Pittsburgh steps up to the challenge

“The people closest to the problem are usually the people closest to the solution. We want to help them reach it sooner.” That’s what our CEO Sundar Pichai said to announce our new Grow with Google initiative last month, and that’s one of the reasons why we created the Google.org Impact Challenge, which asks local nonprofits to share how they would make their community a better place.

Today we’re opening up the Google.org Impact Challenge Pittsburgh, which is specifically focused on nonprofits working to create economic opportunity in the Pittsburgh area. As Mayor Bill Peduto says, “If it’s not for all, it’s not for us,” and as a Pittsburgher, I’m personally excited about the Challenge because I know we have more work to do to create opportunity for everyone. I’ve been lucky to call Pittsburgh home for the last 20 years, and as one of the site leads for the Pittsburgh office, I want to see this community continue to grow and thrive.

The Pittsburgh Challenge will award $250,000 to nonprofits doing good work in Allegheny County, PA, with the most out-of-the-box and impactful ideas. Together with a panel of local advisors, which I’m honored to serve on, Google.org will select four winners that will each receive Google training and $50,000 grant. The Pittsburgh community will then be invited to vote on which project they believe will have the greatest impact in the community, and the winner of that public vote will receive an additional $50,000.

I’ll be working with the following local leaders who also will serve as advisors:

• Charlie Batch, Founder, Best of the Batch Foundation; Co Founder, Impellia; and Former Pittsburgh Steeler
  
• Mary Frances Cooper, President and Director, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
  
• Grant Oliphant, President, The Heinz Endowments

Qualifying nonprofits can submit their proposals on our website starting today through December 31, 2017.

Pittsburgh is known for its ingenuity, and for people who have the talent, grit and determination to think big. Google was one of the first tech companies to establish a presence in the city, and more than 500 Googlers work out of the old Nabisco factory in Bakery Square. Now, we’re excited to work together with Pittsburgh-area nonprofits to create opportunity throughout the region. If you know any terrific nonprofits in Pittsburgh, please encourage them to apply today. I can’t wait to see our community’s ideas.