$13,972

In matching funds

for disaster relief

support 

128

Nonprofits

supported

in 2022

$360K

Corporate contribution

to local nonprofits

in 2022

$786K

Raised by ORNL

employees for local

nonprofits in 2022

39,423

Community participants

in FY 2022 STEM 

outreach programs

Community Engagement

The primary mission of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is to deliver scientific discoveries and technical breakthroughs to help 

solve the world’s most compelling challenges, but we have an additional important mission—ensuring communities thrive and 

educational initiatives succeed in East Tennessee and around the world.

OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY

Doing Well by Inspiring Good

The value ORNL and our employees bring to communities is only as good as our collective

commitment to helping those communities thrive. ORNL supports economic development in 

East Tennessee; leads science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education initiatives; 

and encourages employees to donate their time to nonprofit organizations. ORNL focuses on 

a strategy that spurs civic vitality and commerce, sparks a passion for learning, and supports a 

broad definition of giving that employees find meaningful and gratifying. 

Corporate Giving

Corporate giving is the financial and in-kind support that ORNL, through its prime contractor 

UT-Battelle LLC, provides to nonprofits, foundations, community groups, and educational institutions to deliver value and social impact. Keeping in mind that larger gifts to fewer organizations 

lead to greater impact, ORNL has identified a handful of organizations that support the following 

altruistic programs connected to ORNL’s mission:

 • STEM education

 • Public awareness 

 • Civic/cultural programs

 • Volunteerism

 • Economic development

Employee Giving

The power to bring positive, measurable change to communities through workforce programs 

that incorporate volunteering, financial giving, and in-kind support is at the heart of ORNL Gives, 

ORNL’s employee giving program. We encourage our employees to be actively connected with 

nonprofits that mean the most to them. For their efforts, we match donations and support participation in a variety of ways because giving back means more than just writing a check.

Some of the meaningful ways ORNL employees are actively connecting with community 

organizations include

 • Sitting on the boards of nonprofit organizations

 • Volunteering for schools and charities

 • Mentoring students

 • Giving in-kind contributions such as donating materials, clothing and toys

 • Offering time and talent to ORNL’s employee resource groups 

 • Participating in events organized by nonprofits
CONTACT:

community@ornl.gov 

One Bethel Valley Road

Oak Ridge, TN 37831

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is managed by UT-Battelle LLC for the US Department of Energy www.ornl.gov January 2023 jobs.ornl.gov

Knowing the impact we make in our community is one way we measure our success. The variety of ways the Laboratory and employees give 

to the community underscores the importance we place on our outreach efforts. 

• Biannual grants—ORNL donates annually to organizations that focus on STEM programs, larger community development, cultural 

 initiatives, and employee engagement. 

• ORNL Gives—Workplace giving is the pillar of our outreach, raising nearly $700,000 to support nonprofits in East Tennessee.

• Team UT-Battelle—Our employees are community advocates, supporting organizations important to them and the communities 

 in which they live. In FY 2022, Team UT-Battelle employees requested more than $8,100 in financial support 

 and participated in more than 15 activities.

• Matching Gifts Fund—East Tennessee is home to nearly 5,200 nonprofits, and small donations can make or break 

 their important work. Through ORNL’s Matching Gift Fund, employee contributions can be matched up to $500 each year, leading 

 to $40,000 in additional support for hundreds of charities. 

• Volunteer East Tennessee—ORNL has partnered with Volunteer East Tennessee to connect employees with opportunities to help local 

 nonprofits. Employees may choose from virtual or in-person service across a broad spectrum of categories, including, advocacy, events, 

 education, finance, food preparation, marketing, and physical labor. 

Setting Our Sights on STEM

ORNL reaches thousands of students and educators every year with the goal of enhancing awareness and encouraging interest in 

STEM careers. This goal is accomplished through ORNL grants, virtual classroom support, and other educational connections in the science 

disciplines. For more information, see our STEM Education and Outreach Fact Sheet or visit STEM.ornl.gov.

Connect with us on social media 

Part of ORNL’s social responsibility is helping to build thriving communities, inspiring STEM-focused learning, and supporting 

employee-supported nonprofits. Connect with us on the following social platforms:

 • Twitter—@ORNL 

 • Instagram—Oakridgelab 

 • Facebook—Oak Ridge National Laboratory

 • Podcast—Sounds of Science

The Measure of Our Success

On Facebook and Twitter:

@ORNLCommunity

#ORNLGives

Staff members from the Energy 

Science and Technology 

directorate (ESTD) pose 

with cutouts of Love Kitchen 

founders Helen Ashe and Ellen 

Turner, during their ORNL 

Gives fundraising events 

outside the Manufacturing 

Demonstration Facility. ESTD 

raised enough money to replace 

the deteriorating ceiling tiles 

in Love Kitchen’s downtown 

Knoxville facility.