In 2020, Craig Newmark Philanthropies awarded Girls Garage a $60,000 general support grant. We are honored to announce that we’ve received renewed support from Craig Newmark Philanthropies in 2021!

The $60,000 grant will go towards funding the expenses of our free teen programming, including building materials, staff support, and other expenses. By keeping our teen programs free for participants, we support and reach a diverse community of young builders and their families, 66% of whom attend for 3+ years, and 82% of our teen girls identify as girls of color. Through our programs, our teens engage in mutual aid building projects for local nonprofits, deepening our roots within our communities.

Through their women in tech initiative, Craig Newmark Philanthropies supports organizations that are working to solve the gender gap in STEM and technology. “I’m aware that I got lucky financially and should share that in ways that are meaningful and contribute to the common good,” Founder Craig Newmark states on the organization’s website. “Those who do well should take less and give more. Let’s each do our part to serve the public interest.” To this end, support from Craig Newmark Philanthropies helps to expand the Girls Garage community as we learn from female-led institutions with similar visions, including Girls Who Code and Women Who Tech.

Addressing the stark gender gap in STEM industries is more important now than ever. Currently, only 27% of the STEM workforce are women, and 50% of them leave within a decade. As the world emerges from the traumatic COVID-19 pandemic, we’re presented with a unique opportunity to reimagine a more equitable built environment. “We need a lot more people who are good with skills including carpentry and welding, and those skills should be taught in an environment fair to all,” Mr. Newmark says. “Girls Garage gets the job done.”

Support from foundations and grantmakers like Craig Newmark Philanthropies is absolutely critical to our ability to provide free programming to a diverse community of teen girls and gender-expansive youth. As Mariam, one of teen builders and artists, notes, “In my head, it had unfortunately been ingrained that tools, fixing, and manual work only belong to men. By having the knowledge and resources to build independently, I feel liberated from societal restrictions!”

We are so appreciative of the renewed support from Craig Newmark Philanthropies!