Communities received $11.5M from Alliant Energy in 2021

MADISON, Wis., Feb. 25, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To support customers and communities in Iowa and Wisconsin, Alliant Energy, employees, retirees and the company’s charitable foundation collectively contributed $11.5 million and volunteered over 75,000 hours in 2021.

“At Alliant Energy, our purpose is to serve customers and build stronger communities,” said Aimee Davis, vice president marketing and communications of Alliant Energy. “We are proud to support many local and regional nonprofit organizations through our foundation giving and our employees’ and retirees’ commitment to volunteering. It takes everyone working together to build stronger communities and we are proud to be part of the team.”

Last year, Alliant Energy met the ongoing needs of customers and communities through Impact Grants, the One Million Trees initiative and the Hometown Care Energy Fund. Additionally, ongoing giving programs provided essential local assistance.

Impact Grants
New in 2021, the Alliant Energy Foundation team collaborated directly with nonprofit partners on high-impact projects to build stronger communities. The company’s foundation awarded Impact Grants in the four key areas of hunger and housing; workforce readiness; environmental stewardship; and diversity, safety and well-being. More than $1.9 million was awarded to 40 organizations across Iowa and Wisconsin in 2021. 

Hometown Care Energy Fund
Alliant Energy donated $4 million to its Hometown Care Energy Fund in 2021. The pandemic created financial hardship for many customers last year. Alliant Energy doubled its contribution to the fund to help people stay on track during these difficult times. Customers who needed financial assistance were encouraged to use the Hometown Care Energy Fund to pay their bills on time.

Tree restoration
Many of the communities Alliant Energy serves are impacted by severe storms and suffer tree canopy loss each year. In 2021, the One Million Trees initiative was created to improve the natural environment for future generations. As part of the initiative, Alliant Energy will donate and help plant more than 1 million trees — approximately one tree for each utility customer — by the end of 2030.  

Alliant Energy has ongoing partnerships with the Department of Natural Resources in Iowa and Wisconsin, Trees Forever, Arbor Day Foundation and local county conservations. Trees have already been planted in communities including Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

Fight against hunger
Gifts to fight hunger generated enough money for nearly 2 million meals. The company’s annual Drive Out Hunger golf event raised $400,000 and supplied 1.2 million meals to seven food banks. During Hunger Action Month in September, six Wisconsin-based nonprofit organizations received $75,000 and two Iowa-based nonprofit organizations received $60,000 to fight hunger and food insecurity.  

Employee giving and volunteering
Alliant Energy encourages employees and retirees to donate to local organizations. Through the company’s Matching Gifts program, Alliant Energy employees, retirees and charitable foundation donated nearly $2.2 million to nonprofits in 2021. They continued to find safe ways to volunteer their time during the pandemic by restoring native prairies, helping build Habitat for Humanity homes, distributing food boxes and much more. Together, employees and retirees volunteered over 75,000 hours last year.

Scholarships
In 2021, nearly 100 high school and college-bound students received scholarships from Alliant Energy, totaling more than $120,000. These scholarships ease the financial burden for students going to college and contribute to a stronger workforce for local communities.

“We have always taken an intentional approach to helping those in need,” said Julie Bauer, executive director of the Alliant Energy Foundation. “We work directly with exceptional non-profit organizations across our service area that are integral in the communities we serve. These partnerships are critical in identifying specific and timely needs we can assist with. The collaborative, high-impact projects maximize resources and help build stronger communities.”

For details about gifts, communities and the partner organizations, visit alliantenergy.com/foundation.

The Alliant Energy Foundation is a philanthropic organization created by Alliant Energy Corporation (NASDAQ: LNT) and is operated as a separate entity led by its own board of directors. The Foundation is committed to making a positive difference in the communities where Alliant Energy employees, retirees and customers live and work. The Foundation, which is funded solely by Alliant Energy shareowners, seeks to further the corporation’s goal of being a good corporate citizen and contributing member of society. Since 1998, the Foundation has contributed more than $62 million to innovative projects and local nonprofits. For more information, visit alliantenergy.com/foundation.

Media contact:
Melissa McCarville, (319) 786-4040
Investor relations contact:        
Zac Fields, (319) 786-8146