Are you looking to add a tech-savvy staff member to assist with digital literacy projects in your library? Applications to the American Connection Corps (ACC) for the 2024-2025 service year are due at the end of April. Cost for hosting a member is $35,000/year with financial scholarships available for qualifying organizations.

ACC is a service program with the goal of bridging the digital divide and advancing economic prosperity in communities nationwide. For the 2024-2025 service year, they will have 200-plus members who will be placed with government agencies or nonprofits, including libraries, in their home community. The members provide a year of hands-on capacity to their host site and offer support to face local challenges. ACC members are placed with a local public institution, members build critical capacity, attract resources, and activate community engagement.

Bridging the digital divide is a core campaign of the American Connection Corps and is an issue that unites all ACC Members. Through yearlong training and support, members are equipped with the tools to understand how they can channel these resources locally, while also building capacity across a diverse set of host institutions and issue areas to ensure that the opportunity that broadband access facilitates can be fully realized.

Requirements for Host Sites

All ACC host sites are expected to provide the following:

• Identify a dedicated site supervisor for Member mentorship and compliance.

This person should have the capacity to meet weekly with the Member, sign off on biweekly timesheets, participate in all ACC check-ins, impact surveys, and host training and roundtables, as well as commit to mentoring and supporting the Member. 

• Provide a financial host contribution.

Host sites provide a local match to federal AmeriCorps and philanthropic contributions. The standard cost for hosting a member is $35,000/year. Financial scholarships are available for qualifying host organizations, based on community size, organizational budget, and local need – these can significantly reduce the host contribution amount. Complete your application to speak with an ACC representative in more detail about your host site contribution.

• Provide a clear, meaningful, and engaging position description.

American Connection Corps Members advance economic prosperity in rural communities and legacy cities nationwide. Placed with a local public institution, Members offer critical capacity, attract resources, and activate community engagement across the following key areas. Host sites are responsible for clearly articulating the goals, objectives, working arrangements, and routine activities for their members.

• Provide adequate workspace, equipment, and logistical support.

ACC prioritizes in-person service opportunities. Hosts must provide space and equipment for required service and travel reimbursement for non-ACC, site-specific events or trainings. 

• Help recruit locally.

ACC provides a national recruitment platform and media templates, but we rely on host partners to also share the opportunity on local channels, and refer candidates to the program.

You can learn more about the ACC’s program in their informational flyer and you can find the host application here. 

If you want more information you can email eric.kotin@leadforamerica.org. 

About ACC:

The American Connection Corps (ACC) is a program of Lead For America (LFA), a national nonprofit organization focused on building a leadership force of moral, dynamic, and locally-rooted leaders committed to serving the communities they call home in every corner of this country. ACC is Lead For America’s boots-on-the-ground service corps, aimed at activating local leaders in rural and emerging communities to tackle critical, bi-partisan challenges to advance economic prosperity. Through ACC, Lead For America ensures that national service opportunities are indeed available in “every corner of this country.”