CNX commits $30M to Pittsburgh area with six-year charitable pledge

CNX Resources Corp. announced Friday that it has established the CNX Foundation, a 501c(3), to manage its six-year, $30 million commitment to the Pittsburgh area.

Funded by CNX Resources, the CNX Foundation will oversee the $30 million charitable pledge designed to drive long-term, sustainable return on investment and broaden the path to the middle class in the Appalachian region.

“CNX’s approach to community investment is directly tied to our unique Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) philosophy,” said Nick DeIuliis, President and CEO of CNX Resources. “Tangible, impactful, and local is our brand of ESG, and the Foundation will partner with organizations who match those criteria and are aligned with our objective to make a meaningful impact in our local, underserved communities. We believe our approach to ESG will define effective leadership in this arena for our industry and the regional business community at large.”

The foundation will be managed by internal leaders responsible for the company’s ESG efforts and advised by external community partners while governed by the CNX board of directors Environmental, Safety and Corporate Responsibility Committee. Emphasizing social and environmental impacts, the foundation will be directed to invest approximately $17.5M in social efforts and $12.5M in environmental efforts through the end of 2027. The company hopes to partner with local communities to take on projects that help solve complex socio-economic issues facing the region – including food insecurity, children’s health and wellness, recidivism and re-entry, the opioid epidemic and its societal impact, career awareness, and technical/vocational training, as well as water quality and safety.

External advisors to the foundation include John Bettis, Bettis Brothers Sand and Gravel, and the Bus Stops Here Foundation; Jeff Nobers, executive director of the Builders Guild of Western Pennsylvania; and Brian Jackson, superintendent of the West Greene School District. Brian Aiello, vice president of External Relations and Human Resources at CNX, will serve as foundation chair. Audric Dodds, director of Community Relations and Strategic Partnerships at CNX, will serve as executive director.

Since announcing the commitment in spring 2021, CNX has committed $1.7M to several projects, including $1M for broadband access in rural Greene County, PA; $400,000 for career training at a regional mentorship academy; $200,000 for the Jerome Bettis Cyber Bus project; and $100,000 for House of Life Pittsburgh to help with citizen re-entry.

The CNX Foundation is accepting applications from organizations in the tri-state region seeking grant funding. Applications will be reviewed quarterly.