Microsoft, employees donated over $650 million in cash, cloud services and software in 2016
View(s):A year after the formation of Microsoft Philanthropies, Microsoft Corp. and its employees have donated more than US$650 million in cash, cloud services and software to nonprofits around the world.
In a statement published last week and released by Microsoft, Mary Snapp, corporate vice president at Microsoft Philanthropies, detailed the organisation’s 2016 contributions the highlights of which included $465 million in cloud services donated to more than 71,000 organisations to benefit the public good. In addition, Microsoft employees raised $142 million for 19,000 nonprofits, helping reach an important milestone.
The statement said the company’s giving programme has now raised $1.5 billion since 1983.
Ms. Snapp also reports significant progress is areas such as aiding organisations that respond to human and manmade disasters and providing computer science education to those who otherwise would not have access.
“Technology has the power to uplift, to connect, and perhaps most important, to save lives,” she said. “Together with our grantees, partners and employees around the world, Microsoft Philanthropies is using the power of technology to help those impacted by some of the world’s biggest challenges, including economic disruption, inequality, disasters, war, and famine.”
In January 2016, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced the company would donate $1 billion in cloud services to nonprofit organisations and researchers working on the world’s most urgent needs, from health care to education to the environment. While the commitment was originally envisioned as a three-year initiative, Microsoft Philanthropies is nearly at the halfway point of the goal, with $465 million donated in a year to 71,000 organisations.
In Sri Lanka many NGOs have taken advantage of the software donations program and over $5 million of software has been donated to local NGOs. A recent partnership with Sarvodaya Fusion has directly trained 5,000 disadvantaged youth in computer science. Through the YouthSpark cash grant programme Microsoft has donated cash grants totaling $4.5 million in Sri Lanka. YouthSpark Live brings together Microsoft employees, partners and NGOs in an effort to inspire the youth and show them the myriad opportunities available in the technology field.
“Entering its second year, Microsoft Philanthropies will grow its work with nonprofits to prepare people for jobs that require skills from basic digital literacy to advanced computer science, as well as increase support for humanitarian responders,” the statement said.