Weekly Funding Opportunity: The Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation

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Each week Neighborhood Networks provides potential funding sources to help centers develop and improve programs and services. Featured this week is The Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation.

Program Areas: In 2005, the foundation launched L.E.A.D.S., which gives funding priority to organizations that advance and support:

	Literacy and K-12 education.
	Environmental stewardship.
	Assistance with low-income energy needs.
	Development of communities.
	Service to neighbors.

The foundation assists specific, well-defined areas of the nonprofit community throughout its three-state service area in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Targeted Area: Southeast.

Eligibility: Applicants for grants from the Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation must be nonprofit organizations with tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or qualified government entities.

In addition, the Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation will not consider requests from the following types of organizations or for the following purposes:

Types of Organizations NOT eligible for funding:   Religious.   Fraternal political.   Athletic.   Private foundations.   Social or veterans organizations.

Contributions will not generally be made to or for:   Individuals (including scholarships).   Pre-college level private schools.   Travel and conferences.   Third-party professional fundraising organizations.   Controversial social causes.   Fraternal and veterans organizations or private clubs.   Religious organizations with programs limited to or expressly for their membership only.   Athletic events and programs.   Any proposals that fall outside the stated guidelines or the geographic area in which Piedmont Natural Gas does business.

The foundation is prevented by federal law by making a grant to any cause from which the company will receive any benefit, such as: tickets to fundraising events, memberships to museums, various sponsorship packages, etc., which can constitute self-dealing situations.

Award Amount: Award amounts vary.

Application Process: If, after a thorough review of Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation's purpose, areas of support, and key guidelines, an organization meets all eligibility requirements, it should submit an online application. All nonprofit organizations seeking grants must adhere to the foundation's application requirements and guidelines. All grant requests must be submitted through a Web-based online application. Proposals submitted in any other manner will not be accepted.

Certain grant requests may warrant further research and evaluation as determined by the foundation staff. In certain circumstances, the foundation staff may request additional information, perform site visits, and conduct interviews to provide a more focused evaluation of a particular grant application.

Deadlines: Ongoing. The foundation's board of directors meets quarterly to review and award grants.

Contact: For more information about the Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation, contact:

Corporate Office
Piedmont Natural Gas
4720 Piedmont Row Drive
Charlotte, NC 28210
Post Office Box 33068
Charlotte, North Carolina 28233
Phone: (704) 364-3120