Alstom Foundation

OVERVIEW: The Alstom Foundation broadly funds global development projects focusing on economic development, social development, access to mobility, and access to energy and water.The Alstom Foundation seeks conservation projects in regions of the world where Alstom has an employee and operational presence.

IP TAKE: This funder funds projects that demonstrate long-term sustainability. Grantseekers should note that they will not be able to submit an application without the sponsorship of an Alstom employee—however, the foundation may be willing to help applicants with no sponsor to find one. Overall, this is an accessible and transparent funder.

PROFILE: Established in 2007, the Alstom Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the French multinational transportation corporation, Alstom. The foundation aims to “champion humanitarian initiatives” and “improve living conditions in, and economic prospects of, communities located near Alstom’s facilities and sites around the world.” It currently has program areas in Economic and Social Development, Environmental Protection, Access to Mobility and Access to Energy and Water.

Grants for Global Development and Economic Development

The majority of Alstom’s focus areas fall under the umbrella of Global Development. Grants for Access to Energy and Water go to help “remote communities to raise their living standards,” while grants for Access to Mobility encourage economic development and justice by “facilitating the movement of both people and goods such that remote and disadvantaged communities may take advantage of local markets, education, health and other facilities.” Alstrom’s Economic and Social Development grants go to support organizations that “develop the employability of disadvantaged women and youth seeking to enter the job market,” as well as those that “protect children, frequently orphans, living in dire circumstances.” In Algeria, it supported a solar energy project conducted by SOS Children’s Village. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, it supported Objectif O, a Belgian nonprofit working to repair the water purification system to at the N’Seke power plant in order to provide clean and potable drinking water to local communities.

Grants for Environmental Conservation and Disaster Relief

The Alstom Foundation’s Environmental Protection focus area supports programs that “enhance environmental awareness, protect natural habitats and build resilience to natural disasters.” While it does not provide detailed information on its strategy or priorities, its project list demonstrates a funding interest in a wide variety of environmental conservation projects. In Mexico, it awarded a grant to ProNatura in support of its work creating protected habitats for birds of prey and in Indonesia, the Kehati Foundation and the Environmental Bamboo Foundation received a grant for their joint effort to conserve the Indonesian endemic bamboo species in West Java. Funding for that project went toward the prevention of soil erosion, conserving endemic bamboo species, and protecting local watersheds.

Important Grant Details:

The Alstom Foundation does not provide detailed information about its grant values. Grantseekers may review the foundation’s Projects page for more information about its grantmaking habits.

Grant applications must be submitted with the sponsorship of an employee who serves as Promoter for the project. Grantseekers who do not have any connections at Alstom may contact the Secretariat of the foundation for help locating an employee willing to fill the role. 

PEOPLE:

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