Ameriprise Financial, Inc., along with its employees and advisors, donated more than $17 million in 2021. Continuing its longstanding commitment to helping individuals meet their basic needs, the firm focused on funding nonprofits working to solve domestic hunger, end homelessness and increase adult self-sufficiency through financial education and job training programs. Additionally, Ameriprise found new ways for its employees and advisors to engage in hybrid, in-person and virtual volunteer opportunities. Throughout the year, the firm’s employees and advisors supported causes they care about by logging nearly 50,000 volunteer hours.
“The pandemic has exacerbated problems in communities that already faced barriers to essential goods and services like food and shelter”
“The pandemic has exacerbated problems in communities that already faced barriers to essential goods and services like food and shelter,” said Brian Pietsch, head of community relations at Ameriprise. “We have longstanding relationships with nonprofits across the country, and they help us target relief efforts where the needs are greatest so we could mobilize our employees and advisors to help stock food shelves, offer job training services and provide stable housing for those in need. These actions collectively make a significant difference and demonstrate the culture of caring we’ve cultivated at Ameriprise.”
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Highlights from Ameriprise’s 2021 grant funding
Ameriprise funded 224 grants focused on helping people meet basic needs like food and shelter and building equitable communities. A few highlights include:
- Rebuilding Together New York City preserves affordable housing, helps underemployed residents build skills and strengthens neighborhoods throughout the city. The organization’s Careers in Construction program helps New Yorkers prepare for and obtain careers in construction and facilitates putting graduates on a path to financial stability through increased earning potential and opportunity for upward mobility.
- Boston Children’s Museum emphasizes engagement and learning through hands-on experiences, employing play as a tool to spark the inherent creativity, curiosity and imagination of children. Museum programs and activities focus on literacy, performing arts, science, math, visual arts, culture, health and wellness. Throughout the pandemic, the Museum has supported underserved families by distributing learning kits to public schools and community groups.
- Since 2013, Rock the Street Wall Street, with a network of more than 4,000 young women, has held financial and investment literacy workshops as well as mentorship programs in high schools across the U.S. and Canada. During the school year, the program is focused on three components: The fall financial literacy sessions, the “Wall Street experience” field trip, and spring mentorship sessions. Ameriprise is sponsoring Rock the Street Wall Street at South High School in Minneapolis where volunteers participate in activities such as explaining financial terms, budgeting and current events to teach financial literacy.
- The Center for Economic Inclusion works to increase regional economic growth in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region and areas across the country by creating shared accountability among employers for dismantling institutional racism and closing racial wealth gaps. The organization’s programs reduce the racial wealth gap by increasing diverse employment in jobs paying family-sustaining wages.
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Ameriprise adds to its grant budget and increases dollar-for-dollar gift match program
Ameriprise is also adding to its corporate grant budget for 2022 and increasing its dollar-for-dollar employee gift matching program effective Jan. 1, 2022. A majority of U.S. employees participate in this program as a way to double the impact of their donations to nonprofits they care about.
About Ameriprise Financial Community Relations
Ameriprise Financial is dedicated to utilizing the firm’s resources and talents to improve the lives of individuals and build strong communities. Through grantmaking, volunteerism and employee and advisor gift matching programs, the company supports a diverse group of more than 7,500 nonprofits across the country. By targeting our grantmaking, the company can make the most of its resources and engage its people to make a collective impact with greater benefit for communities. Ameriprise funds grants to local nonprofits twice annually—the next deadline is May 15 and guidelines are available on the firm’s website.
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