UP redesigns its charity program
(Source: Progressive Railroading 02/02/2018)
Union Pacific Corp. has redesigned its charitable giving program to support three primary social impact goals: safety, workforce development and community spaces.
Yesterday, UP unveiled its Community Ties Giving Program, which will increase the company’s overall community giving to more than $20 million, company officials said in a press release.
“For more than 150 years, Union Pacific has served as an economic engine, improving the lives of millions across the United States,” said Scott Moore, senior vice president and chief administrative officer. “The Community Ties Giving Program builds on that foundation, funding programs to support safe, prosperous and vibrant communities where our employees live and work.”
The program is designed to support two primary giving pillars: local grants and key partnership. Each pillar will support one or more of the three social impact goals.
Specifically, the program will support:
• safety by helping communities prevent and prepare for accidents and emergencies;
• workforce development by providing job opportunity awareness and education for the next generation of skilled workers; and
• community spaces by building and enhancing neighborhoods, parks and other unique spaces contributing to a community’s identity and preserving its history.
Local grants will be awarded to select nonprofit organizations whose objectives fulfill UP’s social impact goals. The next application period will run April through May.
Key partnerships incorporate two subgroups — regional and national — and provide large-scale, targeted grants intended to achieve significant, measurable and sustainable impact in communities, UP officials said.
Following a nationwide search, Safe Kids Worldwide, Local Initiatives Support Corp. and the National Park Foundation were selected as national key partners, each receiving $1 million in 2018.
Regional partners will be selected only by invitation.
To learn more about Community Ties or to apply for local grants, visit www.up.com/foundation.