Freeport-McMoRan and Climax Molybdenum are pleased to announce the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation has awarded $300,000 in Grand and Clear Creek Counties as part of just over $3 million awarded to 55 projects in Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, New Mexico and Texas through its Community and Social Investment Fund process.

Recipient organizations will receive their monetary awards and be recognized by members of the Community Investment Committee during presentations in the coming months.

“The success of our community investments relies on partnering with communities to think through opportunities to address potential risks to resilience and well-being, and actively working to identify projects and programs that will strengthen communities over time,” said Tracy Bame, President, Freeport-McMoRan Foundation. “We are grateful for relationships with community partners that allow the kind of collaboration needed to deliver projects and programs that will yield the most meaningful social benefit and continue to build the foundation needed to ensure resilience in a post-mining scenario.”

The Freeport-McMoRan Foundation works with a range of committed partners throughout the investment process. The Foundation has an ongoing partnership with True Impact, allowing organizations to forecast the impact of their project in the community.

Community Investment Funds are led by seven to nine local leaders representing diverse organizations, and along with two to three Freeport-McMoRan representatives, they decide how funds are awarded. These community leaders are selected by members of the local Community Partnership Panel, a stakeholder engagement process established by Freeport-McMoRan more than 18 years ago to foster open and ongoing dialogue with the community. The process allows the company and the community to work together to develop thoughtful solutions that address community needs.

Since 2019, just over $1 million has been invested through the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation Community Investment Fund in Grand and Clear Creek Counties. The funds have been awarded to programs and projects that help foster sustainability and reduce dependency on any single industry. In 2023, $300,000 was awarded to the following grant recipients:

Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity, Idaho Springs Affordable Townhome Ownership – $40,000: Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity will work with residents to create affordable homeownership opportunities in the downtown Idaho Springs area.

Clear Creek County, Clear Creek County Health and Wellness Center – $100,000: (third payment of a $500,000 commitment)A commitment of $500,000 over five years supports the building and launch of the first collaborative care center in Clear Creek County. The center allows residents to seek mental and physical health care in the county, keeping health spending and other associated revenue in the local community.

Clear Creek Metropolitan Recreation District, Idaho Springs Sports & Events Complex – $50,000: Funding will be used to develop conceptual designs in the pursuit of constructing a world-class skatepark as part of the reimagined Idaho Springs Sports & Events Complex.

Clear Creek School District, Clear Creek Early Learning Center – $30,000: Funding will support the opening of the Clear Creek Early Learning Center, including facility design and construction as well as the development of programs to support local early learning professionals.

Fraser Valley Metropolitan Recreation District, Grand Park Community Recreation Center Expansion Project – $80,000: This project will include improvements to Grand Park Community Recreation Center, creating additional recreational opportunities in the community.

For more information about Freeport-McMoRan community investments and programs, please contact Tammy Paz-Combs at tpazcomb@fmi.com or visit FreeportInMyCommunity.com.