With the goal of impacting the lives of people around the world, the Motorola Solutions Foundation announced that it donated $12 million to 1,000 charitable organizations in 25 countries in 2021. Each year the Foundation strategically focuses on their core pillars of giving: annual grants, disaster relief, community investment, employee programs and volunteerism. Those who receive support meet the Foundation’s key mission of providing timely assistance to people at the best possible moment.
Given that the Foundation prioritizes timely support, in 2021 they awarded $9.6 million via strategic grants to first responder programs and technology and engineering education. The Foundation placed particular focus on the mental health of first responders that was reflected in their 85% increase in funding for this area.
Through their grants the Foundation recognizes the important role that first responders have in their communities and the unique challenges they face in their line of work. Accordingly, their grant funding went to wellness and stress management training for responders, as well as scholarships to family members of those who have been lost. They also promote ways to increase the resources available to first responders and their families.
Karen Solomon, co-founder of Blue H.E.L.P. appreciated the Foundation’s support this past year that enabled her organization to host Camp April, the first bereavement camp exclusively for family members of officers who died by suicide.
“The Foundation stood tall early on and let families know how important their officer’s lives were. We are honored to continue to work with an organization that so publicly and willingly supports all first responders and the sum total of their lives and service,” said Solomon.
In the area of technology and engineering education, the Foundation gave their support to organizations that engage with students via hands-on engineering activities like design, coding and robotics. Most notable was their $1 million in funding that went to educational scholarships for individuals underrepresented in STEM, with 60% of its funding supporting women and 78% directly benefiting people of color.
In another of their pillars, disaster relief, over $400,000 was given to communities impacted by natural disasters and humanitarian crises. Over $300,000 was specifically directed to disaster-impacted communities urgently needing supplies and life-saving medical resources.
One portion of the their disaster relief allocation, $100,000, went to the American Red Cross for supplies and volunteers involved in the COVID-19 crisis in India. The grant was a collective donation of the Foundation and Motorolans.
Employee giving, another pillar, is a key component of the Foundation’s outreach, which was well reflected in the 60% increase in employee volunteerism in 2021. In their global efforts employees logged nearly 65,000 volunteer hours in 40 countries, with a strong emphasis on making contributions during the Global Months of Service, the Foundation’s volunteer-a-thon in September and October.
The great generosity of employees is visible in the nearly $800,000 in matching gifts for charitable donations individuals requested through the “Donations for Donors” program.
“This year revealed the depths to which generosity and giving back is embedded in our culture,” said Karem Perez, executive director of the Motorola Solutions Foundation. “I am in awe of our employees’ resolve to give back and am incredibly proud of the impact the Foundation and Motorolans collectively continue to make in our communities around the world.”
As the charitable and philanthropic arm of Motorola Solutions, the Foundation serves to fulfill the company’s purpose of helping “people be their best in the moments that matter”. Over the past ten years the Motorola Solutions Foundation has donated over $100 million, with their 2021 donations having even greater importance and impact as the world battles COVID-19.
