ECMC Foundation, the philanthropic arm of ECMC Group, is once again providing more than $1 million in grants to 111 nonprofits throughout the United States based on nominations from the organization’s team members.

The 2022 GO! Program (Generating Outcomes: Funding Innovation and Racial Equity in Education), now in its eighth year, will award $1.095 million in grants across ECMC Group office locations in five states as well as in the cities of several remote employees. The program allows each employee to nominate and vote for local nonprofits to receive grants that support the Foundation’s mission of improving educational outcomes and supporting equity among learners.

“The GO! Program helps our team members directly contribute to our mission to help students succeed—particularly those from underserved populations,” said Peter J. Taylor, president of ECMC Foundation. “Our employees continue to impress us with their dedication to supporting solutions that advance equity and close gaps for the learners who need it most, and we look forward to seeing the impact these grants will have in the communities where our teams live and work.”

Grant dollars will fund education programs spanning from early childhood through postsecondary education.

“Throughout the pandemic and economic uncertainty, we have seen firsthand the amazing impact that these organizations continue to have on their surrounding communities,” said Dan Fisher, president and CEO of ECMC Group. “We applaud their efforts and appreciate our team members for uplifting organizations that continue to positively support under-resourced communities.”

The following testimonials were provided by ECMC Group employees:

• Ali Hary, a talent development specialist at ECMC Group’s headquarters in Minneapolis, nominated Youth First Community Promise to support its efforts to create positive environments for youth to succeed. The organization received a $20,000 grant.

“When I was a teacher in the Anoka-Hennepin School District, I was able to see first-hand the impact Youth First had on students from underserved populations,” said Hary. “I truly believe they improve the welfare of the young people they serve, as well as ensuring them a brighter future.”

• Josephine Estepa, a records coordinator at ECMC’s Sacramento affiliate, nominated EagleForce Robotics because of her personal connection to the group. The organization received a $5,000 grant.

“During her high school years, my daughter was a member of EagleForce Robotics,” said Estepa. “The knowledge and skills that she learned from EagleForce Robotics are valuable, not only when it comes to problem solving or working in a team setting, but also in the field of engineering.”

• Bryan Fahrbach, a program and evaluation associate for ECMC Foundation in Los Angeles, nominated the Los Angeles LGBT Center. The organization received a $20,000 grant to support educational services for unhoused LGBTQ+ youth.

“When I first moved to L.A. more than 20 years ago, I discovered them quickly and utilized some of their programs, including health and job-finding services and also later volunteered for them,” said Fahrbach. “When the request for GO! Program nominations came out this year, I immediately thought of them and decided to look into what kind of education supports they offer to LGBTQ+ students.”

Since the GO! Program launched in 2015, it has awarded a total of nearly $9.4 million through 636 grants.