Summary
Amazon says its new Built Together programme will add more than $1 billion over five years for communities near its US data centres. The company also says it no longer uses nondisclosure agreements with government agencies on its projects.
Amazon says it will add more than $1 billion over the next five years to its existing community work near US data centres through a new programme called Built Together. In a separate commitment, the company says it no longer uses nondisclosure agreements with government agencies it works with on its data-centre projects.
The announcement, written by Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman, sets out plans for training, energy-efficiency grants and funding for locally chosen priorities. Amazon says the programme is intended to give communities a greater role in deciding how its investment is used.
A policy change on project engagement
Amazon’s commitment says the company will share project plans as early as possible, hold community open houses and invite residents to raise concerns as projects progress. The NDA change applies to government agencies Amazon works with on its projects.
The company also says it will publish annual information on its energy use, energy efficiency, water use, water efficiency and the share of energy from carbon-free sources. These measures sit alongside commitments on matters such as grid and water infrastructure, local hiring and the use of Tier 4-compliant backup generators at new sites.
Training and household energy programmes
Built Together has three strands. The first is education and workforce training. Amazon says it is working to establish agreements with local community colleges for certificates and associate’s degrees in fields including skilled trades, information technology, healthcare and advanced manufacturing. Students would have no out-of-pocket costs, with Amazon covering remaining costs after financial aid. The company estimates that more than 300,000 students in data-centre communities could gain access to degrees over five years; it plans to launch the programme in the coming months.
Amazon also plans to expand its Modular Training Centres, which offer free certification programmes in skilled trades. It currently operates three centres, has six more under development and plans to build another 16. The company says each centre trains about 2,000–4,000 people a year. By the end of 2028, Amazon aims for the centres to prepare up to 100,000 workers annually.
A second strand would fund energy-efficiency improvements for schools, community buildings and homes in counties with Amazon data centres. The company targets upgrades at more than 300 schools and community buildings and over 30,000 homes during the next five years. It says improvements such as insulation, heat pumps and solar installations are intended to cut monthly energy bills by 20–40%; Amazon estimates household savings of about $700 a year.
The third strand is flexible funding for priorities identified with local organisations and residents, which could include roads, parks, fire-department equipment, affordable housing and food security. Amazon says it will provide millions of dollars per year in each community and report transparently on outcomes.
Amazon also reports that it has contracted for more than 65 water projects near its operations around the world. The projects are expected to return more than 8 billion gallons of water annually for local use—more than twice the amount Amazon says its data centres used in 2025.
The programme combines specific planned investments with longer-term targets. Community-college agreements are still being established, and Amazon says the energy-upgrade programme will roll out in the coming months.