Microsoft contributes to nonprofits and causes

Mary Snapp, Head of Microsoft Philanthropies, reported on the company’s contributions to nonprofits and other causes in 2017.

Her annual letter covers the expansion of the company’s program to teach computer science in U.S. high schools part of the company’s YouthSpark initiative – Microsoft’s $25 million investment in a program that helps connect American workers to well-paying “middle-skill” jobs, and the company’s record-setting employee giving results.

Here are some of the highlights from the last year:

• Employee giving – US employees raised a record $156 million through Microsoft’s Employee Giving Program, which matches cash contributions and pays nonprofits $25 for each hour an employee volunteers (up to $15,000 per employee). Employees were especially engaged in giving around natural disasters, contributing $3.7 million to support disaster recovery work around the world.
• TEALS expansion – In 2017, Microsoft Philanthropies’ TEALS program provided 1,050 volunteers to teach computer science to more than 12,000 students in 348 US high schools – doubling the number of schools and students compared to two years ago.
• YouthSpark – The global YouthSpark program has helped 3 million young people learn about computer science. Reaching 60 countries and training 200,000 teachers, 80 percent of participating students are from underserved communities, and half are girls.
• Employment skills in the United States – In 2017, Microsoft made its biggest single investment in a nonprofit – $25 million over three years – to support of the Markle foundation’s Skillful initiative, which creates workforce centers to reskill America’s workforce.