NGF Annual Report 2023

Twenty Five Years Serving Our Communities

Massachusetts

Downstate New York A

N

N

U

A

L

R

E

P

O

R T

Upstate New York

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities 2023 Annual Report

Twenty Five Years Serving Our Communities

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities

2023 Annual Report

Letter from the Board Chair

Eileen Cohen

National Grid Foundation crossed another milestone – on December 11, 2023, the Foundation celebrated its Silver Anniversary. For 25 years, this organization has awarded grants to worthy nonprofits making a difference in the lives of the underserved in our neighborhoods. Established in 1998, the Foundation’s mission is to enhance the quality of life across its grant-making territory. Providing tools to build hope is essential in the development of individuals, families and strong communities.

I’m proud to be associated with the Foundation and how it supports so many deserving organizations.

We have accomplished much over 25 years. The past few years have been challenging – Covid and the pandemic, the resulting need for essentials including food and heating assistance, workforce development needs, and recovery from the 2022 Buffalo blizzard and floods that demolished a community still reeling from a senseless tragedy earlier that year. These challenges didn’t stop the Foundation from helping those less fortunate.

The board members and I wanted to enhance the Foundation’s heating assistance program. With a generous gift of $5 million from National Grid, we can do just that. We have provided additional funds to the three legacy organizations – Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany, United Way of Long Island and United Way of Mass Bay which the Foundation has supported for many years. These agencies are on the front lines of helping the community. We don’t ever want to hear that one of our neighbors sacrificed paying the heating bill for other necessities.

Another part of the program will assist more individuals and families through an enduring heating assistance program. Throughout 2024, we will work on the details to establish this initiative so more people don’t have to worry about staying warm in the coldest months.

The Foundation grant-making area has grown. As the company grew so did the Foundation. Twentyfive years ago, grants were awarded to agencies in Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens and Long Island.

Today, nonprofits in parts of Massachusetts and upstate New York are included in our family.

In 2023, we supported 83 organizations including three new partners: City Growers, Brooklyn, NY; Homeless Prevention Council, Cape Cod, MA; and Pine Street Inn, Boston, MA. We welcomed Steve Woerner, president of National Grid’s New England jurisdiction, as a new board member. He announced he will be leaving the company but will stay on as a Foundation board member. In December, Melanie Littlejohn announced her retirement from the company as well. She too will stay on the Foundation board.

For six years, Ed White was executive director steering the Foundation to higher places. In June 2023, he left the National Grid and the Foundation to pursue new professional opportunities. In my letter to our partner organizations: “We are grateful to Ed for his leadership, dedication, and extraordinary accomplishments while leading the Foundation. He has been a passionate advocate for the Foundation, the many organizations it supports, and has expanded its reach while deepening the connection to our grant recipients. We are confident that as we begin this next chapter in our 25-year history, our new leader will bring a robust commitment to serving the communities that we support along with ideas that will make our impact even greater.”

The search for Ed’s successor continues. We will announce when the role has been filled.

While the Foundation is in transition, our small and mighty staff did what they do best – continued the Foundation’s mission and grantmaking, worked with nonprofits and shared their amazing stories in our newsletter Destiny. The board and I are especially proud of the staff and the amazing work National Grid Foundation does. Here’s looking to another 25 years! ❧

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities 2023 Annual Report

Ed White Leads

National Grid Foundation to New Heights

By Christine Berardi

groups, he worked for the company in several compacities: Vice President/US Program Lead for The Shaping Our Future Strategic Review and Vice President of New Energy Solutions.

Edward White Holds Certificate of Appreciation given to him by the National Grid Foundation’s board in honor of his leadership, dedication and accomplishments.

At the Foundation, Ed’s responsibilities included managing the annual gifting and operating budgets, developing, and implementing grant-making criteria while supervising the staff to create compelling grant proposals. Most importantly, he was a coach, mentor, advisor and friend who helped the Foundation team grow.

During his six-year tenure, the Foundation added new partner organizations, updated its website, and created a quarterly newsletter and annual report.

After a total of 28 years at National Grid with the last six years at National Grid Foundation, Ed White had decided leave and pursue other professional endeavors effective June 30, 2023.

In a letter to partner organizations, Board Chair Eileen Cohen said, “We are grateful to Ed for his leadership, dedication, and extraordinary accomplishments while leading the Foundation. Ed has been a passionate advocate for the Foundation, the many organizations it supports, and has expanded its reach while deepening the connection to our grant recipients.”

“Teamwork makes the dream work” and “Living the dream” are two expressions Ed had said often.

His belief in those statements resonated with the Foundation team. Ed’s leadership and genuinely positive outlook on life flowed into his work that made his staff, coworkers and others feel at ease and optimistic.

In June 2017, he joined the Foundation as Executive Director. One year later, he took the lead of Social Impact, formerly Corporate Giving, as Vice President. Prior to joining both

He brought to light that the Foundation’s giving is great as it helps many of our neighbors who are in need. The true sense of giving selflessly is to be there when disaster strikes, or a pandemic occurs but especially to be that constant source of support. Under his lead, the Foundation provided millions of dollars in grants to assist nonprofits during the Covid-19 pandemic, times of food insecurity and when Mother Nature lets everyone know who is in charge when she dumped nearly 100 inches of snow in Buffalo, NY. Ed shared that the Foundation’s work creates an immeasurable impact on the non-profits and the communities served. He helped National Grid Foundation, and its staff move forward.

The Foundation's Board of Directors, in conjunction with National Grid, has launched a search for a new Executive Director. The Board is confident that as the Foundation begins the next chapter in its 25-year history, the new leader will bring a robust commitment to serving the communities that we support, along with ideas that will make our impact even greater. In the future, National Grid Foundation will announce its next Executive Director. ❧

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities

2023 Annual Report

National Grid Foundation’s

Support Goes the Distance

By Christine Berardi and Deborah Drew

For 25 years, National Grid Foundation’s support allows its partner organizations to reach deeper into communities, assist more individuals and expand programming that builds stronger lives. It is the core mission of the Foundation. With the Foundation’s assistance, many organizations have seen growth throughout the years.

Highlights:

Downstate New York

Upstate New York

Massachusetts

The Campaign Against Hunger (TCAH) Far Rockaway, NY:

For more than 10 years, National Grid Foundation’s grant support has helped TCAH’s Far Rockaway Farm project grow and seed the community (puns intended!) During the Covid pandemic, National Grid Foundation provided two special, independent gifts to help TCAH tackle food insecurity in Far Rockaway. During the crisis, TCAH provided more than 3 million nutritious meals to residents. The Foundation has doubled its grant support to TCAH over the years which have proven fruitful (another intended pun). TCAH expanded its urban farm program that provides healthy, organic produce to residents; offers workforce development programming through its Green Teens Internship; and has established a café and culinary arts center using foods grown from its urban farms.

TCAH The Green Teen Workforce Program offers paid training to young people 18-24 for 10 months, The Green Teen Internship Program offers paid internships to students 14-18 for 8 months.

Green Teens training: ■ Farming systems ■ Plant biology ■ Agriculture ■ Food-based business and entrepreneurship ■ Community outreach ■ Civil engagement and advocacy ■ Workplace/job readiness skills development.

Volunteer Opportunity by National Grid Employee volunteers got their hands dirty for a good cause.

Volunteers helped The Campaign Against Hunger staff plant seedlings on Earth Day. This is a great example of the Foundation and company employees coming together to help a local nonprofit.

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities 2023 Annual Report

Brooklyn Public Library Brooklyn, NY:

Brooklyn Public Library ■ 3 ,331 in-person programs (in-branch and outdoors) 342 virtual programs, for a total of 3,683 programs.

National Grid Foundation is one of the pillars of support for Brooklyn Public Library’s Summer Reading Program. For nearly two decades, the Foundation has lent growing financial assistance to the Library which reaches out to children throughout the summer.

The Summer Reading Program helps to prevent “the summer educational slide” and involves children in creative, themed programming that encourages reading. With the Foundation’s grants, the Library has developed new initiatives bringing programming to more students.

Throughout the pandemic, the Library quickly turned its in-person programs to remote learning so even more students could benefit. In addition to developing Summer Reading programs, the Brooklyn Public Library now offers StoryTeen, an internship program for teens interested in literacy and early childhood education.

■ P rogram attendance totaled 73,970.

■ O verall circulation for children and teens during the 2022 Summer Reading period was 942,550, including 174,433 digital circulation, an increase of 18% over the same time period last year.

■ C entral Library had attendance of 500 was supported by volunteers from National Grid.

Volunteer Opportunity

by National Grid Rosalynn Carter once said, “Without volunteers, we’d be a nation without a soul.” Employee volunteer provided the heart and soul to Brooklyn Public Library’s Summer Reading kickoff event.

They read to children and gave out books at the all-day event.

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities

2023 Annual Report

New York City Police Foundation Queens, NY:

The Neighborhood Coordination School Initiative Program is a joint venture between the NYPD/Department of Education designed to specifically affect disadvantaged Far Rockaway area youth ages 9-11. The program strives to reach at-risk boys with professional tutoring from DOE staff along with homework help and a successful competitive flag-football program run by the NYPD. The goals are to combat the cycle of violence, promote change and to foster a better relationship between the community and the NYPD. The officers act as big brothers to the students and the eyes and ears for the parents. Beginning this year, through a new scholarship program with added Foundation funds, one student will now be able to attend a private high school of his choice. 2023 also brought 40 Far Rockaway students (and seven police mentors) to upstate New York to enjoy their first summer sleep-away camp experience at the Fiver’s Children’s Foundation. One of the police officers is a graduate of the Fiver summer program and spearheaded the effort to connect the two organizations.

NYC POLICE FOUNDATION ■ 5 0 boys ages 9-11 participate in program.

■ Students are assigned a Police Officer/mentor who also works directly with teachers, principals, parents, and tutors.

■ Two days a week, 2 Lieutenants, 2 Sergeants and 12 Police Officers help students.

DOE personnel provide tutoring the rest of the week.

■ 40 Far Rockaway youth enjoyed summer camp at Camp Fiver including, creek walks, lake and pool time, boating and fishing, group games, and weaving.

NYC Police Foundation – Susan Birnbaum, President and CEO of the Police Foundation, presents Eswin Reyes with a scholarship to a private high school.

National Grid Foundation supports the Neighborhood Coordination School Initiative and student scholarship.

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities 2023 Annual Report

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum Nassau and Suffolk Counties, NY:

Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum ■ A stronomy and astrophysics can often present challenges for traditional classroom instruction, teachers can choose to have either onsite classroom visits by Planetarium educators or virtual presentations via Zoom or Google Meet.

■ 5 unique programs have been developed to enhance student engagement.

Vanderbilt’s relationship with National Grid Foundation began with the Discovering the Universe program which was housed in a 37-foot-long donated customized RV and transformed into a mobile classroom. Vanderbilt instructors taught Long Island students about astronomy and astrophysics through on-board exhibits. The program changed and flourished throughout the years as a National Grid Foundation partner. When the Mobile Classroom was no longer viable, the Vanderbilt switched gears and established the Traveling Astronomy Program which provides interactive presentations and engages students in hands-on learning experiences, while promoting the sciences. A new program Weather Report, created by a Planetarium Outreach Educator, introduces kindergarteners to weather and climate changes; different types of weather and how the sky appears for each condition. They also will learn why the seasons change and participate in fun experiments. Vanderbilt instructors who visit schools bring some cool tools such as oversized thermometers, neon samples, a gravity well and raised tactile relief Moon and Mars globes. Students in all grades also can visit the Museum for a one-of-a-kind educational experience. With increasing Foundation support, the Vanderbilt now reaches 4,500 Long Island students from kindergarten through high school with interactive presentations and hands-on learning experiences while promoting the sciences.

■ 4 ,500+ students from 17 Long Island schools (11 in Suffolk County and 6 in Nassau County) participate in the program.

■ S tudents receive a Passport to the Stars (a free-coupon redeemable for 1-adult and 2-students) for a future visit to the Museum.

Vanderbilt Museum’s Charlie Eder, Astronomy Educator & Outreach Coordinator, presents the Weather Report to two special needs fourth grade classes at Park Avenue Memorial Elementary School, Amityville. It relates how strong winds pushing on you to the force of a ball rolling down a ramp to know over a brick.

Photo courtesy of Tim Quinn of Park Avenue Memorial Elementary School

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities

2023 Annual Report

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Dolan DNA Learning Center Central Islip and Uniondale, NY:

The Dolan DNA Learning Center is devoted to genetics education and is an operating unit of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. The Learning Center extends the Lab’s education mission to students. It delivers biotechnology instruction through laboratory field trips for students.

Since 2011, 5,800+ students have been exposed to hands-on genetics and DNA science labs through the National Grid Foundation collaboration. The program is well established in the Central Islip School District. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory provided full-tuition scholarship for a Central Islip student to attend a week of summer camp at the lab. With increased Foundation support in 2023, Cold Spring Harbor Lab established a pilot program for fifth graders in the Uniondale School District. Lab instruction includes building models of cells and DNA, extracting DNA from cells, using compound microscopes, touring the DNALC’s Otzi the Iceman exhibit to learn about becoming human and what DNA tells us about our past, and using DNA can be used to identify people as part of the Mystery of Anastasia forensics lab.

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory ■ 4 00 6th and 7th grade students received programming at their schools and through field trips to Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory ■ S ince 2011, 5,800+ students have been exposed to hands-on genetics and DNA science labs through the National Grid Foundation collaboration.

■ A weeklong summer of Fun with DNA and World of Enzymes provided a Central Islip student with an extraordinary educational experience.

Bob Catell CEO

Foundation

KEYSPAN Corporation provides $20 MILLION endowment to establish the Foundation on December 11,1998.

created The Foundation to enhance community giving efforts.

Maurice K. Shaw

former KEYSPAN SVP becomes the first Board Chair 1998 – 2001

Foundation

Continues its philanthropic work helping non-profits within the service territory with an additional $10 MILLION gift from the company.

reaches $20 Million in grants provided to heating assistance program and to non-profit educational and environmental organizations.

10 Albert C. Wiltshire

The Foundation makes contributions to the

American Red Cross after the terrorism on September 11, 2001.

former KeySpan VP of Govt Affairs serves as Board Chair 2015 – 2018

Hon. Louis Elisa, II Joins NGF Board 2015

Lorraine Lynch Joins NGF Board 2015

Donald H. Elliott

Vicki Fuller

Serves as interim Chair 2014 – 2015 after death of Basil Paterson

is the first female Chairperson. She served one year before needing to step down due to a conflict of interest when hired by a new employer. 2001 – 2002

Basil Paterson

former New York State Senator becomes Chairman serving until his death April 16, 2014

Lending a helping hand beyond the grant-making area, The Foundation donates to charities assisting residents after

Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf coast on August 23, 2005.

donates $500,000 to United Way of NYC and Long Island to help with assistance programs.

partnered with the company for a combined contribution of $1 Million.

acquires KEYSPAN increasing its service territory to include parts of upstate New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

The company presented The Foundation with a gift of

5 Melanie W. Littlejohn Joins NGF Board 2015.

2011

December 11th marks the

20th ANNIVERSARY refresh of their website and Destiny newsletter July 2017.

Edward White

Grants given reached Don Lowery

Angel Taveras

Served as NGF Executive Director June 2017 - 2023

Joins NGF Board 2017

Joins NGF Board 2017 - 2023

Eileen R. Cohen NGF Board Chair 2018

2019

Eboné M. Carrington Joins NGF Board 2020

Marcy Reed

Joins NGF Board 2019

2020 Calvin L. Corriders

Increased its 2021 give by

Joins NGF Board 2021

2021

40%

2022

Increased Workforce Development Support

Stephen J. Woerner

December 11, 2023

Joins NGF Board 2023

Celebrates 25th Anniversary

2023

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities 2023 Annual Report

Grassroots Gardens WNY Buffalo and Niagara Falls, NY:

Grassroots Gardens WNY ■ Community & School Garden Program grows fresh, free organic produce that feeds 12,000 people.

■ 48 residential backyard gardens were built by volunteers.

■ Approximately 2,300 people are served through garden education and direct technical assistance.

■ Grassroots Gardens School Garden Coordinator created 8 online videos, digital curricula, and provided live online consulting sessions for schools.

Grassroots Gardens is known for turning neglected, debris-filled vacant lots into viable, green gardens that produce healthy organic fruits and vegetables. Some of the produce grown includes tomatoes, collard greens, peppers, With continued support from National Grid Foundation, the organizations uses/teaches safe methods of growing food on urban land, builds raised beds, and practices integrated pest management. Most gardeners are from the most economically depressed but most racially and culturally diverse communities.

More than 2,000 gardeners take care of 107 community and school gardens growing fruits and vegetables. After the tragedy in May 2022 and the Blizzard, National Grid Foundation increased its grant so Grassroots Gardens could help residents grow their own food with the use of raised home garden beds. The Community & School Garden Program will grow fresh, free organic produce that will feed at least 12,000 people.

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities

2023 Annual Report

Northland Workforce Training Center Buffalo, NY:

Northland Workforce Training Center became a Foundation partner organization four years ago. Residents in the Buffalo area gain the necessary education and training to earn jobs in the advanced manufacturing and energy industries. Students attend classes at SUNY Erie Community College or Alfred State College and receive tutoring services at Northland. The organization has responded to the needs of the students with the Jumpstart program and the new Math Lab. Northland’s newly formed Math Lab addresses the learning loss specifically in math stemming from academic shutdowns and remote learning challenges during the pandemic. The Math Lab offers remediation, supplemental instruction, and daily tutoring and does not conflict with students’ technical training The program’s intent is to provide additional teaching resources so technical instructors can focus less on remediating the missing math skills resulting in more time for hands-on instruction.

Northland Workforce Training Center ■ A pproximately 275 - 325 students per semester are enrolled in the program, for 20 hours per week for 30 weeks, while are not in class.

■ N orthland’s newly formed Math Lab addresses the learning loss specifically in math stemming from academic shutdowns and remote learning challenges during COVID-19.

■ I n addition to the academic needs of the “COVID Cohort,” the Math Lab provides a resource for older, nontraditional students who may need to review or relearn specific math skills.

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities 2023 Annual Report

Social Enterprise and Training Center (SEAT) Schenectady and Albany, NY:

Social Enterprise and Training Center (SEAT) ■ 5 students completed the program and all transition to employment.

■ SEAT Center’s YouthBuild Culinary program demonstrates a 100% literacy/numeracy rate with 67% GED success rate; 93% degree/or industry recognition credential rate; and 80% job/college placement.

■ SEAT exists to work alongside underrepresented young people to create a “SEAT at the Table” in the community. A “seat” means access, connections, and opportunities to participate in the region’s economic development.

SEAT believes that meaningful work matters. Many people face obstacles that blocking access to prepare for and find work. SEAT is there to assist upstate New Yorkers with obtaining the proper training and opportunities to break down the barriers and land the dream job. In addition to other workforce development programs, SEAT’s new Albany facility is the home of the Culinary Lab where students learn all aspects of the industry including front and back of house training and meal prep experience in a commercial kitchen setting. The Culinary Lab curriculum provides skill-building training and experience for underrepresented young people through intensive job training, paid internships, job placement, and one year of follow up services. SEAT’s Culinary Lab provides approximately 12 - 15 new students with six months of classes/training while offering short-term employment opportunities for young people. SEAT’s professional chefs redesigned the culinary curriculum and worked with the construction team to provide a professional and innovative space for students.

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities

2023 Annual Report

Fivers Children Foundation Poolville, NY:

Approximately 340 Fiver youth attend summer Camp Fiver in Upstate New York free of charge.

Youth from Upstate New York and New York City attend for camp for either two or four weeks based on their age group. All Camp Fiver participants engage in Environmental Education program, designed to introduce youth to nature and teach them to develop a comfort and understanding of unfamiliar environments. Students learn the importance of environmental protection and gardening, nutrition, composting, and leave-no-trace camping ethics. The program gives youth access to tangible, experiential engagement with nature, with the goal of instilling within them resilience, life skills and leadership they need to thrive. A new addition to the program in 2023 - Fiver collaborated with New York City Police Foundation (another Foundation partner organization) to provide nearly 40 middle school youth in the NYPD Giants Youth Mentoring Program with a weekend-long Camp Fiver experience free of charge in August. Two brothers who participated in Camp Fiver now are successful adults. One is on the Fiver Board of Directors and his brother is a police officer located in Far Rockaway who is a mentor in the police Youth Mentoring Program which began in 2018.

Fivers Children Foundation ■ T he Fiver program ageappropriate curriculum: Ages 8-12: Students adapt to natural surroundings and learn about environment; Ages 13-14: Participants explore how individual actions affect the environment; and Age 15: With the guidance of Camp Fiver’s trained Wilderness Director, students prepare for and embark on a 3-night, 4-day Wilderness Trip in Catskill Mountains.

■ 8 5% of program graduates report having the opportunity to be in nature had a significant impact on their growth.

This year, Fivers worked together with the New York City Police Foundation and the Far Rockaway Giants to create a special, summer camp experience for 40 Queens middle school boys.

The weekend-long camp connected two Foundation partner organizations with similar goals. They had an opportunity to explore nature, meet new people and learn new skills all while having fun at camp.

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities 2023 Annual Report

Friends of the Children of Boston Boston, MA:

Friends of the Children of Boston ■ Supports 155 youth ■ Provides 12-16 hours of mentoring for each youth/Achiever ■ Through 2-Gen model intentionally helped 550 people: Achievers’ family and caregivers ■ Achievers are 100% on track to earn a highschool diploma; 99% of program youth have avoided the juvenile justice system; 100% have avoided early parenting

The National Grid Foundation has been a long-term partner with Friends of the ChildrenBoston’s independent chapter for more than ten years, supporting its unique long-term mentoring program. “Friends” invests early in each child, called Achievers, by pairing them with a full-time, salaried, youth advocate who provides 12-16 hours each month of professional mentoring for twelve plus years, from kindergarten through high school graduation. New this year is Friends-Boston expansion into East Boston and serving nearly 155 of Boston’s most vulnerable children and youth ages 5-21, primarily living in Roxbury and Dorchester. It also has deepened its second-generation model, helping 550 individuals that include Achievers’ siblings, family and alumni, and helps the whole family by intentionally and simultaneously working with Achievers and their caregivers.

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities

2023 Annual Report

Phillips Academy MS – math and science for minority students at Phillips Academy in North Andover, MA: 2

MS2 is a three-year summer program that helps under-resourced high school students who excel in math and science develop the competencies and self-confidence required for success in college, and beyond. Successful academic preparation – both in the MS2 program and in their future college classes – is important as they consider careers in engineering, science, medicine, computer technology, and other related professions. National Grid Foundation supported five bright and talented under-resourced students from MA and NY who are interested in pursuing the study of challenging STEM subjects in college. MS2 students ultimately enroll at highly competitive colleges and universities, including Bates, Bowdoin, Brown, Dartmouth, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Middlebury, MIT, Northwestern, Smith, Stanford, University of Chicago, UPenn, Williams, and Yale. Summer 2023 – after two summer programs impacted by COVID – was an important success for this program because in-person learning began immediately when students arrived on campus and the summer proceeded safely, despite COVID concerns. The Academy also was able to return to holding an in-person Cultural Sharing performance that students created and performed to convey themes important to their sense of cultural identity. The end-of-summer graduation was the first in two years that parents and guests were allowed to attend.

Phillips Academy ■ T he program served 107 students, 38 of whom were first-year students; 37 second-year; and 32 third-years.

■ 2 7 students are Native American (25% of all students); 36 African American (34%); 36 Hispanic or Latino (34%); 8 self-identified as two or more races (7%); one student did not report.

■ 4 5 students came from the East Coast; 31 from the West; 15 from the South; and 16 from the Midwest.

■ T he 35-member summer staff included 19 instructors experienced in teaching math and science, along with three English teachers.

There were three college counselors, and instructors who led classes in Robotics, Personal Finance, Computer Science, and Identity.

■ T hird-year students visited Bates, Bowdoin, Northeastern, MIT, Yale, Trinity, and Dartmouth

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities 2023 Annual Report

Courageous Sailing Charlestown, MA:

Courageous Sailing ■ Swim Sail Science: 146 students in the Charlestown, MA program, and, for the first time in 2023, 26 students at Jamaica Pond, MA ■ Reach Initiative: 448 students participating in all programming.

■ Student reach at partner schools: STEM 231 last school year, 211 this school year ■ Hours of sailing and boating: Infinite! For Swim Sail Science, 200, including kayaking, rowing, paddleboarding ■ Hours of STEM learning: 480 for all programs

For nearly seven years, the National Grid Foundation has been helping local Boston area students sail into science through its support of Courageous Sailing. Courageous Sailing transforms lives of students through educational and sailing programs that inspire learning, personal growth, and leadership. Its programs strengthen language arts and math skills, increases learning engagement, promotes environmental stewardship, and builds confidence in sailing and swimming, all while developing key life skills necessary for success on the water, in the classroom, and in life. Its newly added Jamaica Pond Swim Sail Science program was one of the summer’s major successes for this program. With 26 young people, three Boston Public School teachers, a tight-knit group of team leaders and sailing instructors, and an experienced social worker at the helm, the Pond program had a relaxed, caring, high-spirited culture of its own, and successfully joined the highly successful Charlestown, MA program.

Unique to Jamaica Pond, a water themed curriculum, a rain garden design, and an advocacy project was developed.

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities

2023 Annual Report

Emergency Heating Funds During the cold winter months, National Grid Foundation extends a warm helping hand to community members struggling to pay their heating bill. The Foundation gifts generous grants to three leading partner organizations which in turn provide one-time fuel-neutral micro-grants to residents.

Highlights:

Downstate New York

Upstate New York

Massachusetts

United Way of Mass Bay Boston, MA:

United Way of Mass Bay works with a network of 16 nonprofit organizations to distribute utility assistance through the Emergency Heating and Utility Assistance program. The fund is used to provide fuel-neutral assistance to help families avert eviction and homelessness, foreclosure and/or hunger due to inability to pay utility or heating bills. United Way’s emergency assistance aids people experiencing financial hardship and connects families to stabilizing wraparound services and resources.

United Way of Mass Bay ■ M ore than 1,000 households were served ■ 4 00,000+ residential customers were 3+months behind on utility bills, for nearly $600 million, a more than 40% increase since 2020. The reasons: inflation, caregiving responsibilities, unpredictable income.

This results unpaid utility bills.

■ L ow-income customers feel this pinch even more, with an average debt of $1,444 per household as of winter this year. Rising housing costs, decreasing housing vacancies, increasing food prices, and shifting labor markets all present challenges to meeting their basic needs.

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities 2023 Annual Report

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany Albany, NY: Courageous Sailing ■ During 2023, the Emergency Energy Assistance Program served 1,412 clients from 621 households.

■ This represents a 17% increase over Catholic Charities goal of 575 households.

■ In 10 years, Catholic Charities of Albany has assisted nearly 14,000 individuals.

Catholic Charities of Albany delivers services to residents in 14 counties of upstate New York. In 10 years with Foundation support, its Emergency Energy Assistance Program assists thousands of New Yorkers each year.

Applicants report three major factors for need: (1) inflation, causing the cost of all basic services, necessities including utilities to rise; (2) negligible cost-of-living increases in their earnings; and (3) end to all of the pandemic-related safety-net programs, including extra unemployment, stimulus payments, and eviction moratorium statutes.

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities

2023 Annual Report

United Way of Long Island Long Island, NY:

For two decades, National Grid Foundation has aided more than 7,000 Long Islanders through its Project Warmth initiative. The Foundation has provided more than $2.35 million in support. Unite Way’s Project Warmth one of the oldest non-government fuel funds, serving as a model across U.S. It is the primary source of emergency assistance (oil, gas, electric) for financially struggling households who fall through the gaps of assistance programs.

■ P roject Warmth has helped 7,100+ households to stay warm during winter months.

■ 1 8 local agencies and 91 parish outreach centers provide intake and case management services ■ R ecipients: 81% required emergency assistance due to a medical emergency, illness or disability; 19% needed help because of job loss or loss of a loved one; and 92% of households had at least one vulnerable person.

Photo courtesy of Thom Holms Unslashed

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities 2023 Annual Report

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities

2023 Annual Report

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities 2023 Annual Report

2023 National Grid Foundation Partner Organizations  Access Justice Brooklyn  Baruch College Fund  Beam Center  Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center  Boston Public Library Fund  Boys and Girls Club of MetroWest  Boys and Girls Club of Wakefield - Stoneham  Brooklyn Public Library  Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology  Catholic Charities of Diocese of Albany  Change is Simple  Citizen Schools  Citizens Committee for New York City  City Growers  Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory - DNA Learning Center  College Bound Dorchester  Community Workshops Inc.  Coro Leadership NY  Courageous Sailing  Cristo Rey Brooklyn High School  Discovery Museum  Dress for Success Central Massachusetts  Earthwatch Institute  Fiver Children’s Foundation  Freedom House  Freshkills Park Alliance  Friends of the Children-Boston  Gloucester Marine Genomics Institute  Grassroots Gardens WNY  HEAF  Helen Keller Services  Homeless Prevention Council  Justice Resource Institute Inc dba STRIVE Boston  La Collaborative (Chelsea Collaborative)  Latino STEM Alliance  Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester  Long Island Pine Barrens Society  Madison Square Boys and Girls Club Inc.  Mercy Works Inc.  Molloy University  Mystic Valley Malden YMCA  New England Center for Arts & Technology (NECAT)

Color Key ¾ Upstate NY

¾ Downstate NY

¾ Massachusetts

 New Ground  New York City Police Foundation  Northland Workforce Training Center  On Point for College  Phillips Academy, Andover  Pine Street Inn  Rebuilding Together NYC  Resilient Coders  Ruth’s House, Inc.  Save the Harbor Save the Bay  Say Yes Buffalo  School on Wheels of MA  SEAT Center  Seven Hills ASPiRE  Solar One  Staten Island Children’s Museum  St. Francis College  Steps to Success  Tech Kids Unlimited  The Book Fairies  The Campaign Against Hunger  The Center for Brooklyn History  The HOPE Program  United Way of Long Island  United South End Settlements  United Way of Mass Bay  UTEC  Vanderbilt Museum and Reichert Planetarium  VIA  Wade Institute for Science Education  Waltham Boys & Girls Club  WriteBoston  WVI Dolphin Foundation  Year Up Inc.  YMCA of Central MA  YMCA of Greater Boston  YMCA of Greater NY  YMCA of Long Island - Great South Bay  Young People’s Project  Youthbuild Boston  Zephyr Education Foundation

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities

2023 Annual Report

MetroWest

Madison Square

Wakefield - Stoneham

Mystic Valley Malden

PMS: 335 BLK 70% original changed to 90% blk for contrast with brush chrome print

United Way of Long Island

United Way of Mass Bay

Central MA

Greater Boston

Greater NY

LI Great South Bay

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities 2023 Annual Report

3 - Emergency Heating Funds* * All heating fund assistance programs are all "fuel-neutral," meaning assistance is given regardless of type of fuel needed.

34%

33%

40 - Education

2023 National Grid Foundation supported a total of 83 organizations

18%

15%

23 - Workforce Development

17 - Environment

All Environmental and Workforce Development grants have an educational component.

Throughout 25 Years National Grid Foundation has partnered with over 1,500 organizations

National Grid Foundation 25 Year Edition Annual Report Editor

Christine Berardi

Writer / Grant Management

Deborah Drew

Creative Director

Pamela Focá

Executive Director

Edward H. White Jr.

The Foundation would like to extend a warm thank you to all of our

partners who contributed the wonderful photographs used within this

report commemorating our 25 years of service and commitment to the communities throughout the National Grid service territories.

Twenty Five Years - Serving Our Communities

2023 Annual Report

National Grid Foundation Board of Directors

Eileen R. Cohen

Dr. Gary V. Simpson

Carmen Fields

Calvin Corriders

Eboné M. Carrington

Hon. Louis Elisa, II

Melanie W. Littlejohn

Lorraine Lynch

Marcy Reed

CHAIR

VICE – CHAIR

DIRECTOR

DIRECTOR

DIRECTOR

DIRECTOR

Don Lowery

VICE – CHAIR

TREASURER

DIRECTOR

Stephen J. Woerner

DIRECTOR

DIRECTOR

Leadership Team

Edward White

Kahri Fuller

Christine Berardi

Deborah Drew

Pamela Focá

Stephen W. McCaffrey

Executive Director June 2017 - June 2023

Program Coordinator​ Team Support ​

NY – Grant Management Communications Destiny Newsletter Editor

MA – Grant Management External Communications Social Media and Destiny Newsletter Contributor

Creative Advisor Destiny Newsletter and NGF Website Designer

Chief Counsel

“The greatest adventure is what lies ahead!”  J. R. R. Tolkien 