Altoona Data Center

07/30/2026

Iowa good news, close to home. 🕶️

Meta just announced our AI Glasses Impact Grant recipients — nearly $2 million for 30+ organizations across 18 states using Meta AI glasses to make a real difference. One is right here in Iowa.

Easterseals Iowa & Camp Sunnyside is putting Meta AI glasses in the hands of people with disabilities across the state, expanding access to assistive technology that supports greater independence in daily life. As your neighbors at the Altoona Data Center, we're proud to see Iowa putting this technology to work close to home!

Meet the full cohort → meta.com/community/ai-glasses-community-stories

We've awarded AI Glasses Impact Grants to 30 organizations across the US using Meta AI glasses to help people work safer, learn faster, and live more independently.

06/23/2026

Recently, it was an honor to sponsor and attend the Altoona Area Chamber of Commerce’s Inaugural Garden Party to foster community support for needed upgrades for this one-of-a-kind community feature. The Enabling Garden has been a grant recipient of the Data Center Community Action Grants program multiple times, and it was a true pleasure to join this effort with so many of our friends and neighbors.

City of Altoona, Iowa - Government

06/11/2026

America needs hundreds of thousands of skilled tradespeople — electricians, mechanics, fiber technicians and more — to build the AI infrastructure powering our future. That's why Meta just launched America's Workforce Academy, the largest private-sector commitment to the skilled trades with a job guarantee in American history.

This cost-free program supports all participants while they learn, and every graduate is guaranteed a job on a Meta partner's construction site. No experience needed. It's a $115 million first year investment — now piloting in four states, with plans to grow.

Learn more: https://www.meta.com/AmericasWorkforceAcademy/

05/11/2026

Big news in clean energy ☀️🔋

Last week, Meta announced two partnerships pushing the boundaries of what's possible for powering AI infrastructure.

We're working with Overview Energy to bring solar power from space to Earth—satellites collecting sunlight around the clock and beaming it to solar farms on the ground. And we're partnering with Noon Energy on ultra-long-duration storage that can hold clean energy for days, not just hours.

These are the kinds of investments that help strengthen the grid and support reliable power for our data center operations here and across the country.

Learn more about these innovative energy solutions 👇

https://about.fb.com/news/2026/04/powering-ai-strengthening-the-grid-space-solar-energy-and-long-duration-storage/

05/06/2026

For several years we've been honored to help make this dynamic event accessible for hundreds of students across Iowa! Learn more and get involved:

We would love for you to join us for the 38th Annual Iowa Industrial Technology Expo on Friday, May 8, 2026! This exciting event highlights innovation, hands-on learning, and career exploration in industrial and technical fields.

Event Details
🗓️Date: May 8, 2026
🕛️12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m. Public Viewing of Projects on Display
🕧️12:30 p.m. Car Show Awards in Parking Lot
🕐️1:00-2:00 p.m. Awards Assembly in Gym
👉️For complete schedule: https://www.southeastpolk.org/38th-annual-tech-expo-may-8-2026-join-us/
📍Location: Southeast Polk High School Gymnasium and Parking Lot

Students from around the state can submit projects in the following categories for display and judging:

🟡Graphic Communication
🟡Energy and Power
🟡Problem Solving, Inventions and Experiments
🟡Material Processing
🟡Transportation
🟡Robotics
🟡Competitions including sheet metal, carpentry, welding, woodworking, automotive, vex robotics, plumbing, electrical conduit and precision measurement

Students, staff, and community members are invited to explore exhibits, connect with industry professionals, and learn more about careers in industrial technology. Stop by to check out the amazing work our students have done!

04/28/2026

🌎🧊 April is Earth month — and we're proud to share a closer look at the water restoration work happening in Los Lunas.

Water is a shared and vital resource — and at Meta, our goal is to become water positive in 2030. That means restoring more water than we consume in our operations, while partnering with local communities to boost supply, enhance quality, and protect ecosystems.

In this video, our Water Program leads share what drives this work — and how projects near the Rio Grande are helping move toward that goal.

Watch the video to hear directly from the team 👇

04/27/2026

Last week, we celebrated our 2026 Meta Data Center Community Action Grant recipients at the Altoona Data Center! It was a true joy to bring together this year’s grant recipients, community partners, Meta team members, and local leaders!

Through our Data Center Community Action Grants program, Meta provides funding for nonprofits and schools - addressing critical community needs by putting technology to use for community benefit, enabling people to build strong, sustainable communities, improving local STEAM education - to support the long-term vitality of East Polk County. Learn more about this year’s projects:

Bondurant-Farrar Community School District: To equip teachers with AI resources, Bondurant-Farrar CSD partners with the Science Center of Iowa for tailored professional development and classroom materials.

Bondurant-Farrar Morris Elementary: To boost literacy and STEM, Morris Elementary will provide Yoto audio players and high-quality audiobooks for kindergarten classrooms, supporting independent learning.

Caring Hands Outreach Center: To nourish at-risk youth, Caring Hands Outreach Center will provide free meals during HERD Round Up Nights, supporting restorative diversion programming.

Children and Family Urban Movement: To provide academic enrichment, CFUM’s Awesome Summer Days offers a free 10-week summer program with STEAM and experience-focused activities for youth.

Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa: To inspire future builders and creators, Girl Scout Camp Build introduces middle school girls to skilled trades through hands-on construction and teamwork at camp.

ICON Water Trails: To blend nature and storytelling, ICON’s Water Trails introduces young children to Iowa’s waterways through interactive outdoor experiences and books.

The Iowa Center: To empower small business owners, the Iowa Center provides coaching, lending, and tax services to help Iowans launch and grow businesses in Eastern Polk County.

Iowa Conservation Education Coalition - ICEC: To engage students in conservation, ICEC supports digital game design competitions and educator training, connecting real-world Iowa challenges to STEAM learning.

ISU Extension and Outreach - Polk County: To enable inclusive gardening, four accessible raised brick beds will be rebuilt at the Enabling Garden, supporting volunteers of all abilities.

Living History Farms: To advance STEAM education, Spark! Lab offers hands-on agricultural invention activities for children and families, fostering creativity and problem-solving.

Science Center of Iowa: To create innovation skills, the AI Foundations program brings hands-on AI and machine learning workshops to students and teachers in Southeast Polk and Bondurant-Farrar schools.

Southeast Polk Community School District: To foster student research and innovation, Southeast Polk will support participation in the Iowa State Science + Technology Fair for grades six through 12.

SEP Four Mile Elementary: To empower students, Four Mile Elementary will integrate VR headsets for immersive, hands-on learning experiences across STEAM subjects.

SEP High School: To upgrade classroom computers, Southeast Polk High School will purchase new stations for Project Lead The Way engineering classes, replacing outdated equipment.

SEP Mitchellville Elementary: To enhance STEM education, Mitchellville Elementary will add a laser cutter and VR headsets, expanding access and innovation for all students.

Thank you to all of the community leaders, including City of Altoona Council members and Southeast Polk Community School District Board Members, for joining us to help us celebrate this year’s winners.

04/22/2026

Yesterday, we announced that we’re breaking ground on our 28th U.S. Meta data center in Tulsa, Oklahoma! When coming to a new community, Meta is committed to making a positive impact by investing in local schools and nonprofits, partnering on local water restoration projects, adding energy to the grid and supporting local jobs to build and operate the data center.

We're building the future of human connection and once operational, the Tulsa Data Center will be part of the highly advanced infrastructure that helps connect billions of people around the world.

We are proud to call Oklahoma home – follow Tulsa Data Center for local updates

04/20/2026

We're excited to share a new opportunity for people across the United States. 🎉

Meta has partnered with CBRE to launch LevelUp Fiber Technician Pathway — a free, four-week training program that prepares people for high-demand fiber technician careers operated by CBRE. No prior experience is required.

Whether you're a recent graduate, exploring a career change, or looking for a pathway into the skilled trades — this program is built for you.

Learn more 👉 https://datacenters.atmeta.com/levelup/

04/17/2026

Thank you to the City of Altoona, Iowa - Government for hosting community leaders last month to source local feedback for Polk County’s Strategic Plan process.

This Polk County Iowa, IA initiative brings county leaders, residents, community organizations, and local businesses together to create a shared vision for the future of Polk County. The strategic plan is meant to set the vision and direction for the next ten years by assessing current needs, anticipating future challenges, and identifying key priorities that will inform county policy and long-term investments.

Learn more by clicking here: https://www.polkcountyiowa.gov/board-of-supervisors/polk-county-strategic-plan/ or scanning the QR code, and be sure to make your voice heard!

The Polk County Board of Supervisors is embarking on a strategic planning process for our county. Starting in December 2025, there will be a series of community meetings and discovery sessions held in a variety of venues across our community.The strategic planning process will bring together county....