Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation Announces Opening 2012 Environmental Stewardship and Energy Sustainability Grant Cycle

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Jul 17, 2012, 10:01 ET

CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation is currently accepting applications from eligible 501(c) (3) nonprofit organizations, governmental and educational institutions for its 2012 Environmental Stewardship and Energy Sustainability Competitive Grant Program.

The Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation added this specific grant to its overall giving program in 2010, and has since awarded environmental grants to The Conservation Fund in North Carolina and Tennessee, and to a joint sustainability program for Duke, Vanderbilt and Furman universities.

For the Environmental Stewardship and Energy Sustainability grant, the foundation invests in nonprofit organizations that work toward one or more of the following objectives within the communities served by Piedmont Natural Gas in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee:

Increased access to or interaction with nature and the environment
Promote local accountability or actions to create cleaner cities, reduce emissions and incorporate conscious environmental decision-making in everyday life
Incorporate energy and/ or environmental education in K-12 schools and curriculum
Promote a general awareness about environmental and energy-related issues for the public
Preserve or restore a community's existing natural resources, including green/open space
Improve a local community's sustainable business practices

The Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation seeks to maximize the impact of its grant dollars, with special consideration given to grant applications that promote the greatest possible impact for the dollars invested.

GRANT DEADLINE:

The deadline to apply for the 2012 Environmental Stewardship and Energy Sustainability Competitive Grant is Thursday, August 31, 2012. For additional information and to apply for this or other grants from the Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation, please visit the Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation grant website below. Applications must be submitted online via CyberGrants.
http://www.cybergrants.com/piedmont/environmental_stewardship/

About the Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation
The Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation was established in 2004 with initial funding of $7 million from Piedmont Natural Gas. The Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation assists qualified charitable agencies and organizations within Piedmont Natural Gas' three-state service area, through the awarding of grants. The Foundation's mission of, "Enriching Our Communities," mirrors Piedmont Natural Gas' strong philanthropic commitment to the communities it serves. The Foundation's grant making strategy further reflects that commitment by focusing on two areas: Environmental Stewardship and Energy Sustainability, and Community Enrichment Initiatives centered on K-12 STEM Education, Workforce Development and Health and Human Services. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than $6.2 million in grants to qualifying organizations in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

About Piedmont Natural Gas
Piedmont Natural Gas is an energy services company primarily engaged in the distribution of natural gas to more than one million residential, commercial and industrial utility customers in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, including 53,000 customers served by municipalities who are wholesale customers. Our subsidiaries are invested in joint venture, energy-related businesses, including unregulated retail natural gas marketing, interstate natural gas storage and intrastate natural gas transportation. More information about Piedmont Natural Gas is available at http://www.piedmontng.com.

SOURCE Piedmont Natural Gas