Centri Tech Foundation

The Centri Tech Foundation (CTF) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that works hand in hand with a national network of multi-sector leaders, affordable housing providers, community development groups, funders, and entrepreneurs to ensure that technology can reach every home and community to transform lives. We believe digital advancement is a civil right. To achieve a sustainable future, one where everyone can fulfill their aspirations and thrive, requires an inclusive digital economy.

We embrace the centrality of the home as the place where the promise and potential of technology can be achieved. We also recognize culture as central to the building of authentic connections and experiences between people and technology – how they live, work, learn, create, and play. And we believe everyone should have access to smart and green homes that can improve their overall wellbeing while also protecting the environment. These core beliefs are reflected in our name, “Centri.”

The home is the heart of adoption for new solutions, and, in our view, it’s the best place to promote the use of technology to help people improve their lives and make the most of new skills, digital tools, and emerging technologies. Affordable housing offers a powerful means to fulfill our mission. It holds the potential to deliver technology-enabled goods, services, and resources to millions of households across the country and to lift the human condition at scale.

We support leaders and groups working closely with low-income communities to use technology as a tool to address their challenges and meet their needs. We build strategic partnerships, re-grant funds, and provide guidance to make available tech-enabled solutions that are easy to adopt. We aim to drive people-centric outcomes that are measurable, effective, and scalable.

Our Work: Demonstrate, Advocate, Inspire

We support local efforts to expand digital access and adoption, with an emphasis on promoting access to the internet and digital skills for workforce development and economic mobility.

We work with municipalities and local organizations focused on inclusive economic development, offering insights and access to data to help them connect tech to their goals for building shared prosperity.

We award grants to visionary leaders who are leveraging emerging technologies to solve social problems, from building wealth to improving health, with the aspiration to grow a national network of innovators that we can collaborate with to accelerate our mission and drive meaningful social impact.

CTF’s current initiatives include:

Digital Advancement Municipal Index - a data tool to help cities measure and improve their progress toward achieving shared prosperity through technology.

Digital Integrators Program - a model to help community groups and residents link technology access to digital skills and economic opportunities

Community Skills Connect - a program to connect low-income job seekers to online skills training and localized resources for workforce development.

Social Justice Innovation Awards - grants and fellowships for visionary leaders using emerging tech to address racial, environmental, and economic injustice.