Thirty One Local Projects Awarded Funding Through the Microsoft Northern Nevada Community Fund

via Emma Kennedy, ChangeX

Thirty-one community projects across Northern Nevada have been awarded funding through the Microsoft Northern Nevada Community Fund, managed by non-profit ChangeX.

The fund, which launched in May, reflects a shared mission to build thriving, inclusive, and sustainable communities across Northern Nevada.
More than $200,000 in funding has been awarded to communities for projects related to biodiversity, digital skills, future workforce development, and water.

"The quality and ambition of the applications we received shows just how much energy there is in communities across Northern Nevada. We're proud to back these local leaders as they bring their projects to life, and we look forward to seeing the difference they make in their communities," said David Taylor, Community Relations Manager at Microsoft.

Projects awarded funding include:

● ‘Digital Pathways to Success’, Dress for Success Northern Nevada: empowering women facing economic barriers with digital, AI, and workforce skills to secure employment and advance their careers.
● ‘Conserve Carson River Workday’, River Wranglers: bringing students from lower income communities to the river for hands-on experiential learning and environmental stewardship activities.
● ‘Future Workforce Development United Readers’, United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra: delivering literacy interventions for students and training adult literacy mentors.

This is the second community fund that Microsoft has launched in Nevada. In 2024, ten community projects received funding from a $64,000 community fund, positively impacting more than 9,000 local people so far.

Full list of projects awarded funding (31)
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada– Girls Who Code STEM Program
Boys & Girls Clubs of Mason Valley– Planting Pride, Growing Leaders
CARE Chest of Sierra Nevada– CARE Chests Mobile Outreach Program
Carson Farmers Market– Farmers Feeding Our Community
Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada– Elevating Families
Center for Nonprofit Business– Establishing Nonprofit Community Hubs
Damonte Ranch High School– Building Tomorrow's Engineers Through
Robotics
Dress for Success Reno - Northern Nevada– Digital Pathways to Success
DRI Research Foundation– STEAM Storybooks for Children
Eddy House– Eddy House Hangout
Family Respite Care of Nevada– Family Funday Sundays
Fernley 4th of July Committee– Fernley’s annual independence day
celebration
Fernley Community Foundation– Fernley Community Plaza Improvements
Fernley High School– Fernley FIRST Robotics
Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful– 2026 Truckee River Cleanup
Kings Row Community Life Center– Enhancing Student Digital Education K-8
Latino Arte and Culture– Mariachi & Folk Fest
Life Is Worth It– Total Life Wellness Curriculum Expansion
Nevada Builders Alliance Foundation– Digital Classroom Upgrade: Job Corps
Nevada Museum of Art Inc– 2027 NV STEAM Conference
Nevada Youth Empowerment Project– The Front Porch Fridge
Northern Nevada Children's Cancer Foundation– ESMART Program for Childhood Cancer
Northern Nevada Youth Golf Foundation– First Tee Wildcreek Renovation
Rebuilding Together Northern Nevada– Rural Nevada Home Safety Kits
River Wranglers– Conserve Carson River Workday
Rural Nevada Counseling– Rural Nevada Counseling Silver Springs
Silver Springs Area Chamber of Commerce– The Crossroads Community Commerce Project
Soulful Seeds– Our Place Garden Growing
Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum (The Discovery)– Technology for Hands-On STEM Learning
United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra– Future Workforce Development United Readers
Walker Basin Conservancy– Native Plant Nursery Expansion Project