Supporting inclusive recovery in Central & Eastern Europe
Technology has been a lifeline for many European businesses and communities throughout the pandemic – from helping people find accurate health information and buy groceries online to finding new ways to learn and stay connected with loved ones. But equally, the pandemic has also widened the social divide, putting disadvantaged groups at risk of being further left behind. As economies embark on a path to recovery, creating an accessible digital future for everyone is vital.
To help fill that need, this year we launched our first Google.org Impact Challenge dedicated to Central and Eastern Europe. With this initiative we are further committing to the region, and we started distributing €2 million in grants to organizations that are working to bridge the social and digital divide to promote inclusive economic growth and recovery.
Together with our partner INCO and our panel of experts, we’ve selected ambitious and wide-ranging projects from organizations that put digital innovation and inclusion at the heart of economic recovery. Each organization receives between €50,000-€250,000 in funding from Google.org and mentoring from Google to help make their project proposals a reality.
Supporting these incredible organizations is just one way that we plan to help Central and Eastern European economies on their path to a digital-led recovery. Last year alone, through our Grow with Google programs, we helped 250,000 people in the region grow their digital skills or transition to a digital-focused career — and we look forward to doing even more in the coming months.
