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Charitable Giving

DLC Charitable

Duquesne Light workers are seen picking up trash in the background with a woman in the foreground wearing an orange DLC shirt that says "Volunteer" on the back
Our goal is bigger than keeping the lights on. 

We want our communities to thrive,
so we give a lot more than safe and reliable power.

We’re continually investing resources to ensure our infrastructure meets the region’s future electrical demands. Whether we’re starting initiatives that enhance quality of life or contributing to the region’s economic growth, our goal is the same — to build strong and vibrant communities where we all can thrive. We believe that our distinct community programs – Charitable Giving and Community Impact Grants – help us to accomplish these goals.


Click here to see our 2021 & 2020 charitable giving partners (Updated July 2021).


FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES


COMMUNITY IMPACT GRANTS

Duquesne Light Company is excited to announce a new microgrant program, Community Impact Grants (CIG), aimed at funding projects and programs that support grassroots diverse community organizations, thereby strengthening community organizations who are working on-the-ground to help our communities thrive. Organizations must have an annual operating budget equal to or less than $500,000 to be considered for this program.

Programs/projects should align with one of four focus areas:

  1. PUBLIC ART: including murals, installations, and community art events
  2. GREEN SPACES: including community gardens, park upgrades, and tree plantings
  3. COMMUNITY SAFETY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY: including equipment or purchases, façade upgrades, and safety lighting
  4. CONNECTIVITY AND TECHNOLOGY: including access or increased access to technology as well as the purchase of equipment for educational programming or capacity building

CIG operates on two grant cycles per year and applications are only accepted during the specified application window. For information on eligibility and how to apply, visit our Community Impact Grants page.


CHARITABLE GIVING

Organizations that do not qualify for our Community Impact Grant program are encouraged to learn more about DLC’s funding opportunities through our general Charitable Giving program.

Duquesne Light President & CEO Kevin Walker poses with members of Grounded Strategies holding a $1,000 check

Programs/projects should align with one of these three focus areas:

  • Social & Economic Equity - Funding will support community development projects and initiatives with a focus towards communities and populations that are historically disenfranchised.
  • Workforce Development - Funding will support initiatives and programs that focus on K-12 education in the areas of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM). Additionally, funds may also support career readiness, mentoring, and workforce based training for individuals in the energy and utility sector.
  • Sustainable Communities - Funding will support programs and projects that ensure the protection of our environment and green spaces along with projects that promote community safety and resiliency.

For information on eligibility and how to apply for this specific funding opportunity, please read below.

CHARITABLE GIVING PROGRAM APPLICATION

For all proposals that do not qualify for Duquesne Light’s Community Impact Grant program, Duquesne Light requests that organizations submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI). Please note that we will not accept LOIs for Community Impact Grants. Please first refer to the FAQs section listed at the bottom of this page to ensure your organization meets our charitable giving guidelines.

Your LOI should be dated, not exceed 2 pages in length and include the following:

Contact Information

  • Name, title, email address and telephone number for both the direct contact of this request and the head of the organization

Organization Details

  • Organization name as recognized by the IRS or PA state equivalent, and/or the organization’s fiscal sponsor
  • Brief summary of your organization’s mission, vision and history
  • Current state of the organization’s programs, including neighborhoods and number of individuals served
  • Which Duquesne Light focus area does this request meet

 Request

  • Brief explanation of the need for support and the amount you intend to request
  • List any additional funders, partners and/or other relevant stakeholders for the program/project
  • Please also disclose if an employee of DLC is connected to your organization via board seat, family, business or other relationship
  • Projected project timeline 
  • Anticipated outcomes and metrics to measure the program/project’s success
  • Methods you will use to ensure positive DLC recognition

Please submit your LOI as an email attachment to community@duqlight.com. We are only accepting emailed LOI submissions at this time and LOIs are accepted on a rolling basis. If your LOI is accepted, a representative from Duquesne Light’s Corporate Citizenship team will contact you to discuss next steps.


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For more information about the program, please refer to some of the following commonly asked questions: 

How can my organization apply for support from Duquesne Light?

Depending on the structure of your organization and the needs of your program/project, your organization can apply for grants from our Community Impact Grant program or by submitting a Letter of Inquiry (LOI). Detailed information on both of these programs is further provided on this website.

What organizations are eligible to receive funding from DLC’s Charitable Giving program?

IRS Registered 501c3 nonprofit organizations or state equivalent and/or municipal government counterpart. We will also support nonprofit organizations who receive fiscal sponsorship from a registered 501c3 nonprofit organization.

Are there any other funding restrictions?

All of our funding restrictions are outlined below:

  • Organizations whose primary work benefits communities or individuals outside the Company's service territory
  • Institutions supported by tax dollars, with the exception of a 501(c)(3) equivalent state and/or municipal government counterpart
  • Organizations that discriminate by race, color, creed, gender, sexual orientation or national origin
  • Religious organizations, except for non-sectarian activities
  • General street lighting projects (i.e., replacement of municipal streetlights)
  • Hanging or installation of holiday lighting/decorations
  • Individuals or private foundations
  • Fraternal organizations
  • Profit-making entities
  • Capital campaigns
  • Requests that cover primarily operating expenses, salaries or travel grants
  • Specific arts performances or openings (Note: some public art proposals are eligible for our Community Impact Grants, see program guidelines here)
  • Fundraising dinners, luncheons or events for organizations that do not fall within the Company’s funding priorities.
  • Golf outings
  • Political or Advocacy organizations
  • Healthcare/medical research initiatives that do not fall within the Company’s funding priorities. 
Does DLC’s charitable giving program focus on a specific geographic region?

We primarily fund projects in our service territory to provide the most benefit to our customers. Our service territory covers the majority of Allegheny County and some of Beaver County.

Does Duquesne Light participate in Pennsylvania DCED’s EITC and/or NAP programs?

Duquesne Light currently participates in the NAP/NPP program. We are open to receiving applications for NAP/NPP partners once the state announces the program timeline for the year.

Can Duquesne Light sponsor an event or fundraiser that my organization is hosting?

Our charitable giving program primarily focuses on programmatic funding for nonprofit organizations. For event or media related sponsorships, please contact sponsorships@duqlight.com.

If my organization applies for funding, when will I hear back?

For our general charitable giving program, you will be contacted by a Duquesne Light representative within 30 days of submitting a LOI if the Company would like to proceed with your application.

For our Community Impact Grant program, we open up the application period twice per year for a spring and fall funding cycle. A more specific timeline will be posted on our website during each funding cycle.

Does Duquesne Light provide matching funds for employee donations or volunteer service?

Duquesne Light hosts an annual employee giving campaign, the Campaign for the Community, that provides our employees with the opportunity to receive a Company match for donations to organizations in Southwestern Pennsylvania who they support.

We do not currently provide matching funds for employee volunteering at this time, however, we encourage all charitable giving partners to work with Duquesne Light on meeting your volunteer needs, as volunteerism is core to our mission to helping our communities thrive.

Contact Us

For any additional questions or to learn more, please email community@duqlight.com.