Google.org announces $15 million in AI training grants for the government workforce

The public sector is already transforming government services using AI, from improving cancer detection systems for service members, to advancing water conservation, to identifying disaster relief areas. That’s why today at Google Public Sector Summit in Washington, D.C., we’re announcing $15 million in total new Google.org funding to two leading public sector organizations — the Partnership for Public Service and InnovateUS — to further upskill the U.S. government workforce in responsible AI.

The Partnership for Public Service: leading the charge in federal AI training

A $10 million grant to the nonpartisan nonprofit the Partnership for Public Service will help establish the Center for Federal AI, a hub launching in Spring 2025 that is dedicated to cultivating AI leadership and talent within the federal government. At the Center, everyone from interns to executives can learn how to use AI responsibly in their government agencies. As part of this, the Center will offer a federal AI leadership program, federal AI internship program, and initiatives to foster a vibrant learning community for federal AI leaders.

The Partnership for Public Service has been instrumental in promoting AI adoption within the federal government. With the support of Google.org and other partners, the organization has been working since 2019 to train 550 of the most senior career government leaders — representing more than 50 agencies across 35 states and overseeing hundreds of thousands of federal employees — in AI skills.

“AI is today’s electricity — it’s a transformative technology that is fundamental to the public sector and to our society,” says Max Stier, president and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service. “Google.org’s generous investment will enable the Partnership to expand our current programming and research, and offer innovative new programming to empower agencies to capitalize on AI and better serve the public. We appreciate Google.org’s commitment to effective government, and we are excited to partner with them to launch the Partnership’s new Center for Federal AI this spring.”

InnovateUS: addressing skills gaps across state and local governments

An additional $5 million of funding will go to InnovateUS, supported by a consortium of federal, state, and local government partners. This organization has been at the forefront of providing no-cost AI training to public sector workers through at-your-own-pace courses, live workshops, and training programs. InnovateUS has trained more than 40,000 learners and has more than 100 agency partners.

With Google.org's support, InnovateUS will expand its reach, providing AI courses, workshops and coaching programs tailored to state and local government to more than 100,000 public sector workers across more than 30 states. Curriculum will include custom AI training for government workers developed by InnovateUS, as well as access to the Google Career Certificates program which includes AI training. New Jersey, a founding member of InnovateUS, has already seen the benefits of AI training, with thousands of state employees embracing AI to improve service delivery.

“For government to work better and be more accessible to the people it serves, our workers must have the opportunity to take advantage of the latest tools and technologies,” said Beth Simone Noveck, Founder of InnovateUS and Chief AI Strategist for the State of New Jersey. “By continuing to invest in upskilling programs for public sector professionals offered through InnovateUS, we can improve the effectiveness of how we solve problems while restoring much-needed trust in our government."

The future of AI in government

The funding announced today is a part of Google.org's $75 million AI Opportunity Fund, which aims to help Americans learn essential AI skills. This funding, along with the efforts of organizations like the Partnership for Public Service and InnovateUS, are paving the way for AI to play a central role in improving government services and addressing societal challenges. By investing in AI training and upskilling, we can help ensure the public sector harnesses the full potential of AI to support critical needs such as healthcare access, infrastructure management and public safety, which benefit us all.