Google has announced it’s expanding the goals of its philanthropic arm, Google.org, beyond alternative energy to include fighting disease, averting pandemics and other mass crises, and alleviating poverty in the developing world. Along with the expansion of its mission, Google.org announced some of the recipients of the first round of grants and investments yesterday, totaling about $25 million. Over $7.5 million was announced for organizations as part of Google’s “protect and prevent” initiative to combat pandemics, over $3 million is slated for organizations to “inform and empower to improve public services” in South Asia, and over $3 million will go toward investments in smallish businesses in the developing world to help ease poverty. $10 million is also destined for eSolar, a solar-thermal-power company working on utility-scale projects, as part of Google’s ongoing alternative-energy programs. Over the next three years, the organization plans to spend up to $150 million more over its five mission areas including the two eco-goals announced last year.
