Benioff Pledges Over $27 Million to Support Public Schools Amid AI Shift
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has continued his decade-long pledge to support public schools in San Francisco and beyond. In 2013, he wrote a $2.7 million check as an initial down payment on a $100 million commitment that now totals over $27 million in new education grants nationwide.
The latest funding includes $18 million directly supporting public school districts in five major cities: San Francisco, Oakland, New York City, Chicago, and Indianapolis. This builds on 14 years of partnership with public schools and reflects Salesforce's growing commitment to supporting schools, educators, and students.
The company's philanthropic model pairs capital with direct labor under the 1-1-1 initiative, which dedicates 1% each of equity, product, and employee time to charitable causes. This year, Salesforce is bringing that model into schools through a relaunched Adopt-a-School program across more than 25 public schools nationwide.
Beyond classroom preparation and unrestricted $100,000 checks provided to every middle school principal, the scope of the grants has evolved alongside technological shifts. The funding now increasingly addresses the rise of artificial intelligence and helps educators establish responsible usage policies and train students for future workplace demands.