A Look at the Alcoa Foundation’s Funding in Pennsylvania
/
JHVEPhoto/shutterstock
Like many corporate foundations, the Alcoa Foundation invests in places where the company has a physical presence and partners with community groups to address local needs. Alcoa is a mining and metals company with its global headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Although Alcoa has locations in various other countries, including Australia, Iceland, Hungary and Spain, the Pittsburgh area receives steady support from this funder each year.
Here’s a look at what the Alcoa Foundation focuses on in Pennsylvania and how local nonprofits can connect with this grantmaker for support.
Major topics of interest
Alcoa is very interested in contributing to programs that preserve and protect the environment. This interest is part of a larger corporate philanthropic commitment to addressing the impacts of climate change and promoting sustainability and diverse ecosystems. Other environmental interests are energy use and efficiency, water stewardship, air emissions, waste management, impoundment management and mine rehabilitation.
Education and workforce development are also major interests for this corporate funder. It focuses on programs that improve equitable access to education and skills development for underrepresented and underserved populations. Social causes of interest to the Alcoa Foundation include safety, health, human rights, Indigenous people and diversity.
In a recent year, Alcoa awarded $6,279,395 in total grants, and $2,762,241 of that total went toward environmental causes. To support education and workforce development, Alcoa gave $2,621,151 to signature partnerships while employees volunteered 6,035 hours of their time.
Recent funding in Pennsylvania and elsewhere
Past grantees in Pennsylvania include Auberle Home for an employment institute, Asset Inc. for coaching and resources for educators and students, and Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania for a STEM jobs and student work experience initiative. Other local support includes funding for the IUP Research Institute’s vocational and environmental programs for students with special needs, and the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania to help residents meet their basic needs.
Aside from Pittsburgh, other places of businesses for Alcoa in the U.S. are Evansville, Indiana; Badin, North Carolina; Lake Charles, Louisiana; Massena, New York; Point Comfort, Texas; Addy, Washington; Ferndale, Washington and Longview, Washington. Each Alcoa facility works with its staff to develop localized giving strategies specific to its community. The foundation has a separate and limited grant budget to assist organizations after natural disasters and humanitarian crises.
Applying for an Alcoa grant
Alcoa does not provide a straightforward or accessible way for nonprofits to apply for grants. It selects its own nonprofit partnerships and accepts applications by invitation only. The funder does not accept or respond to unsolicited letters of inquiry. Therefore, organizations with personal connections to Alcoa employees may have an advantage over the competition. The average Alcoa grant is around $25,000, but grants can range anywhere from approximately $5,000 to $500,000.
Learn more about this funder in IP’s full profile of the Alcoa Foundation.
