The General Motors Foundation invests in educational programs and institutions to help nurture tomorrow’s innovators and leaders. The investments are geared primarily towards programs and organizations that help small children enter school with the skills they need to succeed, that contribute to increasing high school graduation rates or that provide much needed financial assistance for college.

The mission of the United Way for Southeastern Michigan is to mobilize the caring power of Detroit and Southeastern Michigan to improve communities and individual lives in measurable and lasting ways. In 2010, the GM Foundation committed an unprecedented $27.1 million grant to the United Way for Southeastern Michigan to do just that. This was the largest donation in the GM Foundation's  history. The funds will create a "Network of Excellence" in seven metro-Detroit high schools:

• Central High School (Detroit)
  
• East Detroit High School
  
• Hamtramck High School
• Harper Woods High School
• Henry Ford High School (Detroit)
  
• River Rough High School
• Madison High School (Madison Heights)

The  grant enabled the creation of smaller classrooms, more personalized attention for high school students and a strong focus on science, technology, engineering and math curricula. 

The goal of this effort is to increase graduation rates by 30 percent over five years. In doing so, the partnership between the GM Foundation and the United Way will help prepare students for tomorrow’s leadership roles, and it will help provide Michigan with a highly qualified future workforce.

The General Motors Foundation is proud to support the Chevrolet GREEN Educator award, given to 10 inspirational educators who engage youth in innovative and interactive environmental learning. Last year, the award recognized educators go above and beyond standard educational practices in the classroom, their school, and their community.
 
Earth Force looks to recognize educators who:

• Encourage youth to lead the learning process

• Encourage youth to take their learning beyond the classroom to impact their community

• Create and sustain local partnerships that connect youth to their community

• Are formal or informal educators who use their professional expertise to mentor youth

• Encourage others to teach about the environment

To learn more about the Chevrolet GREEN Educator Award, visit the website here.

The GM Foundation recognizes the importance of vibrant early education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through its sponsorship of SAE International's "A World In Motion" (AWIM) programs that incorporate the laws of physics, motion, flight and electronics into age-appropriate, hands-on activities. Events such as the AWIM Fuel Cell Olympics reinforce standard classroom STEM curriculum and spark the imaginations of young people to envision rewarding careers in engineering, science and technical fields.

The GM Foundation has donated millions to leading colleges and universities, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Virginia Polytechnic University, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Michigan Technological University, Howard University, Kettering University, College for Creative Studies and many more.

The GM Foundation supports the Inforum initiative, dedicated to bringing together top minds in the automotive and manufacturing fields. These successful women help to open the exciting automotive field to the next generation of bright young women, showing them that an automotive career, particularly at this time of fundamental innovation, can be a very attractive option.