Boeing
/OVERVIEW: Boeing’s community impact programs support K-12 education, workforce development, the environment, veterans causes, and disaster relief in areas where Boeing maintains operations, including Washington state, the D.C. metro area, the St. Louis metro area, South Carolina, and international locales. The company recently added racial equity and social justice to its engagement priorities.
IP TAKE: Boeing — the Fortune 500 aerospace, airplane, and defense manufacturer — operates a corporate charitable investment program that has steadily expanded. While it can be difficult to locate the correct information via Boeing’s community engagement landing page, this is a relatively accessible and transparent funder; however, Boeing’s website changes often, so make sure to review the site periodically.
Boeing organizes its giving by state or region, and funding priorities are often place-based. Past grantees have suggested that some of the company’s local charitable arms are bureaucratic or difficult to work with. Along with these local grantmaking programs, Boeing runs Employee Community Funds that “empower employees to make a greater impact by pooling their tax-deductible donations,” providing grantseekers with another way to access support here.
While Boeing’s grantmaking programs are labyrinthine, this is a legitimate source of funding for local nonprofits, particularly those working in STEM education, technical workforce development, or support for veterans and military families.
PROFILE: Boeing does not operate a separate foundation, but makes grants, runs an employee grants matching and volunteerism program, and administers employee community funds under a corporate umbrella program, Boeing Global Engagement. Boeing’s philanthropic efforts are driven by a mission to “invest time, talent and monetary resources where our employees live and work—contributing to efforts that build and enhance our communities for generations to come.”
As a sprawling, multinational corporation and the leading provider of commercial airplanes worldwide, it’s no surprise that Boeing’s philanthropy has long been focused on education and workforce development in the area of STEM education, technical development, research, and technology, both in the U.S. and globally. Boeing is also a leading employer of veterans, and its philanthropic activities reflect a commitment to veterans and military families.
These are the overarching priorities for Boeing’s philanthropy, but its place-based grants programs has a lot of leeway in determining local priorities. Past coverage here at IP has explored Boeing’s local giving in culture and the arts, as well as its marine conservation efforts in Seattle.
Boeing’s philanthropy is comprised of several programs, including its Community Engagement programs, the Boeing Company Charitable Trust, its employee matching program, and its Employee Community Funds based in 19 regions around the U.S. While giving is decentralized, the company as a whole is “committed to innovating and investing in efforts that build, enhance and contribute to the communities where our employees live and work.” Boeing aims to be “a force for change in our world” and to “bring about that change for the communities that need it most.”
Its stated areas of focus are divided into three areas:
Our Future: This is Boeing’s education grantmaking program, which contributed $50 million in a recent year to programs focused on STEM education and workforce development.
Our Heroes: The veterans and military families program made $13 million in grants in a recent year.
Our Homes: This program has less-defined priorities that range from environmental giving to anti-recidivism programs.
Boeing’s philanthropic investments are driven by these three general priorities, but most grantmaking is managed locally, and, as per the Boeing website, “grantmaking strategies are tailored by locations to address the specific needs of their region.”
Grants for K-12 and STEM Education
One of Boeing’s main funding priorities is education. Boeing is committed to “inspiring and preparing the next generation of innovators.” Boeing’s education giving focus on K-12 academic success, career pathways and STEM disciplines.
Grants for Early Education and K-12
Within its education initiative, the company generally divides its grantmaking between early education and primary and secondary education. Specific priorities vary by region.
Boeing particularly emphasizes preparation for STEM careers (not uncommon for a corporation heavily dependent on a strong pipeline of young people going into these careers). This grantmaking funds a combination of professional development for teachers and administrators, as well as curriculum and programmatic support to help student performance in science and math.
Boeing also prioritizes hands-on learning programs and science fairs.
Like some other corporate education endeavors, Boeing collaborates with leading organizations to develop free online curricula and other educational resources for families, volunteers and teachers. Partners in this effort include PBS and Above and Beyond.
Education grantees include the Washington STEM Center in Seattle, the Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association, BrightSpark Early Learning Services of Renton, Washington and multiple chapters of Boys and Girls Clubs in areas where Boeing maintains operations.
Grants for Higher Education
At the postsecondary level, Boeing’s University Relations program maintains active partnerships with universities worldwide to offer “student-focused programs” such as internships, externships, co-ops, scholarships and enrichment programs enabling the next generation to “collaborate on innovative products by working alongside thinkers, dreamers, designers and builders” in the field.
Boeing’s higher education partners include Morehouse College, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Purdue University, the University of South Carolina and the University of Washington.
Grants for Global Development and Disaster Relief
Boeing tends to award grants in global areas in which it has operations. This is a massive, multinational organization that spans Southeast Asia, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Boeing also awards grants in several developed nations.
Boeing largely gives to projects that include access to quality K-12 education and early learning programs.
It also supports health and human services organizations in developing countries in an effort to encourage economic growth and improve access to healthcare.
In addition, the company also seeks to improve economic opportunities in marginalized and underserved populations by awarding grants to organizations that run relevant skills training programs.
It is also worth noting that Boeing’s corporate philanthropy works in conjunction with its employee donations and volunteer efforts. This translates into a vested interest in strengthening and supporting locations around the world in which the company operates.
Global recipients of Boeing giving programs include GlobalGiving, the Salvation Army World Service Office and Catholic Relief Services and
Grants for Environmental Conservation, Climate Change and Clean Energy
Boeing’s general environmental work tends to focus on remediation innovation, research and technology. It is difficult to discern the company’s philanthropy in this area from its sustainability-related business practices.
Through its Boeing Research & Technology (BR&T) program, Boeing invests in “innovative technologies that enable the development of future aerospace solutions while improving the cost, quality, efficiency and performance of Boeing products.”
Boeing’s Remediation investments and awards focus on “using innovative approaches in cleanup efforts to ensure the protection of human health and the environment, coupled with the use of invaluable input from community members and environmental groups.”
Much of Boeing’s environmental giving occurs at the local level in one of 20 states (including Washington, D.C.), which each reflect different grantmaking priorities including but not limited to land and water conservation, environmental stewardship and educational programs. Funding for the environment is also available through the Employees Community Fund of The Boeing Company, which divides its giving — and giving priorities — by state, and sometimes regions within a state.
Boeing’s environmental partners and grantees include Heal the Bay of Los Angeles, GRID Alternatives, TreePeople and the National Forest Foundation.
Grants for Veterans, Work and Opportunity
Boeing’s Veterans program area works to help military veterans and their families “develop skills, support recovery and offer rehabilitation programs that focus on PTSD, mental and physical injuries and suicide prevention.”
The foundation offers signature veterans’ service programs such as the Military Skills Translator, which helps match “military skills and experience to current job opportunities at Boeing,” USO Pathfinder, a “comprehensive employment readiness program for transitioning service members,” and the Talent Network which connects recruiters to veterans based on their “skills, qualifications and interests.”
Corporate and employee donations have also gone to veterans’ organizations including Merging Vets and Players, the Home Front Military Network, the Farmer Veteran Coalition of Washington State and Operation Veteran Support.
Important Grant Details:
Grants generally range from $25,000 to $500,000, but some donations may be in the millions.
Boeing does not provide detailed information about its grant amounts on its website, but grant seekers may review its annual reports or browse by giving region for more information on its place-based grantmaking habits.
Boeing provides a list of what it will not fund, which grant seekers should read closely.
The application process and eligibility for Boeing funding varies by state or region, except for higher education grantmaking, which is centralized through the University Relations program.
Begin the application process with the drop-down menus for place-based giving on Boeing’s Seeking Support section.
New grant seekers can find more detailed, region-specific information in the “Seeking Support” section on Boeing’s Community Engagement page.
Boeing runs Employee Community Funds that “empower employees to make a greater impact by pooling their tax-deductible donations.” There are 19 such local funds with their own priority areas, rules and guidelines. Grant applications via these Employee Community Funds tend to be by invitation only.
A comprehensive list of recent grantees can be found within Boeing Global Engagement’s annual reports.
Additionally, the directors for global corporate citizenship at Boeing are also local/regional, so grant seekers should contact the company to find the director for their location.
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