Be part of the Appalachia Digital Accelerator
Broadband development is a team sport, and, to power the Appalachia Digital Accelerator we need a wide set of talents and skills. While the initiative is well underway, we still have a number opportunities to get involved.
Apply Now
Find out how you can be part of a team planning for the digital future of Appalachia. Note, this program is supported by federal funds and follows federal procurement guidelines.
Join as a grantee community
Interested in joining the Accelerator to expand internet access in your community? Read more below and apply.
Partner on technical assistance
Complete this form to share details on how you can provide TA such as asset mapping, network mapping, and federal grant writing.
Provide planning & facilitation support
Complete this form to share details about how you can provide facilitation and project support to Accelerator communities.
Why join the Appalachia Digital Accelerator?
Building better broadband starts with a clear plan. The Accelerator provides funding and expertise to support members to develop a holistic connectivity plan that will help you secure the partnerships and financing you need to advance internet access.
We’ll tailor our support to meet you where you are, but typically we’d expect to partner with you to:
- Assess your community’s digital needs: to understand the current broadband market, where the gaps are, and the barriers to digital equity that need to be addressed.
- Create a network design: to define the technical requirements, operating and ownership model of the network.
- Build a business plan: with a sustainable revenue model and clear funding options.
Who can apply
While the Accelerator is near full subscription, we can offer a limited number of places, with priority for applicants from Tennessee and Mississippi.
To join, you will have identified a need and have the motivation and capacity to make a project work. In practice this means you’ll have:
- A clear idea of the geographic area you aim to connect.
- An entity or group to lead the planning process, receive project funds, and take responsibility for the implementation of the build.
- Support from the community you aim to connect, with community members represented in the project team.
- Local political support for community-led efforts to improve broadband connectivity.
To learn more about who should apply and how the project works, read our FAQs.
Apply Now
Complete a readiness assessment so we can understand where you are on your journey (here are the questions we ask in that assessment).
Requests for Proposals
We currently have the following RFPs open:
Broadband Mapping and Gap Analysis in the Appalachian Region (PDF)
Questions?
To find out more about this program, email grants@connecthumanity.fund
A project in partnership with the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), which contributed $6.3 million (80% of the total project cost).
