Amazon announced a new community investment program on October 2 called "Built Together," pledging more than $1 billion over five years to towns and counties that host its data centers, as the company responds to growing local opposition to its AI infrastructure buildout, according to Hoodline.
The program is set to fund free community college access for roughly 300,000 students over five years, expand trade certification centers from 3 to 25 by 2028, and pay for energy efficiency upgrades — including heat pumps, insulation and solar installations — for more than 30,000 homes and 300 schools and public buildings. It also includes flexible local grants for other community priorities.
Alongside the funding pledge, Amazon said it will no longer require local governments to sign nondisclosure agreements before approving data center projects, committing instead to share project information earlier, hold open houses, and let residents weigh in as developments progress.
AWS CEO Matt Garman framed the investment as part of a broader competitive push, saying local opposition to data centers threatens the United States' position in the global race for AI leadership. More than 100 moratoriums on data center construction are reportedly under consideration across the country as the announcement was made.