Ever wonder what Google does with all of their money, beyond paying someone to design interesting versions of their logo for special events? And beyond paying their employees and funding new projects and the other things that huge tech companies do, of course? Well they donate a lot of it to charities, often choosing to invest in education or programs to help people have greater access to technology. Check out a few of the highlights below.
Since 2011, Google has donated over $3 million to Code for America, a group that works to help local governments adopt and implement new technology. Technology advances faster than many individuals can keep up with it, so it’s especially hard to organizations to keep up, especially heavily bureaucratic organizations like local governments. Code for America brings individuals who do know their way around technology together with government groups to help develop better systems for health and human services, safety and justice, and economic development.
Google isn’t just looking forward to the future with their money; they’re also helping to preserve the past. In the 1980s, the United Kingdom finally declassified important documents from World War II that detailed some very important events in computing history. Google donated $850,000 dollars to help restore Bletchley Park, a historic site that was the home of the first electronically programmable computer, called Colossus. It was at Bletchley Park that the British military worked on breaking Axis codes, work which helped to shorten the already devastating war. Their support of the site has helped to keep it operating, and allowed locals and tourists alike to learn about some fascinating episodes in history.
Like many corporations, Google realizes the value of non-profits and philanthropy, and puts some of their money to good use. Most major corporations do so, for a variety of reasons, but regardless of why, or how, a corporation donates money, it helps improve somebody’s life somewhere.