$26 million given by Marc and Lynne Benioff and Salesforce to school districts and global education nonprofits to equip students with the Ai skills needed for future success

Salesforce announced $23 million in new grants to U.S. school districts and global education nonprofits to equip students with the skills needed for future success.

Salesforce’s 12-year commitment to education has now reached $150 million in grants to schools across the country.

And, Marc and Lynne Benioff largest individual shareholders of Salesforce will donate an additional $3 million to DonorsChoose to support public education in Hawai’i, building on two decades of philanthropic giving in the state.

AI is transforming the way we work, but only 15% of workers say that they have the education and training necessary to use AI effectively. The funding will provide students with career readiness opportunities and help them learn new skills — like AI and STEM — to prepare for the future, while providing educators with the latest technology in the classroom. The new grants will also support nonprofits that are helping widen access to AI training and increase pathways to meaningful careers.

“To succeed in today’s workforce, people must build the skills to use technology effectively – and that starts in school,” said Suzanne DiBianca, EVP and Chief Impact Officer, Salesforce. “Together with our partners, Salesforce is helping give schools the tools they need to keep up with the pace of innovation and prepare students for an AI future to make sure that no one is left behind.”

Salesforce is directing $13 million of this year’s grants to middle schools and high schools across the country, including San Francisco Public Schools, Oakland Public Schools, New York City Public Schools, Chicago Public Schools, and Indianapolis Public Schools. The grants will support programs that increase STEM access, bring real-world work experiences into the classroom, and introduce AI literacy.

Salesforce has made the single largest investment from any private entity to San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) and Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) – and those communities are seeing the impact. At SFUSD, the number of female and underrepresented students of color taking Computer Science classes has doubled in the last decade. And, OUSD educators reported increased demand for Computer Science coursework in high school as a result of middle school programming, with 65% of computer science middle school enrollment being Black or LatinX students.

“Emerging technologies like AI will continue to impact our schools, workplaces, and society,” said San Francisco Mayor London Breed. “Not only is San Francisco the AI capital of the world, we are a city that has long been committed to education and career development. I’m grateful for Salesforce’s pursuit of equality through technology access and helping students and teachers be prepared for the AI future.”

“Salesforce’s support of our schools has made a profound impact on San Francisco public school students, preparing them for an AI future by focusing on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education,” said Dr. Matt Wayne, Superintendent of SFUSD. “We are incredibly grateful for Salesforce’s unwavering commitment to public education and the students of San Francisco.”