Purposeful Philanthropy and Community Outreach
We live our AmerenCares culture by providing philanthropic contributions that empower people, progress and prosperity in the communities where we work, live and serve. Our AmerenCares commitment involves Ameren’s co-workers, leverages Ameren’s business offerings and creates lasting impacts for our customers.
AmerenCares Focus Areas
Critical Needs
The recent economic downturn has highlighted significant disparities faced by disadvantaged communities in achieving the most basic critical human needs. Ameren welcomes grant applications that aim to diminish food insecurity; eliminate disparities in access to health and well-being care; support children living in poverty; and provide pathways to stable housing.
Ameren co-workers care about the community, contributing more than $21 million over the last decade to local United Way chapters across the company's service territory in Missouri and Illinois. United Way then distributes this funding to hundreds of partner agencies that are helping people in need by providing food and housing, health care, education, and disability services.
Economic Empowerment
For our region to grow and thrive, opportunities for economic mobility must exist across all demographics and neighborhoods. Ameren welcomes grant applications that provide education persistence programs, showcase skilled trade job pathways, promote regional workforce development and target neighborhoods with beautification and development opportunities.
Ameren sponsors the UMSL Accelerate’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Accelerator to invest in diverse entrepreneurs. Small businesses contribute to the economy by bringing growth and innovation. Ameren's support of this program and these companies promises to stimulate equitable growth and job development throughout our region.
Thriving Communities
Thriving communities include low-crime, youth programs, connected neighborhoods, plenty of cultural assets, and public green spaces. Ameren welcomes grant applications that provide youth enrichment programs; violence de-escalation; preserve and maintain public parks and biodiversity; make the arts and cultural institutions accessible; and bolster community and civic pride to attract visitors to events. Ameren considers the quality of our environment another indicator of our communities’ well-being and invests in programs that support avian endangered species, pollinators, watersheds, bats, and biodiversity.
Ameren Illinois is a proud partner of the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation and its Winning for Life initiatives. These efforts continue to have a positive impact on the lives of kids and families in East St. Louis and across the region.
DE&I Commitment
Ameren reviews all philanthropic requests with a lens of equity. In fact, a commitment has been made to invest a minimum of $10 million toward diversity, equity and inclusion programming between 2021-2026.
Ameren has a long history of partnering with Urban League chapters throughout its service territories. These include various impactful programs that include the Urban League of Greater St. Louis’ Restoring Hope capital campaign, as well as Ameren Illinois' continued support of the Tri-County Urban League's Pipeline to Prosperity and Springfield Urban League's Project College Ready. These programs help to support critical programs and services that foster continual self-improvement, vibrant neighborhoods and equitable opportunities for all.
Protecting the Environment
In 2021, Ameren provided nearly $470,000 to 29 nonprofit organizations focused on conservation of native wildlife and habitats. Just some of the grantees included the Missouri Bird Conservation Initiative, National Great Rivers Research and Education Center, Ozark Land Trust, Audubon Center at Riverlands, Dow Wildlife Treehouse Rehabilitation Center, Illinois Natural History Survey Prairie Research Institute, and the HeartLands Conservancy.
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