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Our Key Focus Areas

Most of TEP's charitable contributions address a need in one of the following areas, which are addressed quarterly in most cases:

Community Assistance – 1^st and 4^th Quarters
January/February/March and October/ November/December (all requests approved and funded by end of November to process in the same calendar year.)

Programs and services for limited-income families and other vulnerable communities in basic human needs. We support nonprofit groups focused on food security, homelessness, housing stability, domestic violence, poverty and other critical issues.

Environmental Protection – 2^nd Quarter
April/May/June

Local or regional programs and projects that protect and preserve our air, land and water as well as wildlife and their habitat.

Education – 3rd Quarter
July/August/September

Activities that support achievement for students from pre-K through 12^th-grade, including but not limited to classroom resources and field trips, literacy, teacher training and assistance, and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs that encourage critical thinking skills. Successful funding requests must tie directly to core school curriculum. We also consider funding for secondary education and activities that promote diverse workforce development, financial literacy, and career development. Individual schools are not eligible to apply.

Racial and Social Equity
Considered upon request, please contact community@tep.com 

Programs, services and efforts that promote a more inclusive community and embrace diversity, equity and inclusion.

Types of Contributions

TEP invests in our community through several types of assistance:

• Financial contributions to support programs, services or special events. Requests for contributions may made throughout the year, preferably during the funding quarter appropriate for the project or program (see focus area list above).
• In-kind donations include non-monetary valuable goods such as computer equipment, office furniture, printing of materials, meeting/event space or use of operational equipment, if available.
• Corporate memberships are requests for TEP’s annual corporate membership with community organizations, such as chambers of commerce, industry and professional associations and business groups, as appropriate.
• Employee volunteer projects are employee-driven initiatives to support and assist charities with their community events, fundraisers and program services. These requests are typically coordinated by TEP's Community Action Team (CAT) employee volunteers, and require that a TEP employee be affiliated with the request and willing to be engaged with the requested activity.
• Sponsorships support events and activities that are mutually beneficial to TEP and the requesting organization and may include the promotion of goods, products or services. The organization promoting the sponsorship is responsible for providing TEP with a record of the value received through any sponsorship for tax purposes.
• Board Participation by TEP employees allows them to share their professional expertise and leadership skills to benefit nonprofit organizations. Employee service on various boards and committees may occur through their own personal involvement with an organization, or nonprofits may request that TEP invite an employee with certain expertise to serve on their board. Employee participation on boards does not guarantee a financial contribution from TEP.

Year-Round Giving by Invitation to Apply

TEP prefers our funding to be by invitation. We will consider donation requests submitted throughout the year based on the focus area. If your funding request has different deadlines because of an activity or event; or your organization has not been invited to apply for funds, you may contact us at community@tep.com to schedule a discussion for consideration. Please understand that we receive many more requests than we are able to fund annually.

Requests that closely align with our philanthropic focus areas are most likely to receive funding. Nonprofit groups that TEP is unable to fund are encouraged to participate in activities through Social Venture Partners and Arizona Impact for Good/Arizona Gives Day, each of which is supported by TEP contributions.

Corporate Giving Guidelines

TEP may make community contributions to eligible organizations that meet one or more of the following guidelines:

• Operate within the Company’s service territory or in communities where a Company facility is located
• Provide programs or services that are aligned with the TEP’s philanthropic strategy and focus areas
• Provide an opportunity or incentive for employee volunteerism
• Provide public services in a rural or underserved area with limited nonprofit infrastructure

Recipients of Community Contributions may include:

• Nonprofit organizations, as designated by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, with a current Employer Identification Number and that is compliant with all state and federal laws and regulations
• Governments, public schools/school districts, tribal authorities or other public service providers in rural or underserved areas with limited nonprofit infrastructure

TEP may not provide a community contribution to the following recipients, even if they otherwise would be eligible under the criteria listed above:

• Religious organizations that restrict access to services on the basis of a particular faith or faiths
• Political or partisan organizations or candidates
• Private or charter schools
• Individuals

Requirements for Recipients

In order to receive a community contribution of any type from TEP, a recipient must:

• Provide an attestation that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, physical disability, or national or ethnic groups
• Provide an attestation that the contribution will not be used to principally benefit a TEP employee or a member of an employee’s immediate family