The first step is the hardest one. But after you get moving, momentum kicks in. This is certainly true for running, and it is proving true for fundraising for manufacturing education. IMTS and AMT and our sponsors have been taking giant strides to support education programs to prepare the next generation of manufacturing innovators through the Miles for Manufacturing (M4M) initiative. With support from corporate sponsors and individual runners, the M4M community fundraising program recently surpassed a quarter of a million dollars raised for STEM education programs for future manufacturers. M4M is community fundraising at its best, with current manufacturing professionals supporting the next generation as they strive to gain critical skills and fill essential roles in the industry. Mega Milestone Since its inception in 2014, M4M has received vital support from 51 sponsors, many of whom return to support the program year after year. M4M has also welcomed runners from every corner of the manufacturing community. Reaching the significant quarter-million-dollar fundraising milestone is about more than the money – it’s about momentum. This achievement is proof that more manufacturers are ready to invest in the future of the industry. There is an increasingly broad consensus that the next generation will drive digital innovation and implement powerful growth strategies in manufacturing. Manufacturing leaders recognize that the way to win the future is to invest in the people who’ll build it. That starts with supporting STEM programs and workforce initiatives. Miles at MFG Both sponsors and runners can get involved and give back during an in-person M4M 5K at The MFG Meeting in San Antonio, Texas, on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. To sign up for the Miles for Manufacturing 5K, you can add it directly to your MFG 2025 registration. If you’ve already registered to attend The MFG Meeting, just log in using your registration information and add it to your existing registration at any time. If you cannot attend The MFG Meeting but would like to donate or sponsor the event, you can reach out to me at any time at cross@amtonline.org. One hundred percent of registration fees and every dollar of sponsorship money raised through M4M goes directly to designated schools and programs, all of which influence young people toward careers in manufacturing. IMTS covers all of the hard costs of planning and hosting the races, so that all proceeds can go to deserving education programs. In a show of support to the city that has long been home to IMTS, M4M has donated more than $20,000 to the Children First Fund – The Chicago Public Schools Foundation. The wide range of M4M beneficiaries also includes more than 30 programs (and counting) located throughout the country – from Arizona to Florida and from Maryland to Texas. In 2025, all contributions to beneficiaries will be made in the fall, allowing us more time to gather donations. This also ensures that our funding timeline synchronizes with the start of school and aligns with our giving schedule in IMTS years. More Momentum To keep the momentum going, AMT is offering new ways to participate in M4M in 2025. Between May and September 2025, AMT is hosting manufacturing meetups in Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, and St. Louis. Meetups bring professionals from across the manufacturing supply chain together to foster valuable connections and expand networks. For the first time in 2025, The MFG Meeting registration will include the option to donate to the M4M program – all in hopes that we can make a bigger contribution to schools in need during a non-IMTS year. Meetup registration will open in early April. AMT is also planning a Back-to-School Giving Campaign in August and September 2025 as one final fundraising push in 2025. Get involved in our many opportunities to support the revolutionary next generation of manufacturing and the programs that are helping them build the future. We have miles to go and many milestones to meet. Get more information about M4M sponsorship opportunities.
With support from corporate sponsors and individual runners, the Miles for Manufacturing community fundraising program has raised a quarter of a million dollars for STEM education programs for future manufacturers.