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Coming
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Philanthropist Steve Ballmer’s take on
Detroit’s comeback and how he might help.

T

he last time the Jewish News
featured Steve Ballmer, in
2000, he had just become CEO
of Microsoft, Bill Gates’ hand-picked
predecessor. Fast-forward 18 years
and Steve, 62, and his wife Connie,
who live in Bellevue, Wash., return
to Detroit and bring their experience
and resources to join the comeback
of Steve’s hometown.
The Ballmers, who control the
18th largest fortune in the country,
chose to target intergenerational
poverty to improve economic mobili-
ty for children and families.
Philanthropy focused on Detroit,
however, did not come quickly to
Steve. When he left Microsoft in
2014, he said he just wanted to chill,
play golf and “see where life takes
me.” Connie, involved in the fam-
ily’s philanthropy that supported
anti-poverty nonprofits with a focus
on foster care children, eventually
took him to task. It was time to give
back, she said, and time for Steve
to join her and scale up the family’s
giving.
The consequence of their focus
resulted in the Ballmer Group’s
announcement late last month of
its first round of grants totaling
$16 million. Each grant reflects the
Ballmers’ commitment to Detroit
neighborhoods and city residents.
Steve, however, wasn’t sold at first
on philanthropy’s value, he says.
Didn’t they pay taxes and do so
“proudly” so the government could
take care of the disadvantaged?
Ever the numbers guy who went to

Harvard to become a math professor,
Steve set out to prove he was correct.
He created USAfacts.org, a $10-mil-
lion website to help citizens under-
stand government spending by the
numbers. With the numbers behind
him, he learned that philanthropies
spend about $80 billion a year, a
drop in the bucket compared to the
government’s roughly $1.3 trillion.
He discovered, however, as he
reviewed philanthropy around the
country and their own philanthropic
work in Los Angeles, where Steve
owns the NBA Clippers, and in the
Pacific Northwest, that philanthropy
had a unique and important role to
play.
Philanthropic organizations, not the
government, start new ideas, run tri-
als for new programs for the govern-
ment to pick up and stimulate com-
munities to work on their problems,
he says, with government as part of
the solution, but not the answer.
Steve’s role was also clear.
“We don’t come in and tell com-
munities what to do,” he says, “but
connect them to resources and
expertise. We’re never going to be
the experts in all the important
areas.” But they can find experts and
help a community focus on specific
interventions and opportunities for
improvement.
“It’s about government leverage,
community-based partnerships, a
stronger social services sector and a
soup-to-nuts view of 24 hours in the
day, 360 degrees of what’s needed to
succeed from cradle to grave.”

PHOTOS BY ANTHONY LANZILOTE

SHARON LUCKERMAN SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS

DETROIT: TWO VIEWS
Many city leaders and entrepreneurs
opened their doors to the Ballmers,
sharing their Detroit experience to
help the newcomers “learn and grow.”
“There’s a lot to learn from Dan’s
[Gilbert] great efforts,” Steve says. He
also met with Gov. Rick Snyder and
spent time with heads of foundations,
including Rip Rapson of
the Kresge Foundation
and the Skillman
Foundation’s Tonya
Allen. Steve credits Dr.
Nikolai P. Vitti, super-
intendent of Detroit
Mike Duggan
Public Schools, and
Mayor Mike Duggan’s
office with helping him “think things
through and direct his work.”
Impressed with the depth and
direction of the Ballmers, Duggan

says, “What stands out most about
Steve and Connie is their passion
for breaking the cycle of poverty in
Detroit and other cities and how little
recognition they’ve sought for their
work.”
Ballmer grants support the may-
or’s key Detroit initiatives: career
and technical education programs,
Grow Detroit’s Young Talent sum-
mer internship program and the
Community Education Commission.
While he’s excited about Downtown
Detroit’s redevelopment, Steve has
learned to live with two views of the
city. Like his cousins and sister, who
live in suburban Detroit, who love
going Downtown to the symphony,
to the Detroit Athletic Club and to
sporting events, he says that’s great.
“But I’m a native of this area and
I roll my eyes,” he says, when people

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November 22 • 2018

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