Ecolab Foundation
/OVERVIEW: Ecolab Foundation, the philanthropic arm of its corporate namesake, supports a broad swath of programs and interests, including education, community development, the environment, and arts and culture. The Ecolab Foundation’s interests include youth and education, civic and community development, environment and conservation, international development, and arts and culture in St. Paul, Minnesota, as well as in other U.S. regions where its parent company operates.
IP TAKE: Ecolab Foundation is a hearty supporter of environmental conservation programs, particularly those that have a community education component; however, it gives across several areas of focus. In order to qualify for a grant, your program must serve in an Ecolab region. While the foundation does not prioritize non-wild animal welfare, it occasionally funds small projects. It also offers in-kind giving, particularly for disaster relief.
Grant seekers can apply online or network through an Ecolab employee. The Ecolab Foundation encourages its employees to volunteer their time to a variety of causes. Indeed, the foundation is particularly proud of its employee community giving, stating that its volunteer programs stretch from (its) headquarters in St. Paul, MN to areas all over the world, including employees from 29 different countries who are part of a Global Volunteerism Council.”
PROFILE: The Ecolab Foundation was established in 1986 by the Ecolab Corporation, which is based in St. Paul, Minnesota. Founded by M.J. Osborn in 1923, the corporation became a global leader in energy technologies, water and infection prevention solutions. It operates in the food service, food processing, hospitality, healthcare, industrial and oil and gas markets. Through its philanthropic enterprises, the foundation aims to “enhance the wellbeing of people and communities.” Its four funding initiatives are youth and education, civic and community development, environment and conservation, and arts and culture.
In keeping with its corporate history, the Ecolab Foundation, as hinted in its name, gives generously to environmental causes. While it funds work across all of its initiatives, grant projects considered through an environmental lens are more likely to win support. In addition to its four funding initiatives, the foundation also supports grantmaking through employee engagement, which includes employee giving and volunteerism.
Grants for the Environment
Ecolab conducts conservation grantmaking through its Environmental Justice program, which seeks projects that "will have long-term, wide-ranging and positive effects on ecosystems." The foundation is particularly interested in supporting "hands-on environmental learning programs.” So, conservation programs with an education component have an edge.
Grants for Animals and Wildlife
Ecolab Foundation’s commitment to animals and wildlife falls under the foundation's Community Grants pot, as well as through the foundation's focus on Environment & Conservation. The foundation is particularly interested in supporting "hands-on environmental learning programs." As a result, grantseekers should frame their proposals in terms of how interactive and educational it is. In order to secure funding, grantseeker's organizations must be based in and/or affect either the St. Paul, Minnesota area (where Ecolab is headquartered) or in one of the corporation’s regional communities located throughout the U.S. Recent grantees include Dodge Nature Center, Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center, and the National Wild Turkey Federation.
The Ecolab Foundation also supports organizations protecting domesticated animals. Past animal grantees include Animals Deserving Of Proper Treatement and grants to several Humane Society chapters (ranging $200 to $10,000), among others.
Grants for Marine and Freshwater Conservation
Ecolab conducts grantmaking benefitting marine conservation, rivers, and other bodies of water through the foundation's Environment & Conservation. As with all of its conservation-related programs, this concentration prioritizes "hands-on environmental learning programs." In addition, while its Solutions for Life program prioritizes WASH programs around the world through collaborations with NGOs, global philanthropy and employee volunteerism, it also supports grant seekers who work to conserve water. Its Solutions for Life subprogram works to leverage the Ecolab’s expertise as a water and energy giant through “support of NGOs and projects that have meaningful impacts in the areas of: water conservation, hygiene education, and infectious diseases.” Rather than focusing directly on marine conservation, the program focuses on water as it relates to human consumption and grants for international development.
Ecolab has also partnered with the Nature Conservancy and Project WET to further its mission. Past marine and freshwater grantees include the Deep Portage Conservation Reserve; the Mississippi River Fund; and The Wetlands Initiative.
Grants for Education
Education causes encompass the foundation’s largest area of giving. It even conducts its environmental work through and education lens, preferring to fund organizations that have an education component in their projects. The Ecolab Foundation invests in a variety of areas of education through its youth and education program, which prioritizes organizations that address at-risk youth across all of its education interests.
Grants for Early Childhood Education
Early childhood education funding is accessible through Ecolab's youth and education program. The foundation is a long-time supporter of the Saint Paul Public Schools, where teachers at all grade levels are able to obtain support for special projects that enhance classroom learning. The foundation has also partnered with Project WET in the creation of a series of free on-line water conservation and safety educational materials.
Ecolab runs separate funding programs for the greater Saint Paul, Minnesota area and other communities in the U.S. where it maintains operations. For the Saint Paul area, applications are accepted beginning in September for a December 2 deadline.
Grants for K-12 Education and STEM Education
The foundation also supports K-12 education through its youth and education and arts and culture initiatives. The youth and education program, Ecolab’s largest funding area, prioritizes STEM programming and college and career readiness. Given its corporate focus, it’s no surprise that the foundation is particularly committed to K-12 STEM education. The foundation’s arts and culture program also prioritizes children and youth programs “because there is a strong correlation between involvement in the arts and intellectual development.”
The Ecolab Foundation supports schools, school districts and nonprofit organizations in the greater St. Paul, Minnesota area and in eleven other states. Past grantees include the FIRST Robotics, a global STEM and robotics program for K-12 students.
Ecolab Foundation’s STEM education giving also flows through its Visions for Learning Educator grant program, which the foundation describes as its “signature teacher classroom grant program.” The directive of the program is straightforward: Grants provide K-12 teachers with “funds to obtain additional materials to help enrich the classroom experience.” But Visions for Learning also supports educators, including paraprofessionals, administrators, and other licensed staff.
Grants range from $100–$3,000. If an applicant's science education program falls beyond the traditional classroom or school environment, Ecolab may still fund the project. Additional Youth and Education support flows through its general community grants pot (which also includes its other three giving focus areas).
Grants for College Readiness
The Ecolab Foundation names college and career readiness as one of the main priorities of its youth and education program. The program prioritizes public school districts and STEM disciplines. The Ecolab Foundation supports schools, school districts and nonprofit organizations in the greater St. Paul, Minnesota area and in eleven other states.
Past college readiness grantees include the St. Paul Public School District and public school districts in Ecolab’s other service areas. Grants are generally awarded to teachers or teams of teachers for special projects that align with the foundation’s goals.
Grants for Literacy and Libraries
Ecolab Foundation’s commitment to libraries and literacy falls partly under the foundation's commitment to Youth and Education, with an emphasis on at-risk youth. If your literacy program extends into adult learners and/or community libraries, cash flows through the foundation's Community Grants pot. Organizations seeking literacy or library grants must be based in either the St. Paul, Minnesota area (where Ecolab is headquartered) or in one of the corporation’s 17 regional communities located throughout the U.S.
Recent literacy and library grantees include the St. Paul Public Library for $150,000; Reading Connections; the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library System; Literacy Volunteers of Fort Bend County for $2,000; Literacy Support Council of Placer County; First Book; and the Literacy Center of West Michigan.
Grants for Women and Girls
Ecolab Foundation conducts funding to benefit women and girls through its Community Grants program, as well as through its focus on Civic & Community Development. Rather than women’s economic development or other women’s issue areas, the foundation’s grants here focus on supporting at-risk women, particularly those living in shelters, dealing with gender-based violence, and work preparation.
Organizations seeking grants to support women, as with Ecolab’s other giving areas, must be based in either the St. Paul, Minnesota, area or in one of the corporation’s 17 regional communities located throughout the U.S.
Past women and girls grantees include the Jeremiah Program for $10,000; Family Wise for $10,000; the Women's Center of Beaver County for $8,900; and Shenandoah Women's Center. The foundation also supports a number of Dress for Success chapters in amounts ranging $1,500 to $5,000.
Grants for the Arts, Culture and Arts Education
Ecolab invests in arts education for children and youth, as well as support for museums and the performing arts through its Arts and Culture funding area.
Grants for Theater
The foundation conducts performing arts giving, particularly to theaters, through its Arts and Culture funding area. The Ecolab Foundation frames theater support as a quality-of-life issue for its communities, having stated in the past that: “Through arts, creativity and talent is nurtured. People learn to tap into the power of their imagination, which is where good ideas come from in life and in business.” Ecolab supports companies and their full seasons, rather than funding one-off performances, and it will not fund individual performers or playwrights. New grant seekers should also keep in mind that as part of its Arts and Culture mission, Ecolab Foundation supports arts education, so theater programs with a youth development component will be in a stronger position to receive Ecolab Foundation funding.
Grants range upward of $5,000. Past theater grantees include the Penumbra Theatre, The Actors Theater of Minnesota and the Steppingstone Theatre. The application process is online.
Grants for Music
The foundation’s music grantmaking falls under its Arts and Culture funding area. Ecolab Foundation, as with its theater giving, frames music support as a quality-of-life issue for its communities; however, Ecolab does not fund one-off performances or individual musicians and composers. New music-focused grantseekers should also keep in mind that as part of its Arts and Culture mission, Ecolab Foundation prioritizes arts education, so music programs with a youth development component will be in a stronger position to receive Ecolab Foundation funding.
Past music grant recipients from Ecolab Foundation include the American Composers Forum, the Children's Choir of Huntington County, Minnesota Opera, and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.
Grants for Economic Development and Community Development
Ecolab’s Civic and Community Development initiative works to serve the “needs of those living in poverty” and organizations that address poverty, work readiness, affordable housing, crisis assistance, and hunger relief. Its Civic and Community Development grants range from $10,000 to $50,000. Past and current partnerships include Habitat for Humanity, Feeding American food shelves, and Second Harvest Heartland. The Ecolab Foundation strongly prioritizes the St. Paul, Minnesota area and also operates in eleven other states.
Grants for Minnesota
The Ecolab Foundation funds organizations serving Minnesota, where it is headquartered, across all of its four grantmaking initiatives and employee-led giving programs, which grantseekers can learn more about above. Ecolab also conducts giving related to Minnesota through its Saint Paul Area grants program.
Grants range between about $1,000 and $1 million. Learn more about this funder’s local giving by examining its recent tax records. Grantmaking focuses on St. Paul, Minnesota and other areas where the company does business. Past grantees include the University of Minnesota to support sustainability research and education and the Nature Conservancy.
Important Grant Details:
Grants range upward of $5,000 to $50,000. Grantmaking prioritizes groups in Minnesota or those serving Minnesota, where Ecolab is located. It also prioritizes funding organizations located in or near any of its other regional communities across the United States. Ecolab accepts applications through its website.
Ecolab Foundation only funds 501(c)(3) organizations and projects in either the St. Paul, Minnesota area (where Ecolab is headquartered) or in one of the corporation’s 17 regional communities located throughout the U.S. These other geographic areas are based in specific cities in Wisconsin, California, Mississippi, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina, Indiana, Texas, Florida, West Virginia and Georgia.
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