Two employees looking out at Rio Tinto Kennecott mine

Kennecott Charitable Foundation

The Kennecott Charitable Foundation (the Foundation) is a non-profit corporate foundation that aims to help Utah residents. This includes supporting charities and non-profits that assist vulnerable populations in Salt Lake Region (eg poor, homeless, disabled, children in need, veterans, senior citizens, and those struggling with illness and disease).

The Foundation raises money for worthy organisations through tax deductible entrance fees to the Kennecott Visitor Experience. The Bingham Canyon Lions Club contributes additional funds to the Foundation from items sold at the gift shop. The Foundation is made up of nine trustees the Foundation Trustees from the greater Salt Lake Area and select Kennecott employees/retirees. These board members come from the southwestern part of the Salt Lake Valley, Magna and Copperton, and include representatives from the educational and religious communities.

Please note, the program seeks to support the under-served population in Salt Lake County and Tooele County, with an emphasis on communities adjacent to Kennecott's operations.

How to apply

All applicants must complete the Kennecott Charitable Foundation Grant Application. 

Alternatively, please email the application and attachments.

The deadline for the grant application is 22 November 2024. Once applications are received, Foundation Trustees then meet to determine eligibility and funding amounts. 

  • Giving program

    The giving program for the Foundation is designed to assist local nonprofits to meet specific needs in five primary areas:

    • poor and homeless
    • disabled
    • children/youth
    • elderly
    • community health

    While the Foundation generously funds many charities and non-profit organisations each year, it is impossible to fund every request received. Due to limited resources, we fund projects and programs that demonstrate excellence, accountability, and provide assistance to their clients. The Foundation also tries to provide grants to charities and nonprofits
    that have strong community support.

    Poor and homeless

    The Foundation supports the poor and homeless by providing grants to organisations that respond to basic life needs and improve the quality of life for the financially needy population. We support programs for the homeless, food banks, job training assistance, and self-sufficiency skills.

    Disabled

    The Foundation supports the disabled by providing grants to organisations that provide services, equipment, healthcare, rehabilitation, job training skills, summer camps and training.

    Children/youth

    Within children/youth, the Foundation supports nonprofits that promote the health and well-being of children through parenting programs, child abuse prevention, at-risk youth programs, assistance to abused children, and basic needs (books, glasses, shoes, clothes, winter clothing).

    Elderly 

    The Foundation is seeking to support elderly by giving to programs that support senior centers, shutins and the elderly with meals, services, social activities, and relief for caretakers.

    Community health

    The Foundation is seeking to contribute to health/medicine programs that promote the health and wellbeing of at-risk populations, access to low-cost or free medical and dental services, camps for children with health issues, mental health services, substance abuse treatment programs, and crisis/respite nursery care.

  • Request amount

    Request in excess of $5,000 per organisation will not be considered.

    Geographic area of grant focus

    Priority is given to local organisations and programs that are in close proximity to Kennecott operations in the Greater Salt Lake Region.

    Applicate eligibility

    Grants are only given to charities and non-profit organisations certified as tax exempt under Sections 501(c) (3) of the US Internal Revenue Code and are classified as "not a private foundation" under Section 509(a). A copy of the tax-exempt determination letter from the IRS must be provided with the grant application.

    Grants are not given: 

    • for deficits or debt reduction
    • for indirect/administrative costs
    • for endowment funds
    • to sectarian religious activities, political lobbying, or legislative activities
    • to institutions that discriminate on the basis of race, creed, gender, or sexual orientation in policy or in practice
    • for loans, scholarships, fellowships, or grants to individuals. The Foundation supports the disabled by providing grants to organisations that provide services, equipment, healthcare, rehabilitation, job training skills, summer camps and training
    • please note that organisations that use a post office box as their official mailing address will not be considered as valid

Haul trucks at Kennecott copper mine

Rio Tinto Kennecott visitor experience

The Rio Tinto Kennecott Visitor Experience is open to the public from April to October.
Two employees looking out at Rio Tinto Kennecott mine

Kennecott Charitable Foundation

A Utah-based charitable organisation committed to positively impacting the Utah residents and community since its inception in 1992
Solar panels

Copper

From the days of antiquity, copper has been used for its many benefits