Microsoft invests in local programs that benefit people of all ages. In Indiana, our collaborations are organized by our focus areas of Building Digital Skills, Enabling Sustainability, and Empowering Communities. The following program list contains a sample of the kinds of investments Microsoft makes on an annual basis.

Building digital skills

Microsoft believes everyone should have access to the skills, technology, and opportunity they need to succeed in a changing economy.

Granger Exploration and Robotics Studio is an Indiana-based youth robotics center started in Granger that serves students in grades 2–12 participating in the FIRST Indiana Robotics programs. Through structured team-based robotics activities, GEARS supports students as they design, build, and program custom robots using LEGO components and Mindstorms software while developing critical thinking and real-world problem-solving skills.

• The new GEARS Youth Robotics Center opened in Osceola in 2023. In this space, through volunteer efforts GEARS provides mentoring, tools, space, and material support to over 140 students in the northern Indiana region, including public, private, and homeschooled students. With financial support from Microsoft, GEARS is currently completing build-out of its learning labs, finishing the building exterior, and providing access to a small kitchenette.

Ivy Tech Community College is the largest, singly accredited community college in the United States. Founded in 1963, the college offers 75 academic programs across 41 locations in Indiana.

• The Microsoft Datacenter Academy at Ivy Tech’s Valparaiso campus will accelerate datacenter skilling in Indiana. Microsoft will be providing scholarship funding support, hands-on lab experience, and training opportunities. With this collaboration, Ivy Tech is joining the Datacenter Academy network of over 30 partners in more than 25 locations around the world.

Penn Harris Madison Education Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the educational mission of its schools. Since 1996, the Foundation has developed alternative sources of income to support learning while strengthening the partnership between schools and community. Dedicated volunteers representing a cross-section of the school community serve as the board of directors.

• The Penn-Harris-Madison Summer Academy and FarmBeats initiative expands access to digital skilling opportunities for middle and high school students. The Summer Academy provides hands-on, experiential learning opportunities focused on coding, data literacy, and AI concepts, helping to prepare students for future education and workforce pathways. The initiative also supports approximately 22 Future Farmers of America students through the Microsoft FarmBeats for Students program, which integrates agriculture, technology, and AI to promote applied learning and innovation in ag-tech. Through Microsoft Datacenter Academy and Elevate curriculum, students build foundational and advanced technical skills aligned with in-demand careers in technology.

Enabling sustainability

Climate change requires swift, collective action and technological innovation. We are committed to meeting our own goals while helping communities to do the same.

The Shirley Heinze Land Trust preserves and restores natural lands and waters in northwestern Indiana, and engages people in nature and conservation. Today, approximately 4,000 acres across Lake, Porter, LaPorte, St. Joseph, Marshall, and Starke counties are permanently protected, and most of its nature preserves are open to the public to explore and enjoy.

• The Ridgeway and Clear Lake project brings the Trust together with the City of La Porte, LEAP, and Microsoft to support conservation and public access in and around the city. The project includes a city-wide Conservation Action Plan, permanent preservations of five acres of land to the north of the Microsoft project site, and an ecological assessment and restoration plan for Clear Lake.

Empowering communities

Microsoft is committed to strengthening communities and empowering the organizations that help them thrive. Whether affected by a recent emergency or decades of challenges, we use data, technology, and strategic investments to restore and support them for future generations.

Cultivate Food Rescue is devoted to ending the cycle of hunger in the local communities of northern Indiana by providing a food rescue service. The organization recovers surplus food from local sources and transforms it into meals that are safely prepared, packaged, and distributed through trusted community partners. By operating at the intersection of hunger relief and sustainability, Cultivate Food Rescue reduces waste while meeting immediate community needs.

• Support for Cultivate Food Rescue will strengthen the organization’s capacity to scale and sustain its operations, supporting food recovery, meal preparation, and distribution efforts that directly serve vulnerable populations. Funding helps ensure that rescued food moves efficiently from local partners to community organizations such as food pantries, shelters, and schools, where it has the greatest impact.

The Friends of Granger Paths is a 100% community volunteer organization that works to connect Granger via a 21-mile system of multi-use paths. The organization has consistently been recognized as a vital partner in enhancing walkability, connectivity, and quality of life in Granger, with repeated endorsements from community members and public leaders.

• The Granger and Anderson Trail County Park project will create a much-needed pathway linking Granger to the newly built Anderson Trail County Park entrance, directly responding to community priorities and expanding access to recreational spaces. Funding from Microsoft will help cover the initial design fee and final trail construction.