Motorola Solutions Foundation

OVERVIEW: The Motorola Solutions Foundation centers its grantmaking on three areas: public safety, first responders, disaster relief, and STEM education. It also makes funding for organizations that focus on women, people of color, and other under represented groups a priority. 

IP TAKE: The foundation often gives preference to groups with which employees are involved, and employee volunteerism is an important component of the company’s giving. Grantseekers will want to keep an eye on Motorola’s funding cycle and cultivate a relationship with the company by reaching out. This is an otherwise accessible corporate foundation that’s also responsive, but grants are competitive and favor larger groups.

PROFILE: Created in 1953, the Motorola Solutions Foundation is the philanthropic branch of Motorola Solutions. The company, founded in 1928, makes police cameras, two-way radios, and network equipment. The foundation works to “partner with organizations that are creating safer cities and thriving communities, and prioritizes underrepresented populations, including people of color and females.” Its primary grantmaking areas include STEM education, first responder programming, and blended programs that combine both STEM education and public safety education. 

Grants for STEM Education

The foundation prioritizes work that encourages young women and other underrepresented groups to pursue studies in STEM. Two of its funding priorities are “STEM education, specifically focused on technology and engineering” and “blended public safety and technology & engineering education programs.” It prioritizes support for programs that engage “students in innovative, hands-on activities, such as coding, programming, computer science and robotics to prepare the next generation of innovators.” Past grantees include career development for Latinos with STEM degrees, university faculty mentorships for graduate students, and connecting teenagers with STEM undergraduates. Other past higher education STEM grants support outreach to stimulate interest in STEM among middle and high school students, especially girls and ethnic minority students. Organizations it has funded include The National Society of Black Engineers, American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), and Society of Women Engineers (SWE).

Grants for Disaster Relief

In contrast to other foundations, Motorola Solutions focuses more on funding disaster preparation rather than immediate relief efforts. The Motorola Solutions Foundation’s First Responder Programming initiative awards grants to groups that provide professional development and training for first responders; disaster safety and preparedness programs for the public; outreach and educational programs for young people interested in public service careers; support for families of fallen first responders and issues affecting first responder communities. The foundation has supported San Diego Police Foundation, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) Foundation, and Swords to Plowshares’ Combat to Community Training for First Responders program, which “trains law enforcement professionals, mental health clinicians and other first responders to identify veterans, de-escalate potentially violent interactions and provide appropriate resources for support.”

Grants for Diseases

While the foundation does not have a grantmaking program dedicated to disease-related organizations, it has an established history of supporting institutions such as the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International, and the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association.

Grants for Women and Girls

While the foundation does not have a grantmaking program dedicated to girls and women, it supports programs “reaching females and other underrepresented populations,” particularly in the science, technology, engineering, and math or STEM fields. Recently, Motorola announced that the majority of its grant funding will be awarded to programs that directly support women and people of color. DiscoverE is a past grantee, having received an award for its Girl Day program encouraging 500,000 K-12 girls to explore engineering. Other grantees include the Girl Scouts of the USA, Girls Who Code, Girlstart, and the Society of Women Engineers. 

Important Grant Details:

While itemized grant amounts are not available on the foundation’s web site, the foundation states that awards range from $10,000 to $50,000 and average about $30,000. A complete listing of the previous year’s grant recipients as well as funding-year specific documents outlining the application process, funding priorities, and FAQs can be found on the right-hand side of the foundation’s home page. Grantseekers can learn more about select Motorola grantees here.

Motorola prioritizes projects in areas where it has a corporate presence. For the U.S., this includes the cities and surrounding regions of Chicago, IL; Plantation, FL; Columbia, MD; Westminster, CO; Lawrenceville, GA; San Diego, CA; Seattle, WA; Salt Lake City, UT, Farmer Branch and Houston, TX; New York City, NY; and Tempe, AZ. Although the foundation does not restrict its funding at the international level, it does prioritize projects or programs in which Motorola employees are involved.

Motorola also releases new grant announcements each funding year, and initial deadlines usually fall in January or February. Submit applications online using the inquiry form. Programs that best align with Motorola’s funding priorities will be invited to submit a full application in the spring. Check Motorola’s website to stay up-to-date on guidelines and application deadlines.

Applying for funding through Motorola is an open but competitive process, and organizations outside the U.S. are also eligible to apply. Email foundation@motorolasolutions.com with questions regarding eligibility.

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