Full-Time
Learning Network Development and Expansion Support Member
Dakota Resources
Lead For America
Fellowships empowering local government leadership
Compensation Overview
$33k/mo
No H1B Sponsorship
Renner, SD, USA
In Person
US Citizenship Required
 Business & Strategy (1) |
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- U.S. citizenship, national status, or lawful permanent resident status is required.
- A high school diploma or GED equivalent is required.
- The applicant must be at least 17 years old by the start of service.
- The applicant must not have already served four or more AmeriCorps State/National terms.
- The applicant should have a passion for community service and connecting neighbors to digital tools, skills, and opportunities.
- The applicant should have strong communication and interpersonal skills.
- The applicant must be able to work independently and collaboratively within a team.
- The applicant should have an interest in gaining experience in community development or digital inclusion.
- Assist staff with coordinating and supporting the staff-led implementation of the Thriverr 2.0 online platform transition.
- Help organize, maintain, and update resources and materials embedded within AI-based connectivity tools under staff direction.
- Support collaboration among 60 to 80 rural community and economic development leaders through virtual and in-person meetings, learning activities, and resource sharing.
- Support community outreach by identifying, connecting with, and engaging prospective resource partners.
- Assist with maintaining ongoing communications and resource-sharing activities under staff direction.
- Assist staff with developing and maintaining a shared resource-provider knowledge base by gathering, organizing, tagging, and preparing partner-contributed resources and database content.
- Collect and compile service-related data, participant feedback, and activity summaries for staff review, program evaluation, and continuous improvement.
- Assist staff with organizing virtual meetings, training sessions, and in-person network events.
- Participate in regular supervision meetings with the Site Supervisor to discuss service activities, share observations, receive guidance, and ensure alignment with the approved AmeriCorps position description and organizational priorities.
Lead For America places recent graduates into paid, full-time fellowships in their hometowns or home states, working with local governments and community organizations to address local issues and build capacity. Fellows are funded through a mix of public and private sources and are compensated so they can fully commit to their roles. The program operates in all 50 states, partnering with local leaders to bring fresh ideas and energy to civic projects. Revenue comes from grants, donations, and partnerships with governments, nonprofits, and other stakeholders, and the organization has secured over $100 million for community projects led by its fellows. The goal is to develop the next generation of civic leaders and strengthen communities by expanding local capacity and civic engagement.
Company Size
N/A
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Kansas
Founded
2018
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Lead For America said July 23, 2026 it received a $5 million AmeriCorps continuation grant.
- ACC opened 2026-27 applications July 24, 2026, signaling active hiring and host-site demand.
- Comcast committed $2.5 million in November 2025 to expand ACC digital opportunity projects.
What critics are saying
- ACC relies on AmeriCorps continuation grants; a 2027 funding lapse kills the fellowship engine.
- Comcast and AmeriCorps underwriting expose Lead For America to concentrated sponsor and federal dependence.
- Rural and digitally disconnected geographies limit employer density, slowing expansion and host-site renewal.
What makes Lead For America unique
- Lead For America places fellows in their own hometowns and home states, not remote national rotations.
- ACC combines AmeriCorps service with local host sites, tying talent directly to community capacity.
- Its model targets digital connectivity and economic mobility in underserved places across 50 states.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Childcare Benefits
Company News
Lead For America is a national service program building the next generation of leaders for our country and communities across all 50 states.Through the Hometown Fellowship, Fellows serve in a paid, full-time capacity alongside a local leader in their hometown or home state for one year, before advancing into positions of community, state, and national leadership for decades to come.Since 2018, Lead For America has created more than 200 paid, full-time Fellowships for outstanding young leaders nationwide. In 2021, Lead For America launched its largest cohort yet of 115 Fellows and became one of the earliest stage organizations to ever receive full funding of a national service program through AmeriCorps. LFA has been featured prominently in the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, CBS This Morning, and Forbes. Altogether, LFA has raised more than $10 million in just three years to launch the civic leadership careers of hundreds––soon to be thousands––of our nation’s most outstanding young people. LFA is proud that 100% of alumni remain committed to careers in public service and civic leadership, and nearly 90% remain committed to the communities they call home.
ACC AmeriCorps members will serve in positions of leadership in rural and emerging communities across America to advance economic prosperity and help bridge the digital divide.WICHITA, Kan., May 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lead For America (LFA) announced the expansion of its signature AmeriCorps program today, called the American Connection Corps (ACC), and is now accepting applications for more than 100 new members nationwide. Selected members will address America's most pressing challenges at the local level and join a nationwide cohort of leaders by participating in a paid year of service to advance economic prosperity in rural communities and emerging cities. The ACC member application period closes on May 18, 2023, with applications accepted on a case-by-case basis thereafter.ACC AmeriCorps Members earn a living allowance of $30,000 per year, plus benefits, and an education award of $6,895 upon completion of the program. ACC Members typically serve 40 hours per week, providing key capacity building as "boots-on-the-ground" support for local host site organizations that advance economic opportunity, health and social capital, broadband access, and agriculture and natural resource development. Members also take part in a premier training program throughout the experience in locations including Kansas, Minnesota, and Washington, DC. The extensive training allows members to travel nationwide and explore topics like leadership, economic development, digital inclusion, and broadband
A Nebraska organization, the Rural Impact Hub, is partnering with Lead for America and Nebraska’s AmeriCorps Service Commission to recruit, train and place recent college graduates into paid two-year fellowships in rural Nebraska communities.