Ballmer Group to Establish Independent Philanthropies in Southeast Michigan, Los Angeles, and Washington State

Bellevue, WA — July 1, 2026 — Connie and Steve Ballmer today announced that they are launching three independent, locally led philanthropies in Southeast Michigan, Los Angeles County, and Washington State. The organizations, called MoveUp Southeast Michigan, MoveUp LA, and MoveUp Washington, will operate independently from Ballmer Group and will be funded by the Ballmers to support their ongoing work, continuing a shared mission: improving economic mobility for kids and families.

Ballmer Group team members currently working in each region will transition to the new organizations over the next year. The shift reflects a deliberate move toward community-based philanthropies grounded in deep local connection with teams embedded in the regions they serve.

As these organizations are established, Ballmer Group’s work will increasingly focus on a smaller set of large, scalable initiatives that advance economic mobility for kids and families in the United States.

“Our stellar teams in these three regions have built deep relationships in their communities and, together with their partners, have created opportunities for kids and families,” said Connie and Steve Ballmer. “Our intention is to ensure that these local philanthropies can be permanent, ongoing resources in each region, while we concentrate our national efforts on advancing economic mobility in new ways.”

Each organization will establish an independent board and continue its existing regional work while evolving to meet local needs. Current grantees will continue to be supported throughout the transition with no disruption to existing commitments. The transition to fully independent operations will occur over the next year.

Kylee Mitchell Wells in Southeast Michigan, Nina Revoyr in Los Angeles, and Andi Smith in Washington State will serve as CEOs for these new organizations. All three leaders are strongly rooted in their communities and currently lead Ballmer Group’s regional offices.

“I am honored to help establish Steve and Connie’s permanent philanthropy in Southeast Michigan. Over the past decade, Ballmer Group has driven clear progress across my home city and state, with impactful investments that include supporting tens of thousands of youth with summer employment opportunities and expanding access to school-based family supports. I look forward to leaning further into collective partnerships and collaborations that will lead our region toward a more equitable future,” said Kylee Mitchell Wells, future CEO of MoveUp Southeast Michigan.

“In establishing a permanent philanthropy, Connie and Steve are ensuring that the needs of LA’s kids, families, and neighborhoods are being addressed today, and that all young people in our region will have a chance at a better tomorrow. Over the last decade, Ballmer Group LA has had the privilege of working with some of Los Angeles’s most extraordinary community and organizational leaders, and we look forward to supporting our region’s most impactful efforts for years to come,” said Nina Revoyr, future CEO of MoveUp LA.

“Ballmer Group Washington has been honored to work alongside extraordinary leaders from nonprofits, schools, and government who are committed to creating more opportunity for kids and families across our state. In creating a permanent philanthropy, Steve and Connie are reaffirming their deep commitment to Washington and to the belief that every young person deserves the chance to thrive. Together with our partners, we will continue building on what we’ve learned and creating pathways to economic mobility for generations to come,” said Andi Smith, future CEO of MoveUp Washington.

Ballmer Group CEO Terri Ludwig, who helped guide the evolution of the regional entities, will serve as a founding board member for all three organizations while continuing her role leading Ballmer Group. She will support the transition to ensure continued progress toward expanding opportunity for children and families.

“Across these regions, our teams have demonstrated exceptional leadership and have distributed more than $1.5 billion in grants over the past decade,” said Ludwig. “I am honored to help them transition to this exciting new chapter of grantmaking and impact.”