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Steel Dynamics Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$2.5M
Grant Range
$1K - $3.0M
Decision Time
3w

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,492,500 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Several weeks
  • Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed (known grants range from $1M to $3M for major projects)
  • Geographic Focus: Communities where Steel Dynamics Inc. facilities are located (primarily Midwest and Southeast U.S.)

Contact Details

Website: https://steeldynamicsfoundation.org/
Phone: (260) 969-3500
Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana

Note: Grant applications are managed through local Steel Dynamics facility managers rather than a centralized application portal. Contact your local Steel Dynamics, OmniSource, New Millennium Building Systems, Steel of West Virginia, or Vulcan Steel Products facility to initiate a request.

Overview

The Steel Dynamics Foundation Inc. is a corporate foundation established as a 501(c)(3) organization, receiving tax-exempt status in October 2009. Based in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the foundation has total assets of approximately $11.4 million and distributed $2.49 million in grants in 2024. The foundation's mission centers on enhancing quality of life and improving local economies in communities where Steel Dynamics Inc. and its subsidiaries have employees. The foundation operates through a decentralized model, empowering local facility managers to identify and recommend nonprofits that will make "expansive and enduring impact" on their communities. This approach ensures that funding responds to local needs and strengthens the company's relationships with the communities where its employees live and work. The foundation prioritizes organizations with significant community impact, those serving large populations, meeting the greatest needs, and providing the widest community access.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Steel Dynamics Foundation does not operate traditional, named grant programs with fixed funding amounts. Instead, grants are awarded on a rolling basis through local facility recommendations, with award sizes varying based on project scope and community need.

Known Major Grants:

  • Trine University (multiple awards): $3 million pledge for Trine Fort Wayne healthcare programs facility; $2 million for student design center; $1 million for STEM and business scholarships
  • Grants support capital projects, scholarship programs, program development, and community services

Application Method: Rolling basis through local facility manager referral system

Priority Areas

The foundation focuses funding on three primary areas:

  1. Post-Secondary Education: Strong emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields, finance, and business education. The foundation believes "a better-educated workforce creates a stronger economy" and seeks to improve living standards through educational advancement.

  2. Economic & Community Development: Projects that strengthen local economies and improve community infrastructure, including capital projects that enhance community assets.

  3. Human Services: Programs improving quality of life and making communities more attractive places to live and work, particularly children and family services that promote economic development through education in business and technology fields.

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly detailed, the foundation's focus on communities with Steel Dynamics facilities and the requirement for local facility manager referral effectively limits funding to organizations outside their operational footprint. The foundation prioritizes organizations that demonstrate strong ethical business practices.

Governance and Leadership

Theresa E. Wagler serves as a director of the Steel Dynamics Foundation. Wagler is also Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Steel Dynamics, Inc., the parent company. The foundation emphasizes education, children's resources and development, and community support for areas where Steel Dynamics operates.

The foundation operates with a decentralized governance structure that empowers local facility managers to evaluate and recommend grant recipients, reflecting the company's commitment to community-based decision-making. This structure ensures that those closest to community needs have significant input in funding decisions.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Steel Dynamics Foundation uses a referral-based application system rather than accepting direct unsolicited applications. The process works as follows:

  1. Contact Local Facility: Organizations must first contact the Steel Dynamics facility in their local area to request consideration for funding. Eligible facilities include Steel Dynamics, OmniSource, New Millennium Building Systems, Steel of West Virginia, and Vulcan Steel Products locations.

  2. Local Review: Management at the local facility reviews the request and makes decisions based on the level of support from the facility and employees. The foundation gives special consideration to organizations supported both financially by their facilities and with employees' time, talent, and donations.

  3. Eligibility Questionnaire: If the local facility supports the request, the foundation will email a formal Grant Application/Eligibility Questionnaire to the organization.

  4. No Response Policy: If an organization does NOT receive a Grant Application from the foundation after contacting the local facility, it means the foundation is unable to consider the request at that time.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Must be a qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
  • Must be located in or serve communities where Steel Dynamics, Inc. has facilities and employees
  • Must demonstrate strong ethical business practices
  • Priority given to organizations with existing facility/employee support

Decision Timeline

Applicants should allow several weeks for a response after contacting their local Steel Dynamics facility. The foundation processes applications on a rolling basis throughout the year, with no fixed deadlines. Decision timelines may vary based on the complexity of the request and local facility review processes.

Success Rates

The foundation does not publish statistics about the number of applications received or success rates. However, the foundation acknowledges receiving a high volume of requests and cannot respond to all inquiries, suggesting the process is competitive. The referral-based system through local facility managers serves as an initial screening mechanism, meaning organizations that receive formal applications have already passed through one level of review.

Reapplication Policy

The foundation does not publish specific reapplication policies. Organizations that do not receive a Grant Application after initial contact may consider reapplying in future years or when circumstances change, particularly if they can demonstrate increased facility or employee engagement with their organization.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's stated priorities and selection criteria, the following factors appear most important for securing funding:

1. Local Facility and Employee Engagement: The foundation explicitly states it gives "special consideration to organizations supported both financially by their facilities and with their employees' time, talent and donations." Building relationships with local Steel Dynamics employees and demonstrating their involvement with your organization is critical.

2. Alignment with Educational and Economic Development Goals: The foundation believes strongly that "a better-educated workforce creates a stronger economy." Projects that clearly demonstrate how they contribute to workforce development, post-secondary education (especially in STEM, finance, and business), or economic development have stronger alignment with foundation priorities.

3. Significant Community Impact: The foundation seeks organizations that:

  • Serve large populations
  • Meet the greatest community needs
  • Provide the widest community access
  • Will make "expansive and enduring impact" on their communities

4. Strong Ethical Business Practices: The foundation specifically requires applicants to demonstrate strong ethical business practices. Fiscal responsibility, transparent governance, and organizational integrity are essential.

5. Focus on Children and Family Services: While the foundation supports various human services, they place special emphasis on programs serving children and families, particularly those promoting economic development through education in business and technology.

6. Capital Projects with Lasting Impact: Major grants awarded to organizations like Trine University suggest the foundation is willing to make significant investments in capital projects that create lasting infrastructure and community assets.

Example of Funded Projects:

  • Trine University's healthcare professions facility (advancing healthcare workforce development)
  • Student design center for robotics, aeronautics, and powertrain engineering (STEM infrastructure)
  • Scholarship programs in STEM and business fields (workforce education)
  • Living reef aquarium at Center in the Square, Roanoke, VA (community asset)
  • Computer lab at Marshall University's Lewis College of Business (business education infrastructure)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Start with relationship building: Before applying, build connections with your local Steel Dynamics facility and employees. Volunteer engagement and facility support are explicit success factors.

  • Know your geographic eligibility: Only organizations in communities where Steel Dynamics, OmniSource, New Millennium Building Systems, Steel of West Virginia, or Vulcan Steel Products have facilities are eligible. Major locations include Fort Wayne, Butler, and Columbia City (Indiana); Salem (Virginia); Memphis (Tennessee); Hope (Arkansas); Lake City (Florida); and Fallon (Nevada), among others.

  • Emphasize workforce and economic development: Frame your project in terms of how it contributes to creating a stronger economy and better-educated workforce, even if your primary mission is in another area.

  • Think long-term impact: The foundation seeks "expansive and enduring impact" rather than short-term or narrow programs. Demonstrate sustainability and broad community benefit.

  • Don't bypass the local facility: The referral system is not optional. Direct applications without facility manager recommendation will not be considered. This is a relationship-driven funder.

  • Be prepared for large grants: Known grants range from $1 million to $3 million for major projects, though the foundation likely makes smaller grants as well. Don't underestimate the potential funding available for transformational projects.

  • Align with STEM/business education: If your project has any connection to STEM fields, finance, business education, or technology, make this connection explicit and prominent in your approach to the foundation.

References

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