The Mazda Foundation (USA), Inc. has announced $586,361 in grant funding for 2026 to support nine nonprofit organizations delivering essential programs in food security, education and STEM, and workforce development across the communities served by Mazda. The funding underscores the Foundation’s long-standing commitment to building high-impact partnerships that expand opportunity and strengthen community resilience. According to Tamara Mlynarczyk, manager of public affairs for Mazda North American Operations and president of the Foundation, the grants are designed not only to create lasting opportunity but also to foster deeper engagement between Mazda employees and the communities where they live and work through meaningful volunteer initiatives.
Food security continues to be a central focus of the Foundation’s philanthropic mission. In 2026, it marks more than two decades of partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank in Irvine, California, reinforcing a shared commitment to addressing hunger and supporting families experiencing hardship throughout Southern California. This enduring collaboration reflects the Foundation’s emphasis on sustained, community-centered solutions to critical social challenges.
Within the education and STEM sector, the Foundation is expanding investments aimed at broadening student access, nurturing curiosity, and equipping young people with skills for future careers. Ongoing support includes programs delivered by FUSE Studios in schools across Greater Chicago and Huntsville, Alabama, as well as AVID initiatives in Brooklyn, New York, and Harris County, Texas. Continued commitments to the Robotics Competition and Education Foundation in Huntsville and College Track L.A. further strengthen pathways for academic achievement and workforce readiness.
The Foundation’s 2026 workforce development portfolio combines support for established partners with new collaborations. Returning partners include Vehicles for Change and Bracken’s Kitchen, both of which focus on helping individuals develop job skills and secure stable employment. New partnerships with Working Wardrobes and the American Cancer Society broaden the Foundation’s reach and introduce additional workforce-focused programming opportunities.
Through its 2026 grantmaking, the Mazda Foundation reaffirms its dedication to long-term partnerships that generate measurable community impact while offering Mazda employees hands-on opportunities to serve. Since its establishment in 1992 as the corporate foundation of Mazda North American Operations, the Foundation has contributed more than $16 million to children’s organizations, scholarships, food banks, environmental initiatives, and disaster relief efforts across the United States.
