families Taking Advantage of the Home Broadband Discount? | Daily Yonder (Lima developed an ACP benefit mapping tool that she presented to the FCC)
- Ken Edwards, Nebraska ACC Fellow | Land O’Lakes Something Greater Podcast
- Patrick Garry, Minnesota ACC Fellow | American Farm Bureau Farmside Chat Podcast with President Zippy Duvall
