2022-02-08

Motorola Solutions Foundation Grants $12M to Charitable Organizations Around the World in 2021

Source: The Critical Communications Review | Gert Jan Wolf editor

As part of its annual grant cycle, the Foundation’s funding toward mental health for first responders increased by 85%, acknowledging the critical role that it plays in first responders’ ability to support their communities.

The Motorola Solutions Foundation, the charitable and philanthropic arm of Motorola Solutions (NYSE: MSI), today announced over $12 million in giving to more than 1,000 charitable organizations across 25 countries in 2021. Reflecting the company's purpose to help people be their best in the moments that matter, the Foundation drove impact through each of its key strategic giving pillars, including:

Annual grants
$9.6 million in strategic grants awarded to organizations focused on first responder programs and technology and engineering education

As part of its annual grant cycle, the Foundation’s funding toward mental health for first responders increased by 85%, acknowledging the critical role that it plays in first responders’ ability to support their communities. Through initiatives that provide wellness and stress management training, scholarships to families of fallen first responders and more, the Foundation works to directly impact the availability of resources to first responders and their families.

“Motorola Solutions Foundations’ partnership gave us the ability to host Camp April, the first bereavement camp exclusively for family members of officers who died of suicide,” said Karen Solomon, co-founder of Blue H.E.L.P. “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.”

The Foundation’s funding toward technology and engineering education was also significant. In partnership with organizations that engage students through hands-on engineering activities like design, coding and robotics, the Foundation continued its commitment to making these programs more accessible, awarding over $1 million in educational scholarships for individuals underrepresented in STEM. Further, 60% of its funding in this area directly supported women and 78% directly benefited people of color.

Disaster relief
More than $400,000 allocated to communities impacted by natural disasters and humanitarian crises

The Foundation donated more than $300,000 to help disaster-impacted communities with critical supplies and life-saving medical resources. Additionally, the Foundation and Motorolans collectively donated more than $100,000 to the American Red Cross to provide supplies and support teams of volunteers on the ground during the COVID-19 crisis in India.

Employee giving
60% increase in employee volunteerism

Despite the pandemic, Motorolans never wavered in finding meaningful ways to give back. Employees in more than 40 countries logged nearly 65,000 volunteer hours, the majority during Global Months of Service, the Foundation's volunteer-a-thon in September and October. Additionally, employees requested nearly $800,000 in matching gifts for charitable donations 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.”