Supporting, Serving and Strengthening our Communities 

Purposeful giving is the Synthomer Foundation’s mantra and commitment to our communities. Whether providing grants to nonprofit organizations or volunteering with employees through our Synthomer Cares initiative; we are dedicated to making a positive impact in the communities where we operate throughout the U.S.

For nearly 60 years, the Foundation has had a positive presence in our communities. Beginning with its roots as the General Tire and Rubber Foundation, to taking on the names of GenCorp, OMNOVA and now the Synthomer Foundation; our continued effort to build on to this great legacy of giving and servant leadership remains at the forefront of our existence. 

In 2019, the Foundation awarded nearly $1.2 million to nonprofit organizations who provided services that improved the quality of life through education, health and human service, civic initiatives and the arts. Take a look at our annual report for a complete list of our partnerships. 


Synthomer in the community 

Through our Synthomer Cares initiative, our employees are empowered to volunteer and give back in their local communities. This promotes employee engagement and allows Synthomer to provide hands on support to local nonprofits who need us the most. Each year we sponsor a Synthomer Cares week of service to promote global volunteerism and employee camaraderie.

Supporting our employees in the community

Not only do we encourage our employees to get involved in the community, we reward their efforts by recognizing their commitments through our Employee Community Leadership Award and Matching Gifts programs. 

Employees within the U.S. are eligible to make contributions to any accredited K-12 and higher education institution, and the Foundation will match their gift dollar-for-dollar up to $5,000 annually. Additionally, through the Employee Community Leadership Award program, eligible employees can apply to receive a modest grant in support of the non-profit where they volunteer.

For more information about employee volunteer initiatives, and all of the foundation sponsored programs, please use the tab "contact us".

 

Foundation Giving

The Synthomer Foundation considers support to nonprofit organizations throughout our U.S. footprint whose programs and projects make a significant impact in the community. While some unrestricted funding is provided, the Foundation prefers to fund specific projects.

Our giving areas include:

Education

The Foundation believes in the power of education. We want to motivate our future leaders and workers to gain the knowledge and career skills required for corporations like ours to succeed and maintain a competitive edge. Therefore, education is our highest giving priority.


Arts and Culture

We recognize the vibrancy, importance, and quality of life that arts and culture bring to our communities, and we support organizations who foster those unique opportunities that broaden the cultural experiences for our local families.


Civic

Foundation support extends to civic projects that address important issues designed to fuel community growth and important economic development initiatives.


Health and Human Services

The health and well-being of our communities are vital! Our support reaches the vulnerable, and focus efforts on programs and services that address immediate social needs and long-term sustainability.

The Foundation funds organizations that demonstrate competency and effectiveness. Organizations seeking and receiving funds from the Synthomer Foundation must provide information on how projects will be evaluated and measured. All grant recipients will be required to submit a final program report prior to the distribution of new funds (if applicable).

 

Eligibility

Grant consideration is given to organizations who meet the following criteria:

Tax Status

We consider support to non-profit, tax-exempt organizations, established for public use, which hold an active 501c3 status under the Internal Revenue Service Code.

Geographic Interest

While we fund a limited number of national projects, priority emphasis is given to nonprofit organizations in the U.S. where we have facilities and where our employees live and work. These communities include: 

Akron, OH – Summit County
Beachwood/Warrensville Heights, OH – Cuyahoga County
Mogadore, OH - Summit/Portage County
Auburn, PA – Schuylkill County
Calhoun, GA – Gordon County
Chester, SC – Chester County
Fitchburg, MA – Worchester County
Jeannette, PA – Westmoreland County
Monroe, NC – Union County
Stafford, TX - Fort Bend/Harris County
Roebuck, SC – Spartanburg, SC

 

The Synthomer Foundation does not support:

  • Organizations that are not considered tax-exempt under Section 501(c)3 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service Code, or the equivalent.
  • Individuals, private foundations, fraternal, social, or labor organizations 
  • Organizations that discriminate because of race, color, creed or national origin
  • Political parties, candidates or lobbying activities 
  • Organizations and programs that might pose a potential conflict of interest for Synthomer
  • Courtesy advertising, benefits, raffle tickets and the purchase of tables 

All grant requests to the Synthomer Foundation must be submitted via our online portal and before our annual deadline of October 31.

Click the button below to begin your application.*
*By clicking Continue, you will be taken to a third-party website. Synthomer and the Synthomer Foundation are not responsible for any site content, links, privacy policy, or security policy of this website.

CONTACT US

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