The Mass. Broadband Institute has partnered with the Lead for America American Connection Corps program to establish a first-of-its-kind digital equity fellowship opportunity in Massachusetts. With additional financial contributions from Comcast, MBI and Lead for America will place 15 fellows at organizations across the Commonwealth, including in tribal lands, working to close the digital divide. Organizations currently engaging in digital equity and inclusion work that want to expand their capacity and impact can apply to host a digital equity fellow directly through the Lead for America American Connection Corps (ACC) program. MBI and Comcast have committed to covering the full costs of 15 fellows to ensure a broad range of organizations that can take advantage of this program. Fellows will be recruited in partnership with selected host sites from the communities that they will serve.
Host Sites
Becoming a host site is a unique opportunity to boost local resources and advance your digital equity agenda, all while investing in the next generation of civic leaders. Host organizations must be a 501c(3) nonprofit organization, a local, tribal, or state government entity, or faith-based organization focused on non-religious activity.
If you are interested in hosting an ACC Massachusetts Fellow, host site applications are now being accepted by Lead for America through April 1, 2023.
Fellows
The ACC Massachusetts Fellows will support a range of activities including the implementation of ongoing digital equity programs such as digital navigation, digital literacy, ACP enrollment, and more! Fellows are engaged community members that can commit to a year long service term starting August 2023 through the end of July 2024. Individuals must be a U.S. Citizen, National, or Lawful Permanent Resident, hold a high school diploma or GED equivalent, be 17 years of age or older by the start of service, and have not already served four (4) or more AmeriCorps and/or VISTA terms.
Current service member fellows in other states range in age from 19 to 67 and come from all walks of life. Degrees are not required to participate and training is provided by Lead for America and its partners. If you know someone who might be interested in the opportunity to develop professional skills and advance digital equity initiatives at the local level, they can apply for the fellowship by June 15, 2023.
Listen to the following fellows themselves and learn more details from our March 14th webinar here.
Hear directly from existing fellows on their work and the benefits of the program!