Tech_Talent-3-e1424922291755Microsoft just launched a new Tech Talent for Good program that encourages its employees to get out into the community and offer their skills to non-profit organizations that could use a hand with technical problems.

The company started by partnering with 20 non-profits in Washington, including Food Lifeline, Year Up Puget Sound, the Bellevue Arts Museum and Washington FIRST Robotics. Under the new program, Microsoft is working with those organizations to identify specific projects that could use technical help, and then offering those opportunities to employees so they can pick a project that’s right for their skill set.

microsoft logo msft signIn addition to the employee time donated through Tech Talent for Good, Microsoft will also contribute $25 per hour an employee works at a partnered organization. That means someone who spends four hours on a project will both take care of a technical problem that needed fixing and land the organization a $100 donation from Microsoft.

The new program is a part of Microsoft’s Employee Giving Program, which encourages the Redmond-based company’s employees to donate money to non-profits by matching their contributions and volunteer time. Last year, Microsoft employees raised a record-breaking total of $117 million for non-profits through the Employee Giving Program, with $60 million of that going to help organizations in Washington State.

Moving forward, the company hopes to expand Tech Talent for Good beyond Washington, and grow the number of organizations that it’s working with.

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