Raftelis is a purpose-driven company—it’s important for us to create opportunities to live our values. Philanthropy has been a part of our culture from the start because it is another way we can help transform communities so they can thrive.
We partner with nonprofit organizations to address some of the most pressing issues in our communities and in the world today. Our focus is on helping build sustainable, inclusive communities locally and around the world. One way we do this is by allocating funding to organizations that seek to improve access to clean water and support conservation of this most precious resource. We also support efforts to make utility service and other basic needs more affordable and accessible for all members of our communities. When making allocation decisions, we prioritize organizations who serve underrepresented communities and are committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition to funding this work, each year we also invest in future leaders by supporting Raftelis Leadership Scholarships for students who want to help local governments and utilities overcome the challenges they face.
We also encourage our employees to be engaged in their local communities by volunteering. Employees regularly take on volunteer projects in their community or sign up as an office for a fund-raising fun run or clean-up for organizations that align with our values.
Our approach to philanthropy is rooted in the Raftelis Charitable Gift Fund which has received over $600,000 from Raftelis and employee donations since it began in 2018. An employee-led Board of Trustees is the driving and organizing force behind our giving program.
The Raftelis Charitable Gift Fund evaluates and selects recipients of our contributions based on alignment with the following pillars:
Recipients are evaluated and selected based on a track record of success, charity ratings and management scores.
We have established several annual recurring charities to support including:
In addition to financial contributions, we partner with these organizations on volunteer opportunities. Additional contributions flow to organizations that our employees raise up as opportunities for us to make a difference.
Two Raftelis Leadership Scholarships have been established with the goal of supporting and growing relationships with promising students who have an interest in becoming problem solvers for local governments and municipal water utilities. Our ideal scholarship candidate has an interest in a consulting career. Students with diverse backgrounds and experiences are highly encouraged to apply.
Successful applicants have proven leadership ability and strong academic achievement. Although a specific major is not required, students who have a major in business, finance, communications, public affairs, economics, marketing, and government relations are aligned with the types of majors many of our employees have. Above all we are looking for well-rounded students with initiative and experience that they would like to share with our company and our clients.
Raftelis selects two scholarship recipients annually to receive:
Requirements:
Scholarship applications for the 2024-2025 academic year are open until December 19, 2023.
To learn more about opportunities at our firm, visit our careers page.
