Aiken County is one of more than 20 U.S. locations eligible to apply for a community action grant from Meta. That is because the county will be home to one of the technology giant’s data centers.
The grants provide funding for public schools, as well as nonprofit and community organizations. Laura Warren, Meta’s Community Development Regional Manager, told ABD the grants are just for schools and organizations in Aiken County that meet the criteria.
“We’re a global company, but we operate hyper locally. We really like to support those communities where the data center is located,” she explained.
As the parent company to Facebook and Instagram, Meta targets its grants to projects that support technology-centric education and community programs.
“The types of grants that we support put technology to use for community benefit, enable people to build strong, sustainable communities, or improve local science, technology, engineering, arts, and math, STEAM education,” she said. “Those are the three pillars we tried to support.
An organization may submit just one application; however, public schools can apply multiple times if they have more than one project that fits the criteria. USCA and Aiken Technical College are included in the schools eligible to apply.
Warren said Meta has nearly 30 data centers across the globe. Last year’s winners included programs in Stanton Springs, Ga., Huntsville, Ala., and Forest City, N.C. The company has distributed $74 million in grants and other community projects.
“Everything from helping low-income families with computers and access to the internet to helping kids access and test out VR headsets for different programs, summer steam programs, and camps. We’ve supported those digital and technology solutions for local libraries, local schools, robotics leagues for elementary all the way through high school,” she listed.
As home to the Savannah River Site, Warren said these grants can be particularly beneficial to education, training, and workforce development.
“Our goal is really to support the long-term vitality of the communities where we have data centers,” she said. “And one way we do that is through these grants. We have such a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) focus. A lot of the workforce is focused on that in this community. So, these should really help set up the community to take that next step.”
Since construction began on the Aiken Data Center in the Sage Mill Industrial Park, Meta has sponsored events ranging from workshops at Aiken Tech to a Born Learning trail at Smith Hazel Recreation Center and expanded the county’s ability to reach students on the waiting list for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.
“Our goal is to support the long-term vitality of the communities in which we serve. So, this is one way that we are able to give back and make sure that those communities are as successful as they can be,” Warren said. “We don’t just come into a community and build a data center and then exit it. We are there for the long term. We are there to support the long-term vitality of that community.”
The application period ends on Nov. 21, 2025. You will be asked about the project, its importance to the community, and how you will measure success.
Projects selected to receive grants will be notified by Feb. 28, 2026.
To learn more and apply, go to: https://datacenters.atmeta.com/grants/
