Right now, all over the world, people are using SQL Server to make the world a better place.

Sadly, most of these teams are underfunded, understaffed, and undertrained. They’re doing the best they can with the limited resources they have available, just trying to make a difference. No, actually making a difference.

Our SQL Server Training Scholarship program applications were open to folks anywhere in the world working with SQL Server for foundations, non-profits, charities, or other companies making a real difference in the world today. Last year’s winners included the International Justice Mission, the American Library Association, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Mercy Corps, the American Red Cross, and many more.

This year, the stories are just as touching. We’re not going to name the 25+ individual winners here, but they’re welcome to chime in in the comments if they’d like. Instead, we’re going to share just some of their organizations that opened our eyes and made us thankful today:

North Shore Animal League America is the world’s largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization. Ernie picked this one personally – I rescued her from a shelter.

World Relief partners with local churches in 14 countries to transform communities economically, socially, and spiritually. They handle disaster response, health & child development, refugee & immigration services, economic development, and peacebuilding in dangerous conflict zones.

The UK’s Mencap is transforming society’s attitudes to learning disability and improving the quality of life of people with a learning disability and their families. Just reading what they do brings tears to my eyes and makes me want to be a better person.

Grady Health is on a mission to become the leading public academic healthcare system in the US, Boulder Community Health is a Colorado community-owned and operated not-for-profit hospital, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium is a non-profit that provides health services for Alaska Native people, and the American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 66,000 pediatricians committed to the physical, mental, and social health and well-being of infants, kids, and young adults.

Australia’s Outdoor Education Group makes learning outdoors accessible to all young people. They provide outdoor education and recreation experiences for thousands of participants each year. In high school, summer camp transformed the lives of me and my friends, and led to one of my friends understanding what she wanted to do for the rest of her life.

Headspace is the national youth mental health foundation dedicated to improving the wellbeing of young Australians. They provide early intervention mental health services to 12-25 year olds. If I hadn’t personally had a psychologist in my teens, I know I’d be in rough shape today – that therapy helped me with some serious issues.

The YMCA is a song that raises the quality of life of party-goers everywhere. Wait, I may not have that mission statement exactly correct. Whatever.

We learned last year that we shouldn’t even try to pick grand/first/second prize winners – everyone wins the maximum award that we can possibly afford to give as a company. This year, we’re taking it up another notch, and all winners (chosen by staff voting) receive:

• 18 months access to all our training videos, free
• Free seats in any of Brent’s 4-day online classes in 2016-2017
• $995 nah, free seats in Brent’s 4-day in-person classes in 2016-2017

As SQL Server consultants and trainers, it’s hard for us to make a meaningful difference in the world. This feels like an important first step on a good journey to reward those who are doing such good work.

Thank you.