The following is a recap of a presentation by Iris O’Donnell Bellisario, Program Officer & Digital Equity Specialist and Cadie Bergan, Director of National Recruitment & Selection at the American Connection Corps given to the Kansas City Coalition for Digital Inclusion on January 17th, 2025.
The American Connection Corps (ACC) is a national service program focused on bridging the digital divide and connecting communities across the US. The program deploys members to work in communities to expand internet access and digital skills training, as well as to work on related issues such as economic and community development.
The ACC was created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the initial focus of deploying members to support communities, especially rural areas, with access to the internet and broadband. Since then the program has grown significantly, with the most recent ACC cohort including 120 members deployed across 30 states. While the main focus of the program is still broadband access, the program has expanded to include other pathways, including community and economic development, health and social capital, and agriculture and natural resources.
The program aims to make service accessible for its members by addressing financial, cultural, and logistical barriers. ACC provides members with a living stipend, healthcare coverage, childcare reimbursement, training, an educational award, and mentorship from program officers. Members have the opportunity to participate in fully funded training sessions three to four times per year to strengthen their skills and connect with other members.
Host organizations benefit from the increased capacity provided by the addition of ACC members, who are trained to start projects immediately upon arriving at their host sites. The ACC uses a place-based recruitment approach, prioritizing recruiting from local communities. This allows host organizations to not only benefit from talent who have an existing connection to their community of focus, but also allows ACC to serve as a local workforce development mechanism providing a potential talent pipeline for organizations at the state and local level.
Nonprofits, local government agencies, and state broadband offices can all apply to become ACC host sites. Hosts must provide a dedicated site supervisor and work space for the ACC member, and help with recruitment by providing a detailed position description for the role and referring local candidates. Hosts must also pay a financial contribution of $35,000, though scholarships are available for organizations depending on need. Applications for host sites are currently open until the end of February for the upcoming ACC term, with decisions to be sent out in March. Recruitment for members will take place over the summer, with members starting in September.
The ACC has been recommended for the NTIA Digital Equity Competitive Grant, which will expand the program’s reach to more rural communities. The program will add 14 new states to its service area and expand its initiatives in current states. The NTIA cohort will include 80 members across 11 host sites, with 8 members in Kansas and Missouri. This cohort will focus on digital navigation, device distribution, broadband access mapping, and local research support. The program will also develop a curriculum that will support professional development opportunities for the members.