Ashland.com

OUR COMMITMENTS

+ COMMUNITY

+ DIVERSITY

RESPONSIBLE CARE

+ REACH

Contributions

Ashland has a proactive, outcome-driven giving strategy. With average annual contributions of $3 million, we seek, select, support and/or partner with organizations whose goals reflect our commitment to enhancing the quality of life in our communities.

Education
Approximately half of Ashland's annual contributions are paid to institutions of higher learning or for outstanding educational programs that focus on mentoring, literacy and/or diversity.

We encourage employees and directors to support education through our matching grants program. Ashland matches contributions to accredited two-year junior, community or technical colleges; four-year institutions of higher learning; graduate and professional schools up to a maximum $10,000 per year.

Arts
The arts expand horizons, nurture creativity and provide lifelong learning opportunities. We support the arts by funding consolidated arts groups in communities where we have large employee populations

Communities/civic
We believe civic organizations and emergency services perform a critical function in our communities. Ashland funds a number of such groups that help stabilize, improve or protect neighborhoods surrounding its facilities.

Disaster Relief
During fiscal year 2005, four hurricanes affected more than 200 Ashland employees. In response, Ashland put in place the Employee Disaster Relief Assistance program. Employee contributions were matched by Ashland to pay a total of $143,000 directly to affected employees.

Environment
We believe it's an important responsibility to protect the environment in which we operate and where our families, friends and co-workers live and work. Ashland makes certain a portion of its annual contributions aid environmental groups operating at local, state and national levels.

Health and human services
In 2006, Ashland conducted its first Employee Giving Campaign with choice. Ashland matches dollar for dollar employees' contributions to United Way, America's Second Harvest, American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association, American Red Cross, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Earth Share, Habitat for Humanity and Save the Children.

We do not support -

Individuals
Fraternal, veteran, labor, athletic or sectarian organizations serving a limited group;
Political or lobbying organizations, or those supporting a particular individual's candidacy;
Travel funds;
Film, videotape or audio productions;
Domestic or foreign-based organizations whose major purpose is to implement projects outside the United States;
Sponsorships, tickets or "goodwill" fundraiser advertising;
Organizations that might in any way pose a conflict with the goals, programs, products or employees of Ashland Inc. and/or its operations.

We do not solicit funding requests
That's why you won't find a funding application here. However, we are interested in hearing about projects and proposals that could potentially enhance our funding strategy. Our primary focus for contributions is education, with an emphasis on mentoring, literacy and/or diversity.

Innovative environmental initiatives are also of interest to us. We also ask that projects, if not national in focus, be in a geographic area where we operate. If you think your proposal might help us fulfill our goals, please submit a brief summary of it here. We accept funding proposals only in June and July of each year.