- Salesforce has issued a $500,000 grant to the New York City public school district
Salesforce has issued a $500,000 grant to the New York City public school district, according to Edweek. This is one of the latest grants made in a series — which is focused on helping kids build workforce skills. Plus Salesforce is also awarding $250,000 to Futures and Options — which is a New York-based nonprofit organization that helps underprivileged kids develop future job skills.
Previously, Salesforce made donations to school systems in the Bay Area, Chicago, and Indianapolis. And it is tripling the number of students it serves. So far, Salesforce has made $67 million in donations to public schools. Along with the donations, Salesforce also provides access to its software so students can develop skills in using the platform.
The grant will be used for supporting leadership initiatives at the school. This includes the rollout of a new “graduate profile,” which will be the city’s definition for the knowledge and skills that public students should gain by graduation according to Salesforce EVP & Chief Philanthropy Officer Ebony Beckwith. And the grant is also expected to provide the district with resources for driving equity and academic achievement.
Salesforce spokesperson Cheyenne King told EdWeek Market Brief that Salesforce has a dedicated education industry vertical for K-12 and higher education. And the New York City Department of Education uses Salesforce for managing its Community Schools program in over 250 schools. The Community Schools are known as neighborhood hubs where students are able to receive higher-quality academic instruction and families can receive social services.
“The Salesforce.org model is three-pronged — technology for K-12, higher ed and nonprofits; grants towards education and workforce development; and volunteering,” said King via EdWeek. “This model is coming to life in these K-12 schools.”
In September, Salesforce donated $8.5 million to the San Francisco Unified School District. And a few months before that, Salesforce provided a $500,000 donation to Indianapolis Public Schools.
