About CCA
Free technical training on the networks, servers and cloud systems we operate.
Our mission
CCA rebuilds an opportunity pathway that used to exist: hands-on technical training for people in low-wage roles who want to advance.
We give people free access to real enterprise computing, networking and security systems rather than simulations, and we hold them to the same standards of responsibility, security and governance any competent organization would. Every program is free, including loaner equipment and shipping.
Our story
There was a time when employers invested in the people at the bottom of their own org charts. A janitor, a facilities worker or someone in the mailroom could be sponsored into technical training, learn the systems the company ran on, and move up. It was not charity. It was how a lot of the industry staffed itself.
That era ended. Training budgets moved to people who already had credentials, and the entry rungs disappeared for everyone else. The result is a hiring market where every role demands production experience and almost no one will give you the first one.
CCA fills the gap those employers abandoned. We operate real infrastructure and hand people role-appropriate, governed, audited access to it, so they can build genuine operating experience without having to be hired first.
How we operate
- Real enterprise systems, not simulations. Participants configure, operate and maintain live networks, servers and cloud tenants.
- Software we built ourselves. We can tell you where every donated device is, who has it, and what that person has done with it. Building this in house instead of buying it keeps our costs down, and it means we answer a funder’s questions from records rather than estimates.
- Governed access. Participants receive role-appropriate access aligned to their learning objectives. Access is audited, and responsibility is real.
- Physical infrastructure. CCA owns and operates its own datacenter equipment. Funders are welcome to arrange a visit.
- Participant governance. CCA is a cooperative, and participants share responsibility for how it is run.
What CCA runs
CCA does not rent a practice lab. It runs its own infrastructure, and participants learn by helping to run it. That infrastructure includes:
- networks of routers, switches, wireless access points and firewalls, including equipment at participants’ own locations, joined by encrypted site-to-site links
- a datacenter with our own racks, servers and hypervisors
- an identity platform that gives participants and staff one account across CCA services
- a security monitoring platform fed by logs from across the organization
- a phone system with extensions and voicemail for participants
- a learning platform for online courses
- the software that runs CCA itself, covering enrollment, access, equipment, shipping, certifications and donations
- data services that gather public government records, such as those on schools, aviation, postal facilities, nonprofits and radio licenses, for participants and staff to use
- radio networks in Nevada and California, which can carry traffic when other networks fail (see disaster response)
Keeping all of this running costs money every month, which is why equipment and hosting are among the largest things donors pay for.
Governance & accountability
Our legal name is Cooperative Computing Alliance Foundation, EIN 42-4954752. The IRS recognizes the Foundation as a 501(c)(3) public charity, with exemption effective . The existing online checkout has not yet switched to the Foundation. Read the current donation recipient details.
- Multi-step approvals for large expenditures. No single person can commit significant funds alone.
- Technical controls protect donated assets, including inventory tracking, access control and audit logging for every device and system.
- Board oversight covers program decisions, enrollment and financial controls.
- Clear rules for participants. Every participant agrees to our acceptable use and security policies when they enroll.
- Public notices set out our nondiscrimination and language assistance commitments.
Our accountability page sets out how we handle gifts, spending, equipment and reporting. Our governance portal is at governance.coopalliance.org.
How we use funds
Donor money goes to the things participants actually touch. Specifically:
- Equipment. Buying, maintaining and replacing the 1,000+ devices in our lending library, at an average replacement cost of $1,500 each.
- Hosting and datacenter. Rack space, power and connectivity, plus the cloud capacity participants train on.
- Software. Running the system that provisions access, tracks progress and enforces our controls.
- Participant support. Shipping in both directions, certification exam fees and mentorship.
We keep overhead deliberately low by automating work that would otherwise need staff. If you want to restrict a gift to a specific program or cost, we will confirm the restriction in writing and report back on what it funded.
None of this money comes from participants. CCA runs entirely on charitable funding, from companies, foundations, individual donors and grants.
Read more about what donations pay for and the controls around spending
For participants
CCA is for anyone who wants to build technical skills with real support behind them: students, career changers, and practitioners who want to go further. You set the goals and we help you get there.
Participation requirements
Anyone can apply, and you do not need a sponsor. To enroll as a participant, you need to:
- Apply online and have your application approved by a person at CCA
- Commit to using shared infrastructure responsibly and ethically
- Have reliable internet access, and a computer or one borrowed from our lending library
- Agree to CCA policies, including acceptable use and security requirements
Read how to enroll, and what happens after you apply
What participants learn
Our tracks cover networking and infrastructure, cloud and identity, and cybersecurity. Beyond those, CCA supports participants working on software development, data analysis, design and other technical disciplines. If you have a goal, we will help you find a path to it.
See what each track covers, or read how CCA works from applying to your first job.
Equipment lending library
Need hardware to learn? Participants can borrow laptops, networking gear and other equipment free of charge, shipped both directions at our expense. You do not need to buy anything to get started.
Read how the equipment lending library works
Frequently asked questions
Does enrolling cost anything?
No. CCA is free to participants, including loaner equipment and shipping both ways. Our infrastructure is paid for by donors and maintained by participants rather than rented from a commercial provider. There are no participation fees and no hidden charges.
Who can enroll?
Anyone can apply. You do not need a sponsor or any technical experience. A person at CCA reviews every application and decides on it, whether or not someone already taking part has vouched for you.
What will I learn?
That is largely up to you. CCA supports participants across infrastructure, cloud, security, software development and beyond. You set the goals, and we help you get there.
How do I enroll?
Fill in the application at enroll.coopalliance.org. It takes about 10 minutes, and you will usually hear back within 3 business days. Read what to expect.
Who benefits from CCA?
People from underserved communities who want to move into technical careers, particularly those in low-wage jobs who have the ability but have never been given the access.
Get in touch
Email: info@coopalliance.org
Funders can request a virtual briefing or a site visit. If you are thinking about applying, ask us anything about enrollment.
Rebuild the opportunity pathway
Your support rebuilds a route into technical work that used to exist, and makes sure it exists again for the people who need it most.