Helping Hand Google.com has a philanthropic venture group of the same name, except they end with an “.org”. Besides its many mission goals, the “other half” of Google is working on issues like identifying infectious diseases, predicting droughts, and funding international social and economic services in third world countries. The timeline for its “core initiatives” is between the next five to ten years.

Google is trying to leverage its resources to humanitarian efforts where it has a competitive advantage. According to Sheryl Sandberg, vice president of Google.org, “We wanted ideas where we could say, If we get this right, it will change [Editor Note: or own] the world.”

The distribution of the grants include $5 million going to Innovative Support to Emergencies, Diseases and Disasters (InSTEED), another $2 million goes to an Indian company, Pratham. Google also announced its current projects in the fields of renewable energy were funded. eSolar, from Pasadena California is working on thermal power from sunlight, and was granted $10 million.

The operations at Google.org have a solid management team from around various fields. Sandberg and President Larry Brillant, were originally from the Global Health and U.S. Treasury respectively. The social focus is being headed by Sonal Shah, who previously worked for Goldman Sachs, and the U.S. Treasury department. Mark Smolinski, for the disease control focus, previously worked for the Center for Disease Control. Heading the renewable energy focus, Dan W. Reicher, was the head of the U.S. department of Energy. Heading the economic focus in third word countries, Lant Pritchett, is a lecturer in public policy at Harvard University.

With it’s key humanitarian efforts being managed by highly driven and successful individuals, Google can stand a little tall on it’s approach to these issues, “Of course, you could call us arrogant—it’s Google…But we’re motivated to think big” says Brilliant.

source doc: forbes

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