BlackRock’s Pay It Forward Campaign Raises Over $650K for AI-Powered Nonprofits
This year, BlackRock’s Pay It Forward campaign turned small acts of generosity into big impact. A record-breaking 58% of employees directed over $658K to a curated group of ten tech nonprofits. Their support expands food access, reduces medical debt, and strengthens climate resilience in vulnerable communities.
Every BlackRock employee received a $50 credit to donate to one of ten nonprofits selected by BlackRock and Fast Forward, allowing team members to support causes they care about. The 2024 portfolio featured a diverse range of AI-powered organizations addressing critical issues in health, food security, sustainability, and more. The nonprofits that resonated most with employees this year included:
- Lemontree: Connecting people to free, nearby food resources through a fast and easy SMS platform that makes food access more personal and immediate.
- Dollar For: Providing relief from medical debt by helping individuals navigate hospital financial aid programs.
- Change Climate Project: Developing AI-powered tools to help communities adapt to environmental challenges, increasing climate resilience where it’s most needed.
Pay It Forward’s success is rooted in BlackRock’s own story of entrepreneurship. Over 35 years ago, BlackRock was founded on the idea of using technology to address financial risk. Today, that same innovative mindset drives BlackRock’s approach to social impact, empowering employees to support tech-driven solutions that make a difference.
“Pay It Forward is an invitation to engage with the incredible visionaries at the forefront of tech-driven social change. Through our partnership with Fast Forward, BlackRock employees have the chance to support bold ideas, uplift innovative leaders, and play a role in building solutions that create real, lasting impact. I’m so proud of how our team has embraced this opportunity to make a difference.”
- Jessica Baird, Global Head of Employee and Community Engagement at BlackRock
This spirit of entrepreneurship has fueled Fast Forward and BlackRock’s partnership since 2015. Together, we’ve supported tech nonprofits solving critical challenges worldwide — connecting communities to clean water, advancing educational equity, fighting climate change, and so much more. “Pay It Forward is proof that purpose drives impact,” said Shannon Farley, co-founder of Fast Forward. “BlackRock employees are directly helping these organizations grow, reach more people, and change lives.”
As the 2024 campaign wraps up, its effects will carry forward, enabling these AI-powered nonprofits to reach more communities and create lasting solutions. BlackRock’s Pay It Forward campaign is proof that small actions, backed by vision, fuel a powerful force for good.