The Nielsen Foundation, a private foundation focused on a more inclusive and innovative future for the media and technology industries, awarded $1.8 million to 42 nonprofit organizations in 2025. This milestone brings the Foundation’s total grantmaking to $16.8 million since grantmaking began in 2016.

Six of the 2025 grants, part of the foundation’s annual Data for Good portfolio, focused on advancing projects that use media and/or technology for social good by raising awareness, driving progress, and advancing long-term outcomes on issues including mental health, climate change and the responsible use of artificial intelligence. For example, the foundation is supporting the nonprofits TechSoup to advance nonprofit data literacy and The Jed Foundation to research how teens are utilizing artificial intelligence to seek mental health help.

2025 grants also included the Foundation’s signature Tech|X Accelerator at Tampa Bay Wave, a purpose-driven accelerator that continues to incubate startups using transformative technology to solve real-world issues. Since the accelerator began in 2018, 111 tech startups have created 1,600 jobs, attracted $375 million in investor capital, and achieved $95 million in annual revenues.

The Foundation supported key organizations across the media industry to create opportunities and more inclusive career pathways. For example, over the last two years, the Nielsen Foundation has supported The Paley Center for Media’s Re-creating Radio + Podcast Production workshops. The 2024 program reached 750+ students and 50+ teachers in the New York City (U.S.) area with a media literacy and digital learning skills curriculum through a 2-hour radio workshop for students 9+ years old and a multi-session podcasting workshop for students 15+ years old.

Especially exciting has been the growth and involvement of Nielsen employees in the Foundation through the Cause Cards program. During 2025, Nielsen employees directed approximately $180,000 in donations to 735 nonprofit organizations globally. Newly launched in 2025, our Disaster Relief Cause Card program expanded possibilities by providing a $50 Cause Card to employees who log just one hour of volunteering in YourCause during the year, which can be donated to eligible disaster relief organizations worldwide.