Microsoft Focuses on Software in Atlanta Giving
John Manasso
February 15, 2008

With an office of only 200 people in Atlanta out of its 80,000 worldwide, software giant Microsoft Corp. does not have the largest budget for philanthropic giving.

However, it does have the value of its software and corporate volunteering. By supplying software to local nonprofits, Microsoft has given away $50 million over the last five years and has taken part in building a home in South Atlanta with Habitat for Humanity.

Microsoft's Chris Jones, general manager for the greater Southeast district, said one of the company's corporate values is giving back to the community. In Atlanta, Jones said, the company does that primarily through software donation.

"We're investing in so many different organizations," he said. "We don't have a large budget from a cash-donation standpoint."

Jones is working closely with the local nonprofit TechBridge, whose mission is to help nonprofits with the technical aspect of their operations. Jones said through the use of Microsoft software and training -- as with a large grant to the Atlanta History Center late last year -- companies can take "bottlenecks" and use the software "to turn it into an enabler."

Microsoft values the software at its employee price and puts together a "software basket" that it gives to local nonprofits. He acts as "mayor" of the office and employees who want to volunteer sit on a "city council."

Employees come forward with projects they would like to donate software to and donations are made on a first-come, first-served basis. Jones said the company made 25 to 30 such gifts last year.

Locally, the company also can give out "unlimited potential grants." In December 2006, it gave $75,000 to the Asian American Society to help serve basic information technology skills.

Also, the company designates October as its "giving" month and headquarters matches all donations made by employees to their chosen charities.

The Atlanta office also is working on the issue of Internet security where employees talk at local elementary schools to inform parents about safe procedures on the Web. It also hosted a "Minority Student Day" in which about 100 high school students were invited to the office and Microsoft employees focused on the importance of math and science.