Lincoln Network

Lincoln Network
Name	Lincoln Network
Formation	2004
Type	Nonprofit think tank / advocacy organization
Headquarters	Portland, Oregon
Region served	United States
Leader title	CEO
Leader name	Sarah Larrimore

Lincoln Network is an American nonprofit organization focused on technology policy, civic technology, and public-interest tech initiatives. It operates at the intersection of digital infrastructure, telecommunications, and public policy, engaging with policymakers, industry, and civic actors to influence debates around broadband, privacy, and innovation. The organization is active in policy advocacy, grantmaking, and convening stakeholders in the Pacific Northwest and nationally.

History

Founded in 2004 amid debates over telecommunications deregulation and broadband deployment, the organization emerged during the aftermath of legislative changes such as the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and debates around the 2002 Farm Bill rural connectivity provisions. Early activities linked it to regional technology networks in Portland, Oregon, collaborations with philanthropic actors in the Russell Sage Foundation and engagement with debates following rulings from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Over time, it broadened focus to include municipal broadband pilots analogous to efforts in Chattanooga, Tennessee and Kansas City, Missouri, and participated in policy forums alongside groups like the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Public Knowledge.

Mission and Activities

The stated mission emphasizes accelerating the adoption of open, accessible digital infrastructure and amplifying technology’s role in civic life. Activities span policy research, technical assistance for localities, and convenings modeled on events hosted by institutions such as the Brookings Institution and Aspen Institute. Lincoln Network’s work often intersects with initiatives led by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), filings before the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on communications matters, and comment submissions to the Federal Communications Commission on rules like net neutrality and spectrum allocation.

Organizational Structure and Leadership

The organization is structured as a nonprofit with a board of directors and an executive team. Leadership includes a chief executive officer and a policy director who liaise with external stakeholders including state lawmakers in Oregon and Washington (state), municipal officials from cities such as Portland, Oregon and Seattle, and technology firm executives from companies headquartered in the Silicon Valley region. Board members have included figures with prior roles at organizations like the Pew Charitable Trusts, Microsoft, and universities such as Stanford University and University of Oregon.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding sources historically include philanthropic foundations, corporate sponsorships, and individual donors. Grantmakers that have collaborated with Lincoln Network reflect the broader technology-philanthropy ecosystem, similar to relationships seen between the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and civic tech groups, or partnerships observed between the Knight Foundation and local newsroom projects. Corporate partners have included telecommunications firms and software companies that also engage with rulemaking at the Federal Communications Commission and policy debates in the United States Senate Commerce Committee. The group has received support through project-specific grants and has partnered with academic centers at institutions such as Harvard University and University of California, Berkeley for research.

Programs and Initiatives

Programmatic work covers broadband mapping, technical assistance for municipal broadband pilots, digital privacy workshops, and fellowship programs for technology policy leaders. Initiatives have paralleled national efforts like the Digital Equity Act implementation and local pilots modeled after ConnectHome USA and Smart Cities demonstrators. Fellowship and mentorship programs echo models from the Internet Society and Code for America, placing technologists into municipal agencies and legislative offices. Lincoln Network has also convened summits with participation from representatives of the National Governors Association and state broadband offices.

Policy Positions and Advocacy

Advocacy emphasizes market-oriented approaches to expanding broadband access, support for streamlined permitting protocols as seen in reforms endorsed by state legislatures such as in Utah and Texas, and caution regarding expansive regulatory interventions by the Federal Communications Commission. The organization has filed comments on spectrum policy, encouraged adoption of model state legislation for pole attachments, and engaged in debates over net neutrality rules promulgated during the administrations of Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. It has advocated for public-private partnerships similar to those used in municipal broadband projects and urged policymakers to prioritize infrastructure investment programs analogous to proposals in federal infrastructure bills debated by the United States Congress.

Criticism and Controversies

Critics have raised concerns about the influence of corporate donors on policy stances and parallels to lobbying efforts by major telecommunications firms like AT&T and Verizon Communications. Observers from advocacy groups such as Free Press and Common Cause have questioned whether market-oriented solutions adequately address digital divide issues highlighted in reports by the Pew Research Center and the Benton Foundation. Controversies have included debates over transparency in funding, alignment with industry-backed model legislation, and disagreements with municipal advocates in cities such as San Francisco and Chattanooga, Tennessee over the role of public ownership in broadband deployment.

Category:Nonprofit organizations based in Oregon Category:Technology policy organizations in the United States