Allo, city of Lincoln, providing free internet to 75 nonprofits

The city of Lincoln and ALLO Communications announced Thursday the Community Connect Program, which will provide free one-gigabit broadband service for 10 years to 75 qualified nonprofits in the community.

According to the city of Lincoln, the program was a key component of the City’s broadband franchise agreement with ALLO, a Nebraska-based telecommunications company.

“We’re excited to see what these 75 nonprofits are capable of with ALLO fiber internet,” said Brad Moline, ALLO Communications President. “Providing this free service to organizations that make a difference is a great way for us to give back to Lincoln. We know the Community Connect Program will do a lot of good for a lot of people, and this is a great opportunity to work on a team effort with the City of Lincoln.”

“Lincoln is fortunate to be home to an amazing nonprofit community,” said Lincoln Mayor Gaylor Baird. “I want to thank ALLO for partnering with the City to support our nonprofits in a meaningful way - one that allows these agencies’ work to make an even bigger impact for our most vulnerable residents. The program will reduce costs for Lincoln nonprofits and give them the internet service they need to help in the community. It will also give countless individuals and families free access to high-speed internet connections they might not have elsewhere.”

To build on ALLO Communications’ continuing support of United Way and other agencies, the company will select 35 qualified nonprofits. The remaining 40 qualified nonprofits will be selected through a lottery system. The selected nonprofits will be announced in January 2020.

Voices of Hope executive director Marcee Metzger said this will benefit them if chosen.

"It allows us to have access to the internet which is one of the ways we reach out to victims in the community," she said.

Cause for Paws manager Row Smith said saving money on internet would allow them to put money toward other things.

"That would be just one more money we could save on with helping more animals," Smith said.

To qualify, nonprofits must be located in Lincoln, have fewer than 75 full-time-equivalent employees, be certified with the IRS as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and meet other criteria. The application form for the lottery, which includes the full list of criteria, is available at lincoln.ne.gov (keyword: allo).

Application forms may also be picked up during regular business hours at these locations:

Mayor’s Office, third floor of the County-City Building, 555 S. 10th Street

ALLO Communications, 330 S. 21st Street

Applications must be mailed or delivered by 5 p.m. Friday, November 15 or postmarked on or before the date.