Many Pittsburgh corporations have the same sense of civic duty and community focus as the area’s philanthropic foundations.
“In general, there’s a high degree of collaboration and a willingness to partner in Pittsburgh, both among the private foundations as well as the corporations and the community,” says
Bill Flanagan, executive vice president, corporate relations, Allegheny Conference on Community Development.
And EQT Corp. is no exception. Since the EQT Foundation was established in 2003, it has donated more than $32 million throughout the company’s operating areas.
Smart Business spoke with President Charlene Petrelli about the foundation’s work.
SB: Why do you think it’s so important for businesses to be involved in philanthropy?
CP: From EQT’s perspective, having a vision and duty that go beyond the day-to-day business operations gives our company a broader sense of purpose. Embracing this commitment of giving back to the community revitalizes our energy, and having that ‘big picture’ outlook actually helps drive innovation and creativity and, in turn, leads to business growth.
In our view, it is and should be a core mission in our efforts to grow our business, engage our employees and connect with our neighbors.
We support them just as they have always supported us. Social responsibility has sustained EQT as a vital asset in the regions where we operate. We believe that this commitment helps provide us with a social license to operate, so we work hard to integrate it into all aspects of our business.
At EQT, we want to share the benefits we’ve received by looking for opportunities that will be beneficial to others. It makes good business sense. And, it’s the right thing to do.
SB: How do you determine where to give your support? Is it hard to narrow down?
CP: We focus on four main areas: education, community, environmental and arts and culture. We are particularly interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education, as many positions within the natural gas industry need a background in STEM curriculum.
The foundation’s community grants encourage the development of safe, healthy, diverse and livable communities, while our environmental grants support the preservation of local natural resources and accepted conservation techniques. Our arts and cultural grants promote understanding and appreciation of the diverse culture where EQT operates.
An executive operating committee made up of EQT Corp. employees from every business unit vets the grant requests received by the EQT Foundation with recommendations moving to the board of directors. The foundation prefers to fund programs in geographic areas that mirror those of EQT Corp. operations —Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia and Texas.
SB: Some sector trends are a need for measurable results, consolidation of services and increased efficiency on the part of nonprofits. What role does the EQT Foundation play in encouraging any of these?
CP: Each grant recipient is asked to complete an evaluation once all funding is used for the specified program.
The evaluation includes a question on the impact of the grant — asking organizations to be specific in their responses and citing quantifiable data, as appropriate. The foundation prefers that funding be used to help reach a specific goal or help solve a targeted problem or issue for an organization.
We are always seeking results and encourage the nonprofits we fund to do the same. In addition, the EQT Foundation is very specific in areas we do not fund, for example, personnel costs, stop-gap or emergency funding or capital campaigns.
