ANN ARBOR, Mich.---The University of Michigan announced it has received a $230,000 grant from the General Motors Foundation to help fund a variety of programs related to the College of Engineering and the Stephen M. Ross School of Business.

Diversity initiatives at the College of Engineering and Ross School of Business will receive a significant portion of the grant. The intent is to encourage women and minorities in those educational programs.

David C. Munson, Jr., U-M's Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering, said, "We appreciate GM’s continued leadership in supporting the development of a creative community of diverse, globally competent engineers. Michigan Engineering, GM and the nation’s economy all benefit from an expanded pool of engineering talent."

“The GM Foundation is proud to support these important initiatives,” said Tom Stephens, GM vice chairman and chief technology officer. “GM has a long history of collaborating with the University of Michigan and we look at this grant as not only an investment in supporting higher education but an investment in our future.“

The University of Michigan and General Motors have a long-standing relationship, dating back more than 50 years. In May of 2009, the two organizations announced the formation of the GM/U-M Institute of Automotive Research and Education. The vision of the Institute is to deliver world-class research and education with a strategic focus on the reinvention of the automobile through energy diversity and innovative sustainable transportation technology solutions. Since the Institute’s formation, among other achievements, collaborative research has helped to guarantee the 16 kWh lithium-ion battery system used in the Chevrolet Volt meets exceptional quality standards. GM executives have participated in web and in-person discussions with U-M students about the Volt’s development.

GM and the University are collaborating through four main laboratories: Advanced Battery Coalition for Drivetrains, Engine Systems Research, Advanced Vehicle Manufacturing and Smart Materials and Structures.

About the GM Foundation

Since its inception in 1976, the GM Foundation has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to deserving American charities, educational organizations and to disaster relief efforts worldwide. The GM Foundation focuses on supporting Education, Health and Human Services, Environment and Energy and Community Development initiatives, mainly in the communities where GM operates. Funding of the GM Foundation comes solely from GM. The last contribution to the GM Foundation was made in 2001. For more information, visit www.gm.com/corporate/responsibility/community.