Dow Chemical Company
/OVERVIEW: This corporate funder makes grants and contributions in the areas of STEM education and disaster relief.
IP TAKE: The Dow Chemical Company Foundation prioritizes STEM education and disaster relief in areas where its parent company maintains operations; however, it doesn’t support public health, an oddity given its corporate parent’s global impact and contribution to Forever Chemicals in the communities where it conducts operations. This impact has led to billions in negative health outcomes. Not an inclusive or open-minded funder, Dow prefers to fund work that contributes to a work force of scientists that can later work in the chemical industry.
This funder maintains a low profile and does not appear to accept unsolicited applications for funding. It does like to partner with organizations in some of the communities it serves.
PROFILE: The Dow Chemical Company Foundation is the philanthropic entity of the Dow Chemical Company, a subsidiary of Dow Inc. that is based in Midland, Michigan. The foundation was established in 1979. Its stated goal is to contribute to “sustainable communities by supporting strategic philanthropic investments addressing the world’s most pressing challenges.” Recent grantmaking supports STEM education and disaster relief in areas where Dow Chemical maintains operations.
Grants for STEM Education
Dow Chemical’s STEM grants tend to support science programs at large public and private universities with grants of $1 million or more. Recent grants have gone to the California Institute of Technology, Michigan State University, the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, among others. The foundation also partners with Beyond Benign, a green chemistry program that develops materials and curricula for K-12, higher education and teacher development, and provides ongoing support to the Chemistry Education foundation and the American Chemical Society.
Grants for Humanitarian and Disaster Relief
Dow has responded to recent natural disasters in areas of the U.S. where it maintains operations. In Midland, where the company is headquartered, the foundation partnered with the United Way to distribute food and supplies to residents after dam failures that resulted in widespread flooding and evacuations. In Georgia and North Carolina, the foundation partnered with Habitat for Humanity in efforts to rebuild homes after Hurricane Michael in 2018.
Important Grant Details:
Dow tends to support science programs at universities with large grants of $1 million or more. Its disaster relief grants are generally in the $100,000 to $200,000 range. Most grantees are large, well-established organizations.
The Dow Chemical Company does not provide information about how to apply for grants or contributions. General inquiries may be made via a contact form on the corporation’s website.
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