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News
The Hg Foundation Partners with Mission Bit to Expand Access to Computer Science Education in San Francisco
Mission Bit, a San Francisco-based nonprofit providing underrepresented youth with access to computer science education, today announced a $550,000 grant from The Hg Foundation, a grant-giving charity focused on improving tech education and skills. The partnership will enable Mission Bit to design and deliver a brand-new course in a high-demand area of tech such as AI and cybersecurity.
Despite being in the heart of the global tech industry, thousands of students in San Francisco lack access to critical computer science education. Students of colour and those from low-income backgrounds, disproportionately miss out.
Founded in 2012, Mission Bit bridges this gap by offering free, project-based computer science courses and mentorship opportunities, ensuring that students who might otherwise be excluded have a pathway into tech. Courses are open to those aged 14–26, with a priority focus on students of colour and those attending schools with limited or no computer science offerings. Mission Bit already serves 2,000 young people annually in San Francisco through extra-curricular courses, exposure workshops, and some accredited classes in school time, through a partnership with San Francisco Unified School District.
The Hg Foundation’s $550,000 grant over the next three years will fully fund the design, development, and delivery of the new AI or Cybersecurity course, reaching over 1,000 students, both directly through the extra-curricular programme and through accompanying workshops. Key measures of impact will include changes in young people’s attitudes and aspirations towards careers in tech, as well as their enrollment in college (targeting 90%) and selection of STEM majors (targeting 80%). A portion of the funding will also strengthen Mission Bit’s data and impact capacity through external evaluation support.
We are truly grateful for the opportunity to design a new course offering for our young people in a high-demand subject area. At Mission Bit, we have always valued the ability to stay responsive and ensure that our students are receiving high-quality, industry-aligned material. With The Hg Foundation’s support, we are able to do just that on a larger scale, adding capacity to our team to build out new curriculum, creating digestible workshops to introduce students to the subject, and ensuring that the new class is shaped through feedback from our community and students.
Mission Bit’s work speaks directly to The Hg Foundation’s commitment to improving access to tech careers. Through this partnership, students will be able to build confidence and develop skills in emerging areas like AI and cybersecurity - fields that are becoming central to every industry. By equipping young people with this knowledge now, we’re helping them unlock future opportunities and making sure talent from diverse backgrounds can thrive in shaping tomorrow’s technology.
We are proud to support a programme that brings together high-quality instruction, hands-on exposure to industry, and the kind of wrap-around support that makes all the difference for young people. What excites us most is the long-term impact - ensuring that underrepresented students in San Francisco not only gain access to tech education but also see themselves belonging in these spaces, with the skills, confidence, and networks to pursue meaningful careers in technology.
