Enabling economic opportunity

Since launching Grow with Google in 2017, we, alongside our Google.org grantees like Goodwill, have helped over 9 million Americans gain digital skills and have assisted over 350,000 Americans in getting a job or advancing their career via improved pay, work conditions, more responsibilities, or better hours.

The Google Career Certificates help prepare people for careers in high-growth fields like cybersecurity and data analytics, with no degree or experience required. There are over 150,000 certificate graduates in the U.S, and 75% of graduates report a positive career outcome within six months of completion, such as a new job, promotion or raise.*

Google Cloud Certification programs, rated one of the highest paying IT certifications for the last two years, enable workers to advance their careers. To date, we’ve trained 500,000 Americans in our Cloud certifications. Read more about how we are investing in America.

*based on program graduate survey, United States 2022

Through Google.org we have provided grants to organizations like 4-H, Goodwill, and NPower to help more students develop skills for today’s economy. Thanks to a network of more than 9,000 partner organizations, including local libraries, community colleges, schools, nonprofits, and chambers of commerce like the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc., the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the National Congress of American Indians, Grow with Google resources are available to local communities across the U.S.

Through the $100M Google Career Certificates Fund, Social Finance is working with best in class workforce development organizations like YearUp and Merit America to upskill and place tens of thousands of Americans into well-paying jobs.

And Google for Startups is partnering with Goodie Nation to support recipients of the Black and Latino Founders Funds with mentorship, business coaching, and access to capital. In 2023, Google for Startups will partner with Visible Hands and American Underground to run programs in Chicago, New York, and Durham that equip Black and Latino founders with the tools and connections they need to raise their next round of funding and scale their businesses.

Racial equity is linked to economic opportunity, and we continue to support Americans with diverse backgrounds and circumstances as they enter the digital economy. We’ve invested in racial equity and social justice organizations and funded new digital job skilling initiatives that support underserved small businesses, startups, and creators.

For example, we’ve created programs that help underrepresented startups and small business owners get access to critical capital and training.

• Over the past three years, Google for Startups has provided $20M in cash awards and support for promising entrepreneurs through its Black and Latino Founders Funds. These investments have created a halo effect by helping founders raise over $190M in venture capital in the US. In 2022 we announced a new set of U.S. recipients and European recipients.
• Google's commitment of $191M enabled Opportunity Finance Network to establish the Grow with Google Small Business Fund, OFN's Grant Program and OFN’s Tech Grant Program supported by Google.org. The funds allowed OFN to deliver low-interest loans and grants to over 60 Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), who in turn provided loans to more than 130,000 underrepresented businesses in the U.S.
• 75% of small business leaders are using digital tools to help their business navigate tough economic conditions heading into 2023. Grow with Google Digital Coaches are helping diverse small businesses, including Black, Latino, Indigenous, and rural-based entrepreneurs, learn digital skills to grow. So far, we have trained over 160,000 business leaders through 2,700+ workshops. 

Google has also committed to working with more diverse suppliers and to expanding our products to be more diverse and inclusive. In 2021 Google spent over $1.5 billion with diverse-owned businesses, and our commitment for 2022 is $2.5 billion.

The #YouTubeBlack voices fund is a global, multi-year $100M commitment to uplift and grow Black creators on our platform, as well as to acquire new YouTube Originals programs.