How QTS works with communities to deliver meaningful benefits earlier and build lasting local partnerships
Responsible data center investment creates jobs, expands the local tax base and strengthens infrastructure. But communities shouldn’t have to wait years to see those benefits.
QTS believes responsible development begins with creating value earlier. QTS works alongside local governments and community leaders to understand what matters most, establish clear commitments and deliver measurable value over decades.
Taking Action on Local Priorities
QTS uses Community Benefits Agreements and Community Revenue Agreements to help communities receive financial and community benefits before, during and after development. These commitments create a foundation for long-term partnership.
Community Benefits Agreements
Think of a Community Benefits Agreement as a good neighbor pledge: QTS works with communities to establish specific actions and milestone-based funding opportunities for initiatives that improve life in the communities where we work and live. Funding can support infrastructure upgrades, school improvements, workforce development programs, and local law enforcement and fire department resources.
Community Revenue Agreements
Think of a Community Revenue Agreement as a financial partnership that helps bring future project-related tax revenues to the community sooner. This gives communities more flexibility to invest in schools, public safety, infrastructure and other priorities while development is underway and before data center buildings are delivered.
Partnership in Action: Blakely, Georgia
QTS put this approach into practice in Blakely and Early County, Georgia. Working with local leaders, QTS established an investment framework designed to support community priorities before construction and continue generating value through development and operations. The proposal includes three annual $7.5 million payments beginning before construction, along with a $28.75 million Community Betterment Fund supporting locally identified needs.
The Good Neighbor Standard
Our approach to community investment is deeply ingrained in The Good Neighbor Standard, a framework for responsible development that guides how our data centers are planned, built and operated. It reflects how a responsible operator should create long-term community value and contribute to economic growth. Learn more by visiting The Good Neighbor Standard webpage.
1. Transparency and Community Engagement
Trust begins with clear information and open dialogue. QTS shares fact-based information early, maintains communication with residents and stakeholders, and provides points of contact throughout development and operations. That includes project websites, FAQs, newsletters, feedback channels and public events. QTS also supports legislative guardrails that establish consistent expectations for responsible development.
2. Jobs and Community Investment
Data center development should expand opportunity not only during construction, but for generations. QTS creates construction jobs and long-term careers, supports local businesses and skilled trades, and invests in workforce training programs that build durable pathways to technology careers. In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, more than 10,000 construction workers are employed by QTS contractors during the peak of the multiyear build, with more than 100 permanent jobs planned once the campus is operational. QTS also committed a $5 million grant to expand skilled-trades training across eastern Iowa.
3. Water and Energy Stewardship
Responsible growth requires thoughtful resource planning. QTS committed $1 billion through 2035 to strengthen water systems, expand conservation and replenishment, and help communities address local water needs. In Turkey, Texas, QTS plans to replace the town’s aging water tower as part of a 10-year, $250 million Texas commitment and a $15 million conservation partnership.
Reliable, affordable energy is essential to thriving communities. That’s why QTS funds all of our own project-specific needs. We take responsibility for the energy required to power our data centers so that costs related to our projects are not passed onto ratepayers. In Cedar Rapids, Alliant Energy expects customer base rates to remain flat for at least five years.
4. Thoughtful Design and Development
Thoughtful planning helps protect what communities value. QTS works to reduce impacts to homes, schools, parks and historic resources; reduce noise, traffic and visual effects through design, buffers and coordination; protect natural resources and preserve green space; and build durable, adaptable facilities that remain community assets for decades. In Fayetteville, Georgia, that design includes a 3,000-foot public pathway connecting to more than 130 miles of trails.
A stronger community is the measure of success
Being a good neighbor is not a one-time promise. Through The Good Neighbor Standard, we are working to ensure every community can see value, now and for the long term.
