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Wells Fargo Awards 61 Nonprofits with $3 Million in Environmental Grants

SAN FRANCISCO, June 9, 2015 – Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) announced today that 61 nonprofits have been awarded environmental grants totaling $3 million to support projects focused on land and water conservation, energy efficiency, environmental outreach and support for building healthy urban ecosystems.

Established in 2012, the Wells Fargo Environmental Solutions for Communitiesfive-year grant program has awarded $12 million to 207 grantees and funded 247 projects to date that promote conservation and environmental sustainability.

“We believe in being environmentally proactive and helping our customers, communities and team members become better stewards of the environment,” said Mary Wenzel, head of Wells Fargo Environmental Affairs. “This program helps advance our company’s goal to give $100 million to support environmental nonprofits by 2020 and provides our team members an opportunity to volunteer locally and improve communities where they live and work.”

The 2015 Wells Fargo Environmental Solutions for Communities grant program received more than 450 applications. The 61 projects that were selected are aligned with the program’s goal to help address the most pressing environmental issues in 31 target cities and regions. Click here for the full list of 2015 Wells Fargo Environmental Solutions for Communities grantees.

“This year’s Wells Fargo Environmental Solutions for Communities grantees will work on projects from Maine to Alaska, from Los Angeles to Birmingham,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “The dedication and commitment to conservation and helping local communities shown by Wells Fargo is inspirational and deeply appreciated by all who participate in these exciting projects. Without Wells Fargo’s support, none of this good work would be possible.”

Administered by NFWF, the Wells Fargo Environmental Solutions for Communities grants collectively helped reduce more than 8 million pounds of CO2*, which is the equivalent to averting consumption of 21,000 barrels of oil**. More than 17,000 community members have been involved in projects funded by the grants. The 2015 grantees will plant more than 350,000 trees and restore more than 10,000 acres of habitat.

Details of the Wells Fargo Environmental Solutions for Communities grant program and a link to the 2016 application (available in September 2015) can be found at the NFWF application website. Projects benefiting underserved communities and encouraging volunteerism are given priority consideration. The Wells Fargo Environmental Solutions for Communities grant program is funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation to promote environmental stewardship across the country.

Project Description:

Trees Atlanta will work with partners to restore 5.5 acres of urban forest and parkland by removing invasive plants and planting native understory trees and shrubs in the park. Specific efforts will include the installation of an acidic cove forest, an urban orchard, two bioswales and the enhancement of the park entrance and the forest mulch path.
Building on a multi-year relationship with the Chosewood Park neighborhood, Trees Atlanta, working in partnership with the Chosewood Park Neighborhood Association, seeks to reestablish the urban forest and improve the creek bank (unnamed tributary of Intrenchment Creek in the South River watershed) within the park as a unique community asset for Atlanta residents in this up and coming neighborhood.
Formerly a Boy Scout camp and now a public park, the space will be transformed through the treatment of 5 acres of invasive species and the replanting of a wide variety of native plants which will provide the next generation of growth for this deteriorating forest. Specifically we will aim to improve the forest and 560 linear feet of creekbank through the creation of an acidic cove forest environment, the enhancement of 2,000 linear feet of walking paths and the planting of native understory trees. We will also plant a variety of native fruit and nut shrubs and trees to create an urban orchard in the open area of the park. Finally, we will improve the entrance area of the park with the planting of native shrubs and the creation of two attractive bioswales. Community volunteer participation and public education will play a key role in the execution of this restoration project.

About Wells Fargo & Company

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.7 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 8,700 locations, 12,500 ATMs, and the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 36 countries to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 266,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 30 on Fortune’s 2015 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Wells Fargo perspectives are also available at Wells Fargo Blogs andWells Fargo Stories.

About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

Chartered by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores the nation’s fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Working with federal, corporate and individual partners, NFWF has funded more than 4,000 organizations and committed more than $2.9 billion to conservation projects. Learn more at www.nfwf.org.

* Environmental impact estimates from trees were calculated by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation with the National Arbor Day National Tree Benefit Calculator

** Environmental impact estimates from CO2 were calculated by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation using statistics from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration