Meta has opened applications for its 2026 Data Center Community Action Grants program, which offers funding to schools, nonprofits, and community organizations in areas where the company operates data centers. The initiative, ongoing since 2011, is part of Meta’s commitment to support local communities and aligns with the White House AI Youth Education Pledge.
For 2026, Meta has expanded the program to include seven new locations: Aiken (South Carolina), Bowling Green (Ohio), Cheyenne (Wyoming), Jeffersonville (Indiana), Montgomery (Alabama), Richland Parish (Louisiana), and Rosemount (Minnesota). Applications will be accepted until November 21, 2025.
According to Meta, more than $74 million has been distributed globally to data center communities, with $24 million allocated through this specific grants program. Funded projects focus on technology for community benefit and improvement of local STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics) education. Grant recipients are eligible to reapply annually for continued support.
One example from DeKalb, Illinois highlights the Northern Illinois University Foundation’s use of a 2025 grant to expand summer programming for students. Their Huskie Engineering camps offer STEM experiences for middle and high schoolers. “After receiving funding from the DeKalb Data Center Community Action Grants, we were able to pilot and deliver our Huskie Engineering camps. Meta’s investments have already made a significant impact on our community and will continue to for years to come,” said Sam Guerrero, Director of Advancement at NIU Foundation.
In Los Lunas, New Mexico—where Meta has invested over $2.5 billion in data center infrastructure—Belen Consolidated Schools used their sixth consecutive grant to help fund a new STEM Center at Belen Middle School. This facility provides students access to technology such as drones and 3-D printing.
Texas hosts three Meta data centers; since opening its Fort Worth site in 2015, the company has awarded $4.9 million across more than 175 local grants. Maroon 9 Community Enrichment Organization received its third grant in 2024 for a digital media technology camp aimed at at-risk youth. “The grant we received from Meta allowed us to introduce digital media and STEM skills to students — we showed students that innovation can be a pathway away from violence and toward empowerment,” said ShaVonne Davis, Executive Director of Maroon 9 Community Enrichment Organization.