Google.org announces $1M to Central Carolina Community Foundation to provide South Carolina nonprofits with AI skills

The new funding advances Google’s mission to provide AI workforce development and training to over one million Americans

Google.org — the company’s philanthropic arm — announced $1 million in funding to Central Carolina Community Foundation to provide AI training to local nonprofits through the company’s AI Opportunity Fund. Project Evident—another recipient of the Fund—is supporting community-based nonprofits in South Carolina, providing a range of capacity-building support, including technical assistance and a program to help them adopt AI skills for improved efficiency and impact. Google.org’s AI Opportunity Fund aims to equip one million Americans with AI skills.

In a 2024 report on the use of generative AI among nonprofits, Google found that, of the nonprofits surveyed, more than 40% of respondents said that none of their staff were trained, educated, or fluent in AI. With support from Google, Project Evident will help Central Carolina Community Foundation provide AI training to nonprofits. The programming will include in-person working sessions, webinars, the development of a tailored AI adoption roadmap, access to one-on-one coaching, and peer learning opportunities. This work recently started with a “Discovery Day” launch event in Columbia, where local nonprofit organizations attended a day of programming and AI training.

“Nonprofits are addressing some of society’s most pressing challenges, and Google.org is committed to empowering them with AI skills to help them accelerate their impact,” said Maggie Johnson, VP and Global Head, Google.org. “We’re proud to support Project Evident and Central Carolina Community Foundation as they provide nonprofits with technical assistance and AI training at no cost. This will help nonprofits improve efficiency, focus on their mission, and reach even more people.”

Central Carolina Community Foundation connects charitable people and companies with nonprofits in the Midlands and statewide. The Foundation makes grants, supports philanthropic giving, and builds the capacity of nonprofits to be even more effective at carrying out their missions. In partnership with Project Evident, Central Carolina Community Foundation will utilize Google.org’s funding to facilitate AI training for nonprofits across the Midlands.

“We are thrilled to receive this funding from Google.org, which will provide training, coaching, and grants to a cohort of twenty South Carolina nonprofits committed to learning and integrating AI into their work,” said Georgia Mjartan, President and CEO of Central Carolina Community Foundation. “

Today’s announcement builds on the impact of Google.org’s $75 million AI Opportunity Fund, which will help over one million Americans learn essential AI skills by providing funding to best-in-class workforce development and education organizations across the country. To date, Google has trained more than 162,000 people on digital skills through partnerships with organizations such as public libraries, chambers of commerce, community colleges, and more.

“Our research shows that nonprofits are adopting AI at a rapid pace and grantmakers have an opportunity to shape the role of AI in civil society,” said Kelly Fitzsimmons, Founder and CEO of Project Evident. “Nonprofits are at the center of everything we do and our collaboration with Google.org is giving more practitioners access to support and tools that allow them to use AI for more efficient and impactful work.”

Today’s announcement builds on the impact of Google.org’s $75 million AI Opportunity Fund, which will help over one million Americans learn essential AI skills by providing funding to best-in-class workforce development and education organizations across the country. To date, Google has trained more than 162,000 people on digital skills through partnerships with organizations such as public libraries, chambers of commerce, community colleges, and more.

 

About Google in South Carolina

Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. Through products and platforms like Search, Maps, Gmail, Android, Google Play, Google Cloud, Chrome and YouTube, Google plays a meaningful role in the daily lives of billions of people and has become one of the most widely-known companies in the world. Google has proudly called South Carolina home for more than 15 years with data centers in Berkeley and Dorchester Counties.

About Central Carolina Community Foundation

Central Carolina Community Foundation connects local citizens with high-impact philanthropy. With more than $250 million in assets and over 515 charitable funds, the Foundation serves 11 counties in the Midlands through grants and scholarships, promotes giving to nonprofits through Midlands Gives, and provides support to statewide philanthropic initiatives, including the One SC Fund.

About Project Evident

Project Evident harnesses the power of data, evidence, and technology to create greater impact. We are at the forefront of next-generation evidence practice in the social and education sectors. Project Evident enables practitioners (nonprofits, districts, and state education agencies) and their funders to make better use of these resources by advancing an inclusive R&D approach and embracing scalable, ethical, and cost-effective technology, capacity building, and knowledge sharing to achieve meaningful and equitable outcomes.

List of Central Carolina Community Foundation’s AI Accelerator Grant Recipients:

Human Services

• Able South Carolina (Statewide)
• CARE House of the Pee Dee (Pee Dee)
• FoodShare SC (Statewide)
• Harvest Hope (Midlands, Statewide)
• Landmarks for Families (Lowcountry)
• Lighthouse Ministries (Pee Dee)
• Senior Resources (Midlands)
• SC Center for Fathers and Families (Statewide)
• SC Legal Services (Statewide)
• SC Thrive (Statewide)
• Sumter United Ministries (Midlands)
• Transitions (Midlands)

Health

• Community Initiatives, Inc. (Upstate)
• Girl Get Up Society (Midlands)
• Healthy Learners (Midlands, Lowcountry, Pee Dee)
• Lions Vision Services (Midlands)
• The Therapy Place (Midlands)

Community and Economic Development

• Hispanic Alliance (Upstate)
• Mill Village Ministries (Upstate)
• Turn90 (Upstate, Midlands, Lowcountry)