Note: This application is for American Connection Corps (ACC) host sites for the 2026–27 Program Year, which will begin in September 2026. We welcome applications from partners nationwide. Submitting this form is a way to indicate general interest only—organizations are not committing to participate by applying. We encourage interested partners to complete this form as soon as possible.

Start Where You Live

Lead For America is a service organization dedicated to activating local talent and building the leadership pipelines communities need to realize their unique visions for the future.

The research backs us up: when local people—those who understand a community’s culture, history, and context—design and drive solutions, those efforts are up to twice as effective at creating lasting change compared to top-down, one-size-fits-all approaches.

About the American Connection Corps

The American Connection Corps (ACC) is a service fellowship program powered by Lead For America that helps communities build the digital connectivity necessary to expand opportunity and economic mobility—from healthcare access to quality employment.

Where we live increasingly determines which opportunities we can access. ACC exists to change that by investing in place-based service, rooted in local leadership and lived experiences.

Each year, ACC partners with organizations in digitally disconnected places and places more than 100 fellows across 30 states, working shoulder-to-shoulder with partners to expand socioeconomic opportunity, strengthen community connections, and build long-term talent pipelines.

Who ACC Fellows Are

ACC is intentionally intergenerational. Fellows may be:

• A gap-year student building real-world skills while serving their community
• A career transitioner using service to open new pathways
• A retiree bringing deep expertise and mentorship
• A recent graduate launching their career through place-based service

What unites ACC Fellows is their commitment to place. They are local people—or people deeply connected to the place they serve—who bring community capital, credibility, and lived experience to their fellowship year.

What Partnership with ACC Looks Like

As an ACC host partner, you will:

• Co-design a place-based fellowship project aligned with your organization’s goals
• Host a fellow who brings local insight, relationships, and commitment
• Receive national training, coaching, and infrastructure support from Lead For America
• Contribute to a growing body of shared learning about what works, where, and why

Across our fellowship programs, we collate data, test approaches in different places, and share insights across communities—together building a more effective service model for the social sector.

Requirements

Host Organization Eligibility

American Connection Corps host organizations must be one of the following:

• A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization,
• A government entity (local, tribal, state, or federal), or
• A faith-based organization focused on non-religious activities.

Funding and Partnership Details

Hosting an ACC Member requires a financial partnership. Host sites provide a local match to federal AmeriCorps and philanthropic contributions.This fee supports member stipends, training, supervision, and national program infrastructure.

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