A grant award from the State Department covers many of the costs associated with the program. The U.S. hosting organizations work closely with local businesses and public and private organizations, which volunteer their time and resources to develop and implement programs for Community Connections participants. Programs for English-speaking business participants are designed as individual internship experiences and can include seminars, consultancies, training within a U.S. company, and site visits. Programs for professionals who do not speak English are more group focused, and employ a variety of training methodologies. Home stays are another important aspect of the Community Connections program.
Participants live with local American families who provide an intimate look at American culture.
In many cases, host family members and participants become close friends and continue to maintain contact and visit each other once the program is over. In addition, host families are always needed to provide home stays for the visiting businesspeople. Potential Rewards Community Connection s predecessor, Business for Russia, began in 1994 and created programs for over 1,300 Russian entrepreneurs to the United States over a 2-year period. Many of the participants continued to keep in contact with their new American colleagues and friends after their return to Russia. Several of these participants have signed joint venture agreements with companies they either worked with, or were introduced to, during the program.