Altria Group Corporate Giving Program

Overview: Altria Group, one of the largest tobacco product and liquor manufacturers in the world, was also a very large financial supporter of US nonprofit organizations. As such, the company was the center of controversy in many nonprofits who question the worth and the suitability of accepting money from tobacco and liquor manufacturers. Requests to the company should be preceded by a board or staff discussion regarding the acceptance of such funding.

During the last few years, the corporation has eliminated many of its major giving programs, and decreased giving from more than $125 million to around $54 million during the most recent reporting year.

Focus Areas

1. Arts and Culture - Investing in leading arts and cultural organizations is one way we help to create vibrant and engaging communities. Thriving arts and cultural resources bring vitality and help attract creative people and intellectual capital to our communities.

2. Education - We believe it is critical to invest in the workforce of the future to help support a strong community and a healthy economy. Our commitment to the development of a highly talented and diverse workforce is the foundation of our business success.

3. Environment - Our companies depend on natural resources and we focus our giving on the sustainability of these resources - particularly land and water. To help reduce the environmental impact of its business, Philip Morris USA, an Altria company, supports efforts that help reduce cigarette butt litter.

4. Positive Youth Development - Philip Morris USA invests in leading youth-serving organizations nationally with a focus on the southeastern United States to help provide youth with the positive support they need to make healthy choices and achieve full potential in school, work and life.

Subsidiaries and Employee Giving: The corporation maintains an employee giving program that funds local charities in Virginia. Two of the corporation's subsidiaries -- PHillip Morris USA and US Smokeless Tobacco Company maintain smaller, separate independent giving programs.

NOTE: The corporation no longer maintains the foundation, and as such is not required to divulge which organizations receive cash or goods from the company.

• Arts & Culture: Altria Group's grantmaking for the arts are now by invitation only. You will be contacted if you are eligible to apply.
  
  The primary focus of Altria Group Inc.s arts grantmaking will be to support programs that:
  
  (1) foster innovation and creativity both in message and in medium;
  
  (2) promote cultural diversity, tolerance and understanding;
  
  (3) feature artists from diverse backgrounds and communities;
  
  (4) bring the arts to new and diverse audiences; and
  
  (5) improve and strengthen communities.
• Education:
  Altria supports organizations working to improve educational outcomes for underserved youth, while also addressing the demand for a diverse, highly skilled workforce. Altria Group and its companies focus their education contributions in four areas:
  
  * Middle and high-school enrichment programs for urban public schools, particularly those that contribute to everyday student success, math and science excellence, and access to and preparation for higher education
  * Technical education at community colleges and universities, including agricultural studies programs at select land-grant institutions
  * Strengthening management skills among school leaders
  * Higher education and scholarship support
  
  
  Contributions are primarily focused in Central Virginia, with some donations in other geographies where Altria's companies operate. Altria also supports major national scholarship organizations, and colleges and universities where they recruit future employees.
• Education, Adult Education:
• Education, Higher Education:
• Education, K-12:
• Employment, Workforce Development:
• Environment: Altria and its companies support organizations that focus on:
  
  * Sustainable agriculture and land conservation
  * Watershed stewardship
  * Trash cleanup and litter prevention
  
  
  
• Environment, Natural Resources:
• Environment, Urban:
• Human Services:
• Hunger: Altria supports programs designed to create partnerships and collaborations to alleviate hunger in targeted communities; provide nutritional services to people living with HIV/AIDS and other critical illnesses; and provide nutritional services to the elderly.
  
• Performing Arts:
• Youth Development: Mostly Southeast United States

Sample Grants
$ 25,000 to AIDS Coalition of Southern New Jersey , Bellmawr , NJ
$ 10,000 to AIDS Project of New Haven , New Haven , CT
$ 5,000 to AIDS Resource Alliance , Williamsport , PA
$ 20,000 to AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland , Cleveland , OH
$ 24,000 to Abused Deaf Women's Advocacy Services , Seattle , WA
$ 25,000 to Active Coalition for Transitional Services , Towson , MD
$ 7,500 to Advocates Against Domestic Assault , Trinidad , CO
$ 15,000 to Advocates for Family Peace , Grand Rapids , MN
$ 4,500 to Advocates for Survivors of Domestic Violence , Hailey , ID
$ 7,000 to Alger-Marquette Community Action Board (AMCAB) , Ishpeming , MI
$ 10,000 to Aliveness Project , Minneapolis , MN
$ 25,000 to Alle-Kiski Area Hope Center , Tarentum , PA
$ 5,000 to Arab Community Center for Economic & Social Services (ACCESS) , Dearborn , MI
$ 25,000 to Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center , Washington , DC
$ 5,000 to Bennington County Meals Program , Bennington , VT
$ 7,500 to Bingham County Blackfoot Senior Citizens , Blackfoot , ID
$ 5,000 to Boxerwood Education Association , Lexington , VA
$ 10,000 to Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble , Denver , CO
$ 50,000 to Community Servings, Inc. , Roxbury , MA
$ 25,000 to Council Against Domestic Assault , Lansing , MI
$ 160,000 to DC Central Kitchen , Washington , DC
$ 4,000 to Domestic Assault Shelter Coalition , Three Rivers , MI
$ 16,500 to Eastern Agency on Aging , Bangor , ME
$ 24,000 to Elizabeth Freeman Center, Inc. , Pittsfield , MA
$ 25,000 to Family Life Center , Baltimore , MD
$ 5,000 to Family Resources Community Action , Woonsocket , RI
$ 5,000 to Family Services Alliance of Southeast Idaho , Pocatello , ID
$ 17,500 to Family Services of Woodfield , Bridgeport , CT
$ 5,500 to Flynn Center for the Performing Arts , Burlington , VT
$ 116,000 to Food & Friends , Washington , DC
$ 50,000 to Food Bank of Delaware , Newark , DE
$ 25,000 to Foodbank of Monmouth/Ocean Counties , NJ
$ 30,000 to FreeStore/FoodBank , Cincinnati , OH
$ 5,000 to Goffstown Network , Goffstown , NH
$ 10,000 to Grafton County Senior Citizens Council , Lebanon , NH
$ 8,000 to Grand River Hospital District Memorial Trust Fund , Rifle , CO
$ 10,000 to Greater Lynn Senior Services , Lynn , MA
$ 12,000 to Houston County Women's Resouces , Hokah , MN
$ 75,000 to Idaho Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence , Boise , ID
$ 15,000 to Imagination Stage , MD
$ 25,000 to Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival , Lee , MA
$ 30,205 to Jersey Battered Women's Service , Morristown , NJ
$ 25,000 to Jewish Association on Aging , Pittsburgh , PA
$ 10,000 to Jewish Family Service of Southern Middlesex County , East Brunswick , NJ
$ 40,000 to Lifelong AIDS Alliance , Seattle , WA
$ 35,000 to MANNA (Metropolitan AIDS Neighborhood Nutrition Alliance) , Philadelphia , PA
$ 25,000 to Maryland Community Kitchen , Baltimore , MD
$ 10,000 to Meals on Wheels Association of America , Alexandria , VA
$ 110,000 to Metro Meals on Wheels , Minneapolis , MN
$ 93,500 to Missoula Food Bank , Missoula , MT
$ 20,000 to Mobile Meals , Akron , OH
$ 30,000 to N Street Village , Washington , DC
$ 10,000 to National Forest Foundation , Missoula , MT
$ 35,000 to National Minority AIDS Council Inc. , Washington , DC
$ 5,000 to Okanogan County Senior Citizens Association , Omak , WA
$ 25,000 to Open Arms of Minnesota , Minneapolis , MN
$ 12,000 to Peninsula Agency on Aging , VA
$ 5,000 to People's Place II , Milford , DE
$ 5,000 to Person-to-Person , Darien , CT
$ 50,000 to Philabundance , Philadelphia , PA
$ 35,000 to Project Angel Heart , Denver , CO
$ 22,000 to Prudence Crandall Center for Women , New Britain , CT
$ 25,000 to Safe Passage , Northampton , MA
$ 7,000 to Sanders County Coalition for Families , Thompson Falls , MT
$ 42,500 to Senior Meals Program , Grand Rapids , MI
$ 10,000 to Senior Services Foundation (CO) , Cahone , CO
$ 118,000 to Senior Services of Snohomish County , Mukilteo , WA
$ 13,500 to Sojourner House (RI) , Providence , RI
$ 15,000 to South Jersey Against AIDS , Atlantic City , NJ
$ 25,000 to Southern New Hampshire HIV/AIDS Task Force , Nashua , NH
$ 10,000 to Spokane AIDS Network , Spokane , WA
$ 91,500 to Tri-County Community Action Agency , Athens , OH
$ 16,000 to Upper Shore Aging , Chestertown , MD
$ 75,000 to Virginians Against Domestic Violence , Williamsburg , VA
$ 15,250 to Visiting Nurses Association of Ohio , Dayton , OH
$ 10,000 to Wellness House of Michigan , Detroit , MI

Application Procedures:: The corporation reports that it does not accept unsolicited applications. However, send a letter of inquiry to one of the contributions managers or directors to determine whether your organization is eligible for an invitation to submit.

Grants Paid

2001 ($122,000,000 )

2002 ($113,400,000 )

2003 ($112,094,160 )

2004 ($113,354,016 )

2005 ($124,817,285 )

2006 ($23,206,000 )

2008 ($35,100,000 )

2009 ($54,000,000 )

  ← back | ↑ top

©2006 Access Philanthropy
2100 Stevens Avenue S., Minneapolis, MN 55404
phone: 612-886-1362 • 4info@accessphilanthropy.com