Salesforce announced $27 million in new education grants on Sept. 14, including $18 million for public school districts in five cities to support student career readiness, teacher development, and artificial intelligence (AI) education.
The $18 million will support San Francisco Unified School District, Oakland Unified School District, New York City Public Schools, Chicago Public Schools, and Indianapolis Public Schools, according to a press release from the company.
The investments are guided by what district leaders, principals, and teachers say their schools need most, according to Salesforce. For students, those needs include strengthening students’ science, technology, engineering, and math skills and career preparation. For districts, that’s helping districts recruit, retain, and develop educators and supporting their learning in areas such as AI.
“Preparing students for the future means making sure they have the skills and confidence to navigate a world increasingly impacted by AI technology,” San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Maria Su said. “Salesforce’s continued partnership helps us invest not only in our students, but in the educators who support them every day. Together, we’re creating more opportunities for every student to learn, grow, and thrive here in San Francisco.”
The new grants build on more than $180 million that Salesforce said it has contributed to public schools nationwide, including $156 million for Bay Area schools. According to the company, those investments have contributed to:
- An eight-point increase in standardized math assessment scores in Oakland
- A nearly 8% increase in middle school math proficiency rates since 2022 in San Francisco
- Considerable or significant growth in AI literacy among 91% of surveyed teachers
The remaining $9 million of the new grant funding will go to organizations focused on educator development and student career opportunities. New Teacher Center, Leading Educators, TNTP, aiEDU, and Partners in School Innovation will receive support for professional development, instructional coaching, and school leadership initiatives.
CodePath, Genesys Works, Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, and Jobs for the Future will receive funding for hands-on learning and career-connected experiences designed to help students build in-demand skills.
“As AI transforms our world, we have an even greater responsibility to support schools and teachers and help make sure every young person has the opportunity to thrive,” Salesforce Chair and CEO Marc Benioff said. “When we bring together our financial resources, our technology, and the time and expertise of our employees, we can make an incredible impact.”
Salesforce is also relaunching its Adopt-a-School program across more than 25 public schools nationwide, including 15 Bay Area middle schools. Employees and executives will work with schools on activities including student mentoring, workshops, classroom setup, and school improvements. The company said it has already reached its first-year goal of more than 25 schools and plans to expand the program globally in fiscal year 2028.
This week, the company is also bringing about 100 students to its annual Dreamforce conference in San Francisco for mentoring and workshops.
The grants and school partnerships are part of Salesforce’s 1-1-1 philanthropy model, through which the company commits 1% of its equity, technology, and employee time to community initiatives.
