Con Edison has a long tradition of contributing to and maintaining the social, cultural, and economic vitality of our service areas. To do this, we’ve committed ourselves to providing financial or in-kind support to organizations whose activities advance strong, vibrant, and stable communities. We choose these groups carefully who focus on Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) education, environment, civics, community, and arts and culture, looking to their ability to use education, training, and special programs and events to enrich the quality of life of all New Yorkers.
Con Edison’s Power of Giving program extends beyond cash grants and is enhanced by a strong and loyal corps of employee and retiree volunteers, a robust board participation program, partnerships and collaborations and an employee matching gift program
Con Edison supports:
Con Edison also has a Board Participation Program through which employees serve on the governing boards of more than 150 nonprofit groups we support. Our participation on nonprofit boards strengthens our relationships with our nonprofit partners, increases our awareness of community issues, fosters a corporate culture of community involvement, and helps employees develop new skills.
Along with our support, Con Edison also helps create synergies between community-based groups through partnerships and collaboration. We actively seek opportunities to foster partnerships and collaborations among nonprofits by connecting them with each other through programs or projects we support.
Con Edison enhances its support of nonprofit organizations through in-kind, non-cash donations. For example, we donated services, and loaned labor, whereby an employee with a particular expertise or skill assists a nonprofit on a short-term project or program.
Con Edison is a proud supporter of more than 930 nonprofit organizations throughout our service territory. Our support is focused on groups that contribute to education, arts and culture, civics, the environment, and community partnerships.
The Madison Square Park Conservancy is the not-for-profit organization dedicated to keeping historic Madison Square Park and the adjacent Worth Square bright, beautiful and lively public spaces. The Conservancy works in partnership with the City of New York Parks and Recreation to operate Madison Square Park and is responsible for raising funds necessary to operate the park, including horticulture, park maintenance, sanitation, security, and free cultural programs, including two music series, rotating public art exhibitions, and children’s programming for park visitors.
Con Edison funding nurtures and heightens the quality of Madison Square Park’s horticulture by making seasonal planting changes, while honoring the park’s original Victorian design; and second, to support free, public horticulture programming for youth, and regular volunteer activities in the park, both of which facilitate community involvement.
For over 100 years, New Yorkers for Parks (NY4P) has built, protected, and promoted parks and open spaces in New York City. Today, NY4P is the citywide independent organization championing quality parks and open spaces for all New Yorkers in all neighborhoods. They achieve this mission through an integrated approach of research, advocacy, and strategic partnerships. New Yorkers for Parks conducts research and develops tangible policy recommendations around findings related to park development, management, and sustainability.
Con Edison supports NY4P Daffodil Project, founded in 2001 as a living memorial to September 11. With over five million free bulbs planted citywide by more than 100,000 school children, parks and gardening groups, civic organizations, corporate volunteers, and other New Yorkers, it is one of the largest volunteer efforts in the city’s history. In 2014, over 500,000 more daffodils were planted throughout New York City. This would not have been possible without the support of Con Edison.
Trees New York (TreesNY) is an environmental and urban forestry nonprofit organization. Their mission is to plant, preserve, and protect New York City’s urban forest through education, active citizen participation, and advocacy. TreesNY was founded in 1976 as a volunteer response to New York City’s devastating cutbacks in forestry and tree-related community services.
Con Edison supports Trees New York’s Youth Environmental Literacy Program that educates New York City youth about the urban forest through hands-on activities and classroom studies. Students expand their knowledge of the environment while advancing their reading, language, and investigative skills. When students are introduced to environmental education at a young age, it increases the chance that they will be more engaged in community and environmental activities as young adults.