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Alcoa Foundation

Annual Giving
$6.4M
Grant Range
$10K - $0.5M
Decision Time
3mo

Alcoa Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $6.4M (2024); $5.9M (2023)
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $450,000
  • Average Grant: ~$25,000
  • Decision Time: 90 days
  • Geographic Focus: Communities where Alcoa operates (10 countries including USA, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Iceland, Norway, Spain, and others)
  • Application Process: Invitation only

Contact Details

Address: P.O. Box 535007, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15253-5007

Phone: 412-236-7175

Website: www.alcoa.com/foundation

Contact Form: Online inquiry form

Overview

Established in 1952, the Alcoa Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Alcoa Corporation, a leading U.S. aluminum and industrial company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 2024, the Foundation distributed $6.4 million across 79 funded projects, supported by 12,312 volunteer hours from Alcoa employees. The Foundation operates in 10 countries where Alcoa maintains operations. According to their mission statement, the Foundation aims to be "a catalyst for positive impact by investing in projects that advance sustainable social, environmental, and economic outcomes, with priority placed on the regions where Alcoa operates." In September 2023, the Foundation announced Caroline Rossignol as its new full-time president, marking a strategic shift to dedicate more focused leadership to philanthropic initiatives. The Foundation's approach emphasizes measurable outcomes, sustainability beyond their funding, and inclusion of diverse and underserved populations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Alcoa Foundation operates with invitation-only grantmaking across three core pillars:

Community Resilience ($10,000 - $450,000)

  • Access to education, health services, and clean water
  • STEM-related school programs and student mentorship
  • Food security initiatives

Economic Resilience ($10,000 - $450,000)

  • Skills development and job training
  • Economic diversification
  • Entrepreneur development
  • STEM-related regional workforce development

Landscape Resilience ($10,000 - $450,000)

  • Biodiversity conservation and habitat restoration
  • Climate change prevention and adaptation
  • Land and water conservation
  • Restoration and maintenance of public green spaces
  • Waterways stewardship

Priority Areas

The Foundation makes grants in two overarching areas: promoting the prevention of, and resilience to climate change, and the restoration and preservation of biodiversity. All projects must serve communities where Alcoa has operating plants or offices, demonstrate alignment with the Foundation's three resilience pillars, and show potential for measurable, trackable outcomes that extend beyond the Foundation's funding period.

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly detailed, the Foundation's invitation-only model and focus on regions where Alcoa operates means they do not fund organizations outside their operational footprint. U.S. organizations must be classified as 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charities.

Governance and Leadership

President and Board Chair: Caroline Rossignol (appointed September 2023)

Caroline Rossignol serves as President of Alcoa Foundation and Chair of the Alcoa Foundation Board of Directors. She oversees Foundation activities to invest in regions where Alcoa has a presence with a focus on sustainable outcomes aligned with funding priorities. She brings more than 15 years of experience in the mining sector, most recently serving as Director, Sustainability and Social Performance at Lundin Mining Corporation from 2016-2019, and as Director, Global Corporate Responsibility for IDEXX from 2019-2023.

Executive Oversight: The Foundation operates under the oversight of Nicol Gagstetter, Executive Vice President and Chief External Affairs Officer at Alcoa Corporation, who is responsible for global government affairs, community relations, communications, Alcoa Foundation, and sustainability.

The president role became a full-time, dedicated position in 2023, previously having been under the responsibility of Alcoa's Vice President of Sustainability.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. Grant applications are by invitation only. The Alcoa Foundation is not accepting unsolicited grant requests at this time. The Foundation proactively selects nonprofit partnerships based on alignment with their funding priorities and presence in communities where Alcoa operates.

However, the Foundation encourages contact through their online inquiry form for questions, requests, comments and suggestions.

For invited applicants, the Foundation uses an online application form requiring detailed information about the organization, including its mission, history, and financial status.

Decision Timeline

Invited applicants should allow 90 days from the date of submission to receive a decision from Alcoa Foundation staff. The Foundation operates on a rolling application basis for invited proposals.

Successful applicants receive notification of their grant award, along with guidelines for fund disbursement and reporting requirements. Applicants may be contacted for follow-up questions or requests for additional information during the review phase.

Success Rates

  • 2024: 79 grants awarded from $6.4 million in charitable support
  • 2023: 57 grants awarded from $5.9 million in charitable support
  • 2022: 97 grants awarded
  • 2021: 98 grants awarded

The decline in the number of grants (from 97-98 to 57-79) alongside sustained funding levels suggests the Foundation is focusing on larger, more strategic grants to established partners rather than numerous smaller awards.

Application Success Factors

The Alcoa Foundation evaluates invited proposals based on several key criteria:

Alignment with Mission: Grant proposals must demonstrate clear alignment with the Foundation's mission of promoting sustainable development and community engagement. According to the Foundation, they select charitable organizations "based on alignment with their funding priorities and sustainable outcomes from community investments."

Measurable Impact: The Foundation requires projects to "demonstrate measurable outcomes" and show long-term impact. Proposals must address environmental or educational challenges with trackable results that extend beyond the Foundation's funding period.

Geographic Connection: Applicants must be registered nonprofit organizations or educational institutions operating in regions where Alcoa has a presence, including areas in North America (USA, Canada), South America (Brazil, Suriname), Europe (Iceland, Norway, Spain), Australia, Saudi Arabia, and Guinea.

Collaboration and Innovation: The Foundation seeks "initiatives that foster collaboration among stakeholders, including local communities, government entities, and other nonprofits." Applicants should showcase innovative approaches to problem-solving.

Inclusion and Engagement: Projects should include diverse and underserved populations and offer volunteering opportunities for Alcoa employees (12,312 volunteer hours were contributed in 2024).

Recent Successful Projects:

  • Rivers of Steel Heritage Corporation and Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation (Pittsburgh, PA): STEM/STEAM learning opportunities for underserved students
  • Aspen Medical Foundation: $330,000 for Ukraine medical relief, helping 55 patients and training 250+ medical professionals
  • SUNY Potsdam: $20,000 for food resilience and biodiversity programs through the Wagner Institute for Sustainability and Ecological Research
  • Gnaala Karla Boodja Aboriginal Corporation (Australia): Landmark partnership to establish dedicated Noongar arts space in Bunbury city centre

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation-only model: You cannot submit an unsolicited application. Building relationships with Alcoa operations in your region and making contact through their inquiry form is the only pathway to consideration.

  • Geographic alignment is mandatory: If Alcoa does not have operations (plants, offices, or facilities) in your region, the Foundation will not fund your work. Focus areas include communities in the USA (Pittsburgh PA, Massena NY, Warrick/Newburgh IN, New Kensington PA), Brazil, Australia, Canada, Iceland, Norway, Spain, and select other locations.

  • Emphasize one or more of the three pillars: Structure your approach around Community Resilience, Economic Resilience, or Landscape Resilience. The Foundation prioritizes climate change prevention/resilience and biodiversity restoration.

  • Demonstrate sustainability beyond funding: Show how your project will continue to deliver outcomes after the Foundation's grant period ends. One-time projects without ongoing impact are less likely to succeed.

  • Highlight measurability and tracking: Include specific metrics, evaluation plans, and trackable outcomes. The Foundation's recent emphasis on larger strategic grants suggests they want to see evidence-based results.

  • Show opportunities for employee engagement: Given the 12,312 volunteer hours contributed in 2024, projects that offer volunteering opportunities for Alcoa employees may be viewed more favorably.

  • Allow 90 days for decisions: If you are invited to apply, build this timeline into your planning. The Foundation operates on a rolling basis but takes approximately three months to review and decide.

References

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