International Program
Powering community-centered connectivity globally
Our international program builds on what we’ve learned financing community broadband in the United States and tailors it to support partners around the world. We work alongside community organizations, investors, and ecosystem builders to co-create solutions that fit local contexts — expanding access to affordable, high-quality, community-led connectivity.
The barriers facing community broadband — limited access to capital, regulatory hurdles, and constraints to growth — are not unique to one country. We help providers overcome these challenges while strengthening the financial and institutional systems that allow locally rooted networks to thrive.
Our international work
Training & investment readiness for ISPs
We work with community-focused providers to strengthen business planning, financial management, growth strategies, and governance — helping them become investment-ready and positioned for sustainability.
Due diligence & investment advisory
We support partners evaluating opportunities in community broadband, drawing on our experience underwriting digital infrastructure investments to assess risk, structure deals, and identify strong local operators.
Catalyzing funds for community broadband
In many markets, capital isn’t structured to reach smaller, locally rooted ISPs. We work with partners to design and catalyze investment vehicles that create durable funding pathways for community-centered networks.
How we work
Our approach is grounded in a few core beliefs:
- Local providers are often best positioned to serve their communities.
- Capital must be structured to match the realities of smaller operators.
- Strong ecosystems — not just individual investments — are what create lasting change.
We work with local and global partners, bringing financial expertise, network design insight, and investment experience — while learning from the contexts in which we operate.
Current partnerships
With funding support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, we are delivering workshops to strengthen the financial and operational capacity of community-focused ISPs in Brazil.
With support from the Association for Progressive Communications, we are piloting a mini-MBA program, starting in Kenya, focused on ISP investment readiness — equipping providers with the tools and knowledge to attract and manage growth capital.
We are also exploring partnerships in Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean to establish pooled investment funds for community networks, unlocking capital that is better aligned with the needs of locally rooted providers.
International News
Research
Community-centered networks are investable if we create the right tools
Presenting the first cross-sectional study of investment-readiness in community-centered broadband providers
Update
Digital Infrastructure Insights Fund Supports Open Source Connectivity
Learn about DIIF’s support in Connect Humanity’s work to advance broadband connectivity through open source
News
How small connectivity providers can help close Brazil’s digital divides
An update on Connect Humanity’s ambitions to support community-centric broadband providers in Brazil.
Case Study
Connecting the most remote communities
Learn how Rhizomatica is leading the way to help communities build communications networks in the Brazilian and Ecuadorian Amazon.
Partner with us
We are seeking funders, investors, and ecosystem builders interested in strengthening the financing infrastructure for community broadband globally.