Eileen Cohen 2024
National Grid Foundation ended the year with exciting news and record-breaking donations for emergency heating assistance to help our neighbors in need.
The Board, staff and I welcomed Robert Simmons as the new executive director who joined in December 2024. He follows Ed White who served the Foundation for six years and 28 years at National Grid leaving in June 2023 to pursue new professional opportunities. Robert brings with him a wealth of foundation and corporate giving experience from the philanthropy and social impact sectors. Prior to joining National Grid Foundation, Robert served as the Director of the Micron Foundation North America, and Head of Social Impact and STEM Programs at Micron Technology. We are excited to have Robert lead the day to day operations of the Foundation.
In addition to a new executive director, National Grid Foundation welcomed three new board members. The Board of Directors consists of esteemed business and community leaders who represent diverse industry, cultural and humanitarian organizations. The Board is collectively responsible for the Foundation staying true to its mission, overseeing the Foundation’s activities and acting as the top-level advisory board.
The new board members are Aaron Choo, Caroline Hon and Steve Zelkowitz. Aaron joined the board in September 2024 taking on Marcy Reed’s place after she retired in January. The board also approved increasing the number of directors from 11 to 13 with the rationale of providing a broader depth of experience and committee support. New Board members Caroline Hon and Steve Zelkowitz joined the Foundation Board in December 2024. The new board members will complement existing directors in guiding the organization and approving important, life-changing grants to non-profits.
Throughout the year, the team performed tirelessly honoring the mission and kept the Foundation moving forward continuing the work of this first-rate organization. In 2024, we supported 82 organizations throughout our grant-making area. Educational and environmental non-profits benefited from our support in helping to educate individuals of all ages. With the Foundation’s assistance, our partner organizations’ Workforce Development programs taught people new skills and upskilled their knowledge so they can move ahead in their desired careers.
The Foundation has continued to support the Emergency Heating Fund Assistance Programs which have been in place for more than two decades. With a generous gift of $5 million from National Grid, the Foundation has more resources to expand this program.
In addition to our traditional heating fund grants, the Foundation wrapped its warm arms around more organizations to deliver grants helping even more people. With both the traditional heating funds and the new organizations, National Grid Foundation provided a record-breaking $3.4 million in heating assistance to our neighbors. More heating fund grants will be awarded next year.
The Foundation supplemented with additional funds to the legacy organizations – Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany, United Way of Long Island and United Way of Mass Bay – which have a proven track record year after year.
The additional organizations included Catholic Charities of Brooklyn/Queens, Catholic Charities of Staten Island, Brooklyn.Org, United Way of Cape and Islands and United Way of Central and Eastern MA. These new organizations are increasing the Foundation’s reach to those who need assistance.
As we move forward, National Grid Foundation’s mission remains the same – to provide people with the tools to build hope and eventually stronger communities. ❦
Meet
Robert Simmons –
New National Grid Foundation Executive Director
In December 2024, National Grid Foundation’s Board of Directors named Robert Simmons III as the Foundation’s new Executive Director. Robert succeeds Edward White who left in June 2023 to pursue new professional opportunities.
Robert’s responsibilities include serving as chief administrative officer, setting and managing the annual gifting and operating budgets, developing and implementing grant making criteria and working with non-profit organizations to create compelling grant proposals. He also is the Vice President of National Grid US Social Impact.
Prior to joining National Grid Foundation, Robert was the director at Micron Foundation, North America and the Head of Social Impact and STEM Programs. He is an innovative corporate social responsibility and social impact leader with more than 20 years’ experience in managing critical initiatives across teams and strategic community partners.
He built Micron’s social impact and CSR strategy, and implementation, in New York associated with $6.1 billion CHIPS award from the Department of Commerce. As a leader in nonprofits, K-12, and higher education, he has designed several locally and nationally recognized social impact efforts.
As a former STEM teacher in the Detroit Public Schools and the Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program, who was twice nominated as the Walt Disney National Teacher of the Year, Robert continues to enjoy volunteering his time in local schools during career days while living on the edge of his seat as a native of Atlanta but raised in Detroit, who refuses to give up on the Detroit Lions.
2024
National Grid Foundation Team
Christine Berardi
Eileen R. Cohen Chair
Eboné M. Carrington Director
Melanie W. Littlejohn Director
National Grid Foundation Board of Directors
Lorraine Lynch Director
Stephen J. Woerner Director
Don Lowery Treasurer
Carmen Fields Vice – Chair
Dr. Gary V. Simpson Vice – Chair
Hon. Louis Elisa, II Director
Caroline Hon Director
Steven L. Zelkowitz Director
Calvin Corriders Director
Aaron Choo Director
2024 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 Service
■ 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
Color Key
¾ Upstate NY ¾ Downstate NY ¾ Massachusetts
■ New England Center for Arts & Technology (NECAT)
■ 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 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
National Grid Foundation
Grant: $15,000
Years supported: 3
DNY - Boroughs
Program serves: Children/Young Adults Age 14-18
60% of Bee Ambassadors graduates will continue to be active in City Growers.
80%
will continue with horticulture or beekeeping either as an interest, hobby or pursue it as a career.
100% of graduating Bee Ambassadors go onto college.
CITY GROWERS
Bee Ambassadors: Environmental Literacy and Green Workforce Development
Bee Ambassadors is a highly impactful program that benefits not just students, but ecosystems. City Growers recruits program participants with an understanding that the purpose of Bee Ambassadors is to give young people who are underrepresented in the environmental field opportunities to gain knowledge, experience and mentorship in this emerging field. In the program, the youth directly impact the environment by creating habitats and food sources for pollinators, allowing nature to thrive in an urban setting.
Ambassadors checking the City Growers hives
Brooklyn Grange Rooftop Farm: City Growers’ living laboratory
Solar One Green Design Lab:
Solar One's K-12 Environmental STEM Education Green Design Lab program explores urban environmental sustainability and climate change through hands-on and interactive activities. Using a creative approach to problem solving, the program inspires students in STEM, green technology, and green careers. The organization delivers multifaceted programs promoting urban sustainability and education. Its mission is to design and deliver innovative education, training and technical assistance that fosters sustainability and resiliency in diverse urban environments. Programs challenge and empower students to think about energy and sustainability in new ways.
National Grid Foundation Grant: $35,000 Years supported: 9 DNY - Bklyn/Queens Program serves: Children/Young Adults
Age 17-25
National Grid Foundation's funding has helped SolarOne cumulatively served at least 175 schools in Brooklyn and Queens providing 8,000 students with environmental STEM learning, renewables education, technical skills, and green job readiness.
70%
National Grid Foundation's funds have also helped hundreds of Brooklyn and Queens teachers learn new STEM content and green jobs knowledge, and integrate those subjects into their classroom teaching with 1:1 support from SolarOne educators.
National Grid Foundation
Grant: $15,000 Years supported: 3
DNY - LI & Boroughs
Program serves: Children
135,000 students received books during the year through The Book Fairies' book fairs. Children are reading more!
Nearly 89% of teachers said their students are reading more and enjoying it!
91% of parents and guardians report they now have books at home for children due to Book Fairies donations.
Book Fairies
Children’s Programs –Reducing Barriers by Supporting Literacy
Book Fairies’ mission is to source and redistribute books to underresourced communities on Long Island, New York City, and internationally to provide equitable opportunities for children to learn, grow, and thrive. The organization collects, upcycles, and redistributes new and gently used books to communities that lack access to reading materials. Books are mostly collected through book drives organized with local schools, businesses, and organizations on Long Island and in New York City. These books find new homes with those who need them most. Since its founding, the Book Fairies distributed more than 5 million books.
Elementary school students proudly show the books they choose from The Book Fairies’ book fair held at Northwest Elementary School, Amityville, NY.
Riley Smith, discovered the Golden Ticket in the pages of “Makeda Makes a Birthday Treat!” by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
National Grid Foundation Grant: $20,000 Years supported 4
UNY — Buffalo Program Serves: Young Adults 1:1 teacher/student ratio.
National Grid Foundation has provided support, more than 500 young people & adult students are placed & employed within 90 days of program completion Current placement 90%
78% of VIA’s 800+ graduates are employed at wages significantly higher than federal minimum wage.
VIA Vocational Training for Blind and Visually Impaired
VIA’s pre-vocational training for youth and adults who are Blind and Visually Impaired program prepares youth ages 10-21 and adults who are blind or visually impaired to enter the workforce and enjoy long-term success in jobs that provide them maximum independence. Vocational Rehabilitation can dramatically help people with vision loss overcome barriers to achieve meaningful and sustained employment, maximizing their potential and quality of life. A personalized Vocational Rehabilitation Plan helps participants develop new skills or enhance existing skills to achieve their career path and professional development.
National Grid Foundation Grant: $30,000
Years supported 5
UNY — Buffalo
Program serves Young Adults
1,000
Students
in six years with National Grid Foundation support
Anticipate serving 250+ individuals annually
After graduation, students work as phlebotomist, pharmacy technician, medical coder, IT support specialist, IT network administrator, landscape technician College majors include: architecture, mechanical engineering, political science, educational leadership, and fine arts/graphic design.
100% high school graduation rate for youth and 85% adult graduation/certification rate
BCAT
Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology (BCAT)
BCAT provides opportunities for careers through the arts, technology, and workforce development. It offers two high-quality, free programs: the Youth Arts Program and the Adult Workforce Program with a vision to improve high school graduation rates, develop family-sustainable wage earners, and contribute to economic/social growth.
Through the unique Adult Workforce Program, BCAT annually trains 200+ un/underemployed adults living in and around Buffalo for careers in information technology, landscape maintenance, and allied health fields, specifically medical coding, pharmacy technician, phlebotomy, and medical billing/insurance.
BCAT provides opportunities for careers through the arts, technology, and workforce development. It offers two high-quality, free programs: the Youth Arts Program and the Adult Workforce Program with a vision to improve high school graduation rates, develop family-sustainable wage earners, and contribute to economic/social growth.
Say Yes to Buffalo Summer Camp Initiative to Prevent Learning Loss
Say Yes Buffalo has partnered with the Buffalo Public Schools, the City of Buffalo, Erie County and community organizations to operate Summer Camps across Buffalo for Pre-K- 6th grade students. The goals are to enhance academic growth, promote health and wellness, and keep children safe. Programming is designed to address consequences of summer learning loss for all students and the racial disparities in academic outcomes, as well as those that disproportionately impact English Language Learners and students with disabilities.
National Grid Foundation Grant: $20,000 Years supported 2 UNY — Buffalo Program serves Pre-K — 6th grade
1,792 students at 31 camp sites
All sites implemented LitCamp and Math for Love curriculum to combat learning loss.
Improvement in Reading:
Nearly 4% of campers improved their reading skills during camp
Math Success: 17% of campers improved their math abilities by 91.3%
Student retention increased 4% through the end of camp.
Summer Camp Activities
National Grid Foundation Grant: $15,000 Years supported 5 MA — Southeast Program for Youth - Adults
90% of High School seniors graduate on time
80% of active Bridge students matched with a Mentor.
90% of Tutors report academic growth of their students
80% of students improve their literacy
90% of parents surveyed report the program fostered positive effects on their child's attitude towards self, school and others.
School On Wheels The Bridge Program
SOWMA’s Bridge Program helps to reach more than 100 homeless middle/high school/college students and put them on a path to success. School on Wheels of Massachusetts’ (SOWMA) mission is to support the academic, social and emotional growth of students impacted by homelessness. Its vision is for all students to have the support necessary to be successful in school and achieve a productive future that will help end the cycle of homelessness. The Bridge Program builds bridges to education success for at-risk middle, high school and college students impacted by homelessness by providing 1-on-1 mentoring and resources to succeed in school, graduate from high school or get their GED and access vocational/higher education opportunities. The Program takes a holistic and customized approach with students.
"SOWMA has played an instrumental role in helping me achieve significant milestones in my academic and professional journey. Thanks to their support, I am proud to be the first African American to graduate from the nursing program at Gordon College."
ASHLEY FROM GORDON COLLEGE TO CURRY COLLEGE FOR NURSING
School on Wheels 2024 Soaring Scholars
National Grid Foundation Grant: $30,000
Years supported 6 MA —Northeast
Program serves Adults
21 teachers influence 2,000 students k - 12 annually. 95% of teachers increased understanding of the importance of the data & research being conducted.
100% of teachers were inspired to act in their professional lives to create a more sustainable world.
Earthwatch Institute
Tech Earth: Preparing Boston Teachers to Thrive in Science & Environmental Education
Earthwatch awarded Teach Earth Fellowships to 20 motivated and impressive K-12 teachers from across the United States this year, including 2 Senior Fellows. A team of 9 Fellows studied Caterpillars in Nevada and another team of 11 Fellows supported Conserving Wild Bees and Other Pollinators of Costa Rica. Teach Earth immerse the Fellows in a multi-faceted professional development opportunity of a lifetime, providing them with a genuine immersive learning experience in science and in nature.
National Grid Foundation
Grant: $10,000
Years supported 3 MA —Northeast
Program serves Adults
70% Students graduate. 65% of students employed average starting wage
$21. per hour
New England Center for Arts & Technology (NECAT) Culinary Arts Job Training
NECAT is helping the city's most vulnerable to bridge the skills gap, enter the workforce, and achieve economic selfsufficiency. Its holistic Culinary Arts Job Training Program emphasizes social-emotional learning, technical expertise, and career readiness equally, so that students graduate with the skills and confidence to gain employment, but more importantly, stabilize their lives.
United Way of Massachusetts Bay Family FundEmergency Heating & Utility Assistance
The Emergency Heating & Utility Assistance 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.
Special Emergency Heating Fund $ 200,000 $ 300,000 $ 500,000
National Grid Foundation Grant: $300,000
Years supported 12 MA — Northeast
Program for individuals & families
Fuel-neutral utility payment support for approximately 500 households.
Additional Special Emergency Fund of $200,000 utility assistance additionally aids 333 households totaling over 833 households served by the entire gift.
National Grid Foundation Grant: $300,000 Years supported 11 UNY — Albany & surrounding counties Program for individuals & families
Fuel-neutral utility payment support for approximately 621 households.
Additional Special Emergency Fund of $200,000 additional aids 410 households totaling over 1,050 households served by the entire gift.
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany
Emergency
Energy Assistance Program
Emergency Energy Assistance program available to those individuals and families at all stages of life on a nondenominational basis. Services are provided to those who require assistance meeting their basic needs often due to an overwhelming financial burden arising from distressed and hardship conditions including this year’s inflation. The targeted population represents low-to-modest income households who spend a disproportionate percentage of their net income on housing and utilities.
Special Emergency Heating Fund
$ 200,000 $ 300,000 $ 500,000
Photos: Catholic Charities
National Grid Foundation
Grant: $350,000
Years supported 21
DNY — Long Island & Rockaways
Program for individuals & families
Fuel-neutral utility payment support for approximately 1,200 households.
Additional
Special Emergency Fund of $150,000 utility assistance additionally aids 1000 households more
United Way of Long Island 2024-2025 Project Warmth
Long Island’s emergency fuel-neutral fund provides emergency financial assistance to individuals and families. Project Warmth is one of the US’s oldest non-government fuel funds, serving as a model across the country. The program prevents households from deciding to pay for food, medication, or staying warm. United Way is the primary source of emergency assistance (oil, gas, fuel related electric, propane) for LIers who are struggling financially and have exhausted other options.
Special Emergency Heating Fund
$ 150,000 $ 350,000 $ 500,000
Photo courtesy of City Growers - Bee Ambassadors
