When Crystal Bridgeman joined the Siemens Foundation as senior director of workforce development programs in 2014, she pored over research and led conversations about what kind of projects the foundation should invest in to have the biggest impact. Her findings suggested there were a growing number of job opportunities in fields such as advanced manufacturing and health care that required more than a high school diploma, but less than a four-year degree. "It became pretty clear that we wanted to focus on supporting these middle-skill STEM initiatives," she says. Citing a 2013 report from the Brookings Institution that says these jobs averaged $53,000 per year, she adds: "Middle-skill jobs provide economic security but also are attainable." The efforts of Bridgeman and her colleagues at the Siemens Foundation have resulted in more than $5 million in funding commitments through 2017 that will directly impact community colleges and their students. For instance, the foundation has partnered with various organizations to fund initiatives that seek to identify and scale effective training models, eliminate the stigma often associated with middle-skill careers, and raise awareness of these job opportunities among teens and young adults. The Siemens Foundation certainly isn't alone in focusing its generosity on programs that reach community college campuses. In fact, community colleges are situated in somewhat of a "sweet spot" for corporate, public and private philanthropy.