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Meta grants fund local data center projects

Meta is awarding 328 Data Center Community Action Grants to local schools, nonprofits and community groups in regions where it runs data centers.

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by Defused News Writer
Meta grants fund local data center projects
Photo by Massimo Botturi / Unsplash

Meta is awarding 328 Data Center Community Action Grants to support projects in communities where it operates data centers globally, the company said in an announcement.

The program provides direct funding to schools, non-profits and community organizations and this year prioritizes artificial intelligence (AI) education and workforce development. Meta said it has supported 3,700 projects to date through more than $94 million in direct funding. The grants program now spans 27 data centre regions (covering 24 US cities and three international locations) and adds seven new communities this year.

Recipients include the Louisiana 4-H Foundation, which is deploying drone technology and smart boards to expand virtual training in Northeast Louisiana, and the Perrysburg Schools Foundation in Ohio, which will train teachers in practical AI skills to reach more than 4,000 students in the Bowling Green area.

“This investment will strengthen AI literacy across Perrysburg Schools by equipping our teachers with the knowledge and tools to integrate emerging technologies safely, ethically, and effectively into the classroom. By building staff capacity now, we are ensuring our students are prepared to thrive in a future where artificial intelligence plays an increasingly important role in learning, work, and daily life,” said Perrysburg Schools Superintendent Dr. Kadee Anstadt.

Other funded projects include Healthier Texas, which is deploying a bilingual, AI-powered health coaching app in Bell County and the Temple data center community, and Isothermal Community College in North Carolina, which is creating an Autonomous Technology and AI Hub with GPU-accelerated workstations for students in Rutherford County.

“Meta’s grant funding will help Rutherford County Schools students, in partnership with Isothermal Community College, establish an AI Hub where students can access powerful computers and hands-on robotics technology right on campus,” said Rutherford Early College High School Principal Jeremiah McCluney.

The company said the full list of 2026 grant recipients is available online in the announcement.

The recap

Meta awards 328 Data Center Community Action Grants this year.

More than $94 million allocated to community projects to date.

Program now operates in 27 data center regions globally.

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by Defused News Writer