The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation has partnered with the Intel Foundation, the Gordon and Better Moore Foundation and the STEM Next Opportunity Fund to create Million Girls Moonshot, an initiative dedicated to increasing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning opportunities for girls.

The initiative aims to engage one million school-aged girls in STEM opportunities—both in and out of school—over the next five years. Programming will encourage young girls to explore and pursue careers in STEM and give them the tools and opportunities necessary to prepare for STEM careers. According to Million Girls Moonshot, only 15% of engineers are women, and Black and Latinx women make up less than 3% of the science and engineering workforce.

“The Million Girls Moonshot harnesses the spirit of innovation—in philanthropy and in afterschool programming—to reimagine our nation’s next generation of engineers, problem-solvers, builders and makers,” Ridgway White, president and CEO of the Mott Foundation and CMF trustee said in a press release.

Million Girls Moonshot will utilize the Mott Foundation’s 50 State Afterschool Network—which engages over 10 million students in 100,000 afterschool programs nationwide—to increase STEM opportunity access. The initiative will host engineering and design showcases to highlight the work of young women in STEM, leverage corporate partners to connect girls to professional mentors, engage families and ensure content is inclusive to all backgrounds, mindsets and career aspirations.

“We’re delighted that the Intel and Moore Foundations will join us in an effort to promote gender equity by empowering girls through STEM learning opportunities,” White said.

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Learn more about Million Girls Moonshot.

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