Posted on Thursday, May 22 at 8:00am | By Joe Garofoli
Google just announced the top 10 finalists in its $5 million Google Impact challenge – where it kicks some cash to nonprofits who come up with “the most innovative ideas for making the Bay Area stronger.”
Each of the ten nonprofits listed below will receive at least $250,000. Google will give $500,000 to the top four — based on an online vote beginning Thursday and running through June 2. To cast a ballot go to g.co/bayareachallenge.
The top ten were chosen by a panel that included former Clinton Administration official Aida Alvarez, former federal Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, Oakland Fire Chief Teresa Deloach Reed, Glide Memorial Church’s the Rev. Cecil Williams and former A’s and Giants’ pitcher Barry Zito. They picked the top 10 based on each project’s “scalability, feasibility, ingenuity and impact,” according to Google.
Here’s the top ten winners, followed by Google’s description:
Beyond 12
Nationally, only 8 percent of students from low-income backgrounds earn a degree by their mid-20s, and the Bay Area numbers are equally startling. Beyond 12 will develop the next generation of MyCoach, a mobile app that helps low-income students navigate the path to college and stay on track once they arrive, significantly enhancing graduation rates. MyCoach will reach over 10,000 Bay Area college students by 2018, and a projected 65% of those students will earn a degree within five years of entering college.
Bring Me a Book
Children from low-income families in the Bay Area hear 30-million fewer wordsthan their peers by age four, and there is only one book for every 300 children in their community. Families that read together every day radically change this outcome. The Digital4Literacy project will give kids access to digital books, in multiple languages, while creating a supportive online community for parents and caregivers. Over three years, Bring Me a Book will expand to create a literacy ecosystem in Alameda and Santa Clara Counties for 432 preschoolers and their families, providing them with up to 40,000 eBooks and learning apps.
BUILD
Approximately 20,000 Bay Area high school students, roughly one in four, drop out of high school each year, collectively costing society an estimated $5.84 billion over the course of their lifetime. BUILD actively works to increase high school graduation rates for at-risk youth with a four year entrepreneurial program. Students develop and run a business, gain confidence, academic support, and mentorship. Over five years, BUILD will scale 300 percent to reach 3,000 Bay Area students, producing 1,125 additional graduates each year ready for college and the working world.
Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO)
Over 12,000 Bay Area residents were imprisoned in 2013. About 64% of peoplewho leave prison return within three years, perpetuating a cycle that destabilizes families and communities. Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) helps people succeed through transitional employment and job placement. CEO will develop a tech platform to prepare participants for employment in a digital world. Over two years, CEO will provide transitional employment for over 500 formerly incarcerated people (300 in Oakland, 200 in San Jose), and will make 280 full-time job placements.
Community Music Center (CMC)
Older adults represent 20% of the Bay Area population. Older adults face emotional and physical challenges each day that can be isolating, but research suggests that participating in music ensembles can help. Community Music Center (CMC) will establish 12 choral groups at culturally-diverse senior centers throughout San Francisco. Over the next four years, CMC will reach 400 low-income older adults, and will develop a model that can scale nationally.
Hack the Hood
In the Bay Area, research shows that students from low-income communities aren’t exposed to the math and science training, or tech mentors that lead to job opportunities in the field. Without this access, these students are underprepared for careers in science and technology. Hack the Hood will address digital equity by training low-income kids to build websites for local small businesses, actively supporting them to launch their own tech careers. In two years, 5,000 students will support over 25,000 businesses across the Bay Area and receive technology training.
Mission Asset Fund (MAF)
203,000 Bay Area families struggle to get affordable loans, cash checks, rent apartments, or set up utilities. On average, 9.5% of their pay goes toward predatory lenders’ fees. Mission Assets Fund (MAF) will scale Lending Circles, a social loan program that helps build credit scores for low-income families. In two years, MAF will support 28 Bay Area nonprofits to offer Lending Circles in their respective communities, ultimately helping 2,240 people lend and borrow $1.9 million in interest-free social loans.
Pogo Park
Nearly 8,000 children live in Richmond’s Iron Triangle, a one square mile area that is among the Bay Area’s most densely populated, high poverty neighborhoods.Research shows that play boosts empathy and imagination in children, which has a positive and enduring effect on kids, families, and communities. Over three years, Pogo Park will transform three neglected parks in Richmond into magical play spaces for 8,000 at-risk children, and develop a scalable model and toolkit for other communities.
SubArt
The Bay Area’s underground transit system serves more than 169 million riders annually. SubArt’s vision for the 49-station BART/MUNI system across 20 cities is an artistic redesign. Riders will enjoy art that reflects the diverse histories, cultures, and people of the Bay Area. In three to four years, over 500,000 people who travel through the Bay Area’s BART/MUNI stations daily will experience beautiful art, making public transit a more attractive option.
The Health Trust
24% of kids in Santa Clara County live in food deserts, with limited access to healthy options. Meanwhile, the Bay Area hosts a year-round growing season, acres of unused land, and a network of eager urban farmers. The Health Trust will extend its “Good. To go.” program, creating new distribution channels for affordable produce. This program expands street vendors, corner stores, and farmers’ markets for underserved areas. Over two years, The Health Trust will distribute 50,000 pounds of produce to 10,000 low-income residents in Santa Clara County.
Read More:
http://blog.sfgate.com/techchron/2014/05/22/google-giving-5-million-to-bay-area-nonprofits/
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