ArcelorMittal USA

Our Areas of Funding

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ArcelorMittal's Commitment to the Community

ArcelorMittal’s commitment to corporate responsibility is grounded in our three core values: Sustainability, Quality and Leadership. As a global leader, we recognize our responsibilities not only to our business and the steel industry but to the communities in which we operate. Taking into consideration our role in the industry and the world at large, we are committed to transforming tomorrow.

Supported by our employees, ArcelorMittal is deeply committed to our roles and responsibilities as a good corporate citizen. Supporting nonprofit and community efforts includes financial assistance, as well as time and leadership resources. Where appropriate, we also provide in-kind gifts. It is a mix of these investments that makes a substantial difference in our communities. Many ArcelorMittal employees volunteer their time, talent and resources to make the nonprofit sector more effective and our communities more vital. ArcelorMittal reinforces volunteerism by supporting nonprofit organizations and community programs that align with our business and our four corporate responsibility pillars. These result in a funding focus on education, the environment and health and safety.

ArcelorMittal's Areas of Funding

We believe that collaboration between nonprofit organizations, government and for profit enterprises help each to grow stronger. For this reason, we encourage applications that demonstrate collaboration. Within our three focus areas of funding, we support programs located within or closely related to the geographic communities where we have operations.

Please know we are not currently accepting unsolicited grant proposals. Please see the "Eligibility for Funding" section for more information.

Environment (Application Deadline: February 15, 2012)
The support and conservation of our shared environment is a priority for ArcelorMittal. We fund initiatives that protect and restore the environment, including programs that advance on-the-ground water and land restoration initiatives. We believe that in order to ensure the sustainability of our resources, education must also be provided. We encourage clarity of communications regarding complex environmental issues to all populations and creating streams of knowledge that will encourage future generations to understand their role as environmental stewards. Programs that provide education, demonstrate collaboration and offer employee engagement are strongly preferred. When considering grants in this area, the geographic "community" may include the larger environmental area, such as a watershed. Additionally, as an ENERGY STAR® awarded business, we also accept applications that support energy conservation, reduction and education programs.

Please note: ArcelorMittal partners with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, as well as several other federal partners, to support the "Sustain Our Great Lakes" program. If you are an NGO working on a restoration or preservation program within the Great Lakes Basin, you may qualify for funding through this program. Please visit www.sustainourgreatlakes.org for more information on the application process and deadline.

Education (Application Deadline: April 15, 2012)
Our support of education reflects our conviction that learning is essential to the economic health of individuals, developing future leadership and creating stronger communities. We believe the first step to providing youth an opportunity for increased success is through education. Therefore, ArcelorMittal invests strategically across the entire education continuum, from primary education through higher education.

Through the following programs, ArcelorMittal is actively engaged in supporting schools’ STEM curricula and preparing students for success in academics and life. Goals are two-fold: First, to have an impact on education by increasing the number of high school graduates, improving their college readiness, and developing students to succeed in STEM, not only by focusing on technical skills but also on such “soft skills” as teamwork and problem solving. And second, to raise the profile of viable career paths in manufacturing and the steel industry, increasing the pool of future employees with the STEM skills required for success.

  • - Grades K-12 – “STEM Futures”: Our “STEM Futures” program provides funding to adopted schools within our communities.

  • In primary grades (K-8), eligible programs should build students’ academic capacity by augmenting curricula, providing teacher training, or implementing new technology (such as smart boards and science labs) that directly links to STEM learning, enabling students to learn critical STEM building blocks. For schools that are part of a larger system, programs should be implemented in a manner to be replicable for the entire school system.

  • In secondary grades (9-12), eligible programs should target college- and work-readiness skill development. Programs should reduce the need for remediation at the college level, align high school curricula with work skill requirements, or implement new technology, equipment and approaches to provide hands-on training for skills used in manufacturing.

  • Due to limited funding, we seek to support schools and education organizations within the immediate geographic footprint of our facilities that demonstrate the most need yet have proven and strong leadership. Internships, scholarships and travel are not eligible for funding.

  • - Higher Education: ArcelorMittal also supports advanced education alternatives through two post-high school graduate programs.

  • Steelworker for the Future - ArcelorMittal's Steelworker for the Future program is a 2.5 year cooperative work-study program that guides students to earn an Associate of Applied Science degree from a partner college. The program includes four semesters of classroom learning, and qualified students have the option of up to 16 weeks of on-site, paid training at ArcelorMittal. Upon completion, program participants will be trained electrical and mechanical technicians. The program is currently available in Northwest Indiana and the Ohio River Valley and will expand to Cleveland, OH and Greater Philadelphia in 2011-2012.

  • Campus Partnership Program - Through partnerships with targeted U.S. four-year colleges and universities, ArcelorMittal places an emphasis on building strong metallurgical, mechanical, electrical and other engineering programs, as well as business disciplines, to prepare students for career opportunities in the global steel industry. Established or start-up programs are both eligible; however, measurable outcomes must be demonstrable and programs should include a process for metrics. Funding includes some costs for implementation of tracking and reporting as an element of programming. Programs selected include those that provide sustainable, long-term learning results and encourage diversity. The Campus Partnership Program is currently fully-funded and is not accepting new college partners.

  • - In addition to our direct funding of educational institutions, we also support nonprofit organizations that provide mentoring and education support to youth. Programs that qualify for funding should support direct mentoring to underserved and at-risk youth, provide access to education tools, or focus on increasing access to STEM education and experiences for diverse populations, such as girls and students of color.

Health & Safety (Application Deadline: June 15, 2012)
ArcelorMittal supports social service organizations that operate within or provide services focusing on health and safety - a core commitment of our business. The health and safety of our employees is our number one priority and we extend this commitment to our communities.

We particularly seek programs that provide educational or actionable opportunities to create safe environments, respond to disasters, or provide wellness or safe behavior education and mentoring to our communities. With a focus on youth, learning environments that are free of mental health and drug abuse and focus on healthy lifestyles are given priority. Additionally, programs that provide access to healthcare to disadvantaged populations may also be considered.

Other/Exception Requests
Under special circumstances, programs that specifically align with our business and products may also be given consideration.

Eligibility for Funding

ArcelorMittal carefully reviews submissions from applicant organizations. Our contribution level varies according to need, our opportunity to make a difference and our available budget.

Because funding requests largely exceed what we are able to financially support, we accept applications by invitation only. We identify community organizations that provide core programs in our focus areas, in the communities where our employees live and work, and where we feel we can make the most impact. If an organization has a program that strongly aligns with our community objectives, consideration can be requested by submitting a letter of inquiry.

ArcelorMittal USA does not support the following:

  • Organizations not registered as a 501(c)3, as determined by the Internal Revenue Service, (exceptions are made for public schools and public safety departments)
  • Individuals
  • Trips, tours and associated costs
  • Form letter requests
  • Religious organizations and groups which are denominational or sectarian in purpose such as churches, missionary groups, etc.
  • Organizations that discriminate
  • Organizations whose missions focus primarily on a disease; some exceptions may be made for health related programs that primarily support wellness
  • Service clubs and other organizations that channel funds to agencies, except for the United Way
  • Organizations which receive more than 10% support as an agency of the United Way
  • Operations which are currently receiving more than 10% of their funding through the "Sustain Our Great Lakes" program
  • Multi-year funding for operations
  • Concurrent or consecutive capital funding to an organization for any purpose
  • Government agencies
  • Private schools
  • Organizations whose purpose or methods of operation pose a potential conflict of interest for the company
  • Loans or investments
  • Grants to cover operating deficits
  • Golf tournaments, relays, races, and walk-a-thons
  • Sporting events and sports clubs


Award Decision Process and Communications

All grant requests that provide programs or services to one specific community are reviewed by our Council for Stronger Communities at each USA facility. Grant decisions are communicated by email according to the schedule below.

2012
Environment Application deadline: February 15
Decisions made by: April 1
Payments: April
Education Application deadline: April 15
Decisions made by: June 1
Payments: June
Health & Safety Application deadline: June 15
Decisions made by: August 1
Payments: August

How to Apply

Although we greatly appreciate your interest in partnering with ArcelorMittal, due to constrained resources, we do not have the ability to respond to all inquiries and therefore, we do not accept unsolicited proposals. Please know we will not be able to reply formally to these requests. 

Receipt of your solicited applications will be communicated by email. If we need further information, a local corporate responsibility manager or member of our Council on Stronger Communities will be in touch with you directly.

If you have been invited to apply, all applications must be submitted online. Please submit your application online at www.arcelormittal.com/usacr. If you need assistance, please contact us at: philanthropy-na@arcelormittal.com.

ArcelorMittal USA