CNX has a longstanding and special relationship with the communities and people in our region. We have called Appalachia home for 160 years and know that the people and families within our walls, and living in our operational footprint, are one and the same. Over the years, we have become increasingly concerned that many of our friends and neighbors are denied access to economic opportunities in energy and manufacturing that represent a realistic path to the middle class.
Community Engagement and Investment
The CNX Foundation is committed to supporting grassroots projects and community organizations that may otherwise struggle to compete for funding with more established entities.
The CNX Foundation philosophy aligns with our Tangible, Impactful, Local focus, and seeks to help those who need it most. We are not interested in simply donating money. We facilitate creative problem-solving by bringing together a diverse range of partners and resources to invest in challenges that are often overlooked or ignored.
Understanding our philosophy starts with understanding the meaning of the Tangible, Impactful, and Local initiatives we support:
TANGIBLE
We are focused on making a real, and measurable difference in the communities we serve.
IMPACTFUL
We seek to identify true needs within our community so our support will have an immediate and long-lasting impact in helping specific programs within the region meet their goals.
LOCAL
Our efforts are rooted in supporting communities in our operational footprint so we can foster more opportunities for growth, close to home.
CNX Foundation
CNX Foundation is dedicated to supporting organizations that focus their efforts on addressing community initiatives in the following key areas:
- Food Insecurity
- Children’s Health and Wellness
- Broadband and Information Technology Access
- Recidivism and Re-entry
- Domestic Abuse Awareness
- Opioid Epidemic and Societal Impact
- Career Awareness/Technical and Vocational Training
- Water Quality Safety and Awareness
- Veterans and Active Military
Community investment is more than a financial commitment. We strive to enhance our communities by lending our time and talent to organizations across the region. In 2023, the CNX Foundation invested $3.1 million dollars in 121 initiatives aligned with its Tangible, Impactful, Local community focus. At the end of 2023, we have contributed $15 million as part of our pledge to invest $30 million through 2026 in local initiatives supporting underserved causes within our operating footprint.
The CNX Foundation—with significant commitment and involvement from our CEO—makes Tangible investments in our community and its most valuable asset: its people. At the request of the CEO, CNX’s Board of Directors approved a $1.5 million reduction in annual CEO compensation for 2024. Following similar reductions in CEO compensation in 2023 ($1.5) and in 2022 ($1 million), the funds will once again be reallocated to support CNX Foundation initiatives, including a collaboration between CNX and the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) See more here.
CNX is partnering with CCAC to remove barriers and create career pathways for veterans, survivors of domestic violence and opioid addiction, and the formerly incarcerated by providing the knowledge and skills needed to access and thrive in the region’s evolving energy economy. Additional funding will support the Emergency GAP Fund, providing direct assistance to students experiencing financial hardship.
Supporting Substance Recovery
CNX Foundation invested $1 million to help patients in recovery take the first steps toward healing. Located in the heart of rural southwestern Pennsylvania, the facility (Penn Highlands Mon Valley) is the first of its kind to provide recovery care to these communities. The unit has physicians and nursing staff available around-the-clock, along with therapists to support patients on their journey to recovery.
“Having the support of an organization that understands how important it is to serve the community is invaluable,” said Peter Adamo, Regional Market President Southwestern Region for Penn Highlands. “The opioid crisis affects not only the patient, but those we consider ‘extended patients’—their family members. If we do not turn this crisis around, it will continue to devastate entire communities across our region. I am so appreciative of the CNX Foundation and I am looking forward to our continued relationship.”
Supporting Local First Responders
CNX donated over $101,000 to first responders at more than twenty organizations—including $28,000 to Russell County, Tazewell County, and Buchanan County, Virginia—to support facility improvements, equipment, and supplies.
CNX Foundation was proud to support the West Finley Volunteer Fire Company (VFC) with a $10,000 donation to fund its ALS battery system, which helps volunteer firefighters perform chest compressions in the field for up to 40 minutes. CNX Foundation is grateful to the West Finley VFC and other Appalachian first responders for providing essential services to our local communities.
Alleviating School Lunch Debts
CNX Foundation hosted two events, a golf outing and a clay shoot, to raise awareness for school lunch debts across the Appalachian region. Forty-three sponsors raised over $41,000 to pay off school lunch debts in seven school districts and helped alleviate financial burdens for struggling families and, in some instances, unlocked high school diplomas that were being kept from students for lack of payment. Beneficiary school districts included:
- Central Greene School District
- West Greene School District
- Kiski Area School District
- McGuffey School District
- Russell County Public Schools
- Buchanan County Public Schools
- Tazewell County Public Schools
Supporting Local Military and Veterans
The holidays can be tough on military families, especially if a loved one is deployed or unable to be home. CNX Foundation provided 115 holiday meal boxes to veteran families across the Appalachian region.
In Southwest Virginia alone, seventy-two veterans at the Veterans Administration clinic in Tazewell County, Virginia received Thanksgiving food boxes—courtesy of the CNX Foundation—as a thank you for their service to our country.
“This project was one small way we could say thank you to the veterans in our community for their service,” said Brian Green, vice president of CNX Resources Virginia Operations. “We appreciate all that each of them have done through their service in various branches of the military to ensure that all of us enjoy the freedoms we enjoy today.”
CNX VOLUNTEERISM
In 2023, CNX provided full-time and part-time employees the opportunity to exchange work hours for volunteer hours. Full-time employees received 16 hours, and part-time employees received 8 hours to volunteer for organizations important to them here in Appalachia. The effort allowed employees to be fully engaged in the community and strengthen our collective understanding of needs in the region.
Holiday Giving Impact at-a-glance:
RESPONDING TO THE COMMUNITY
Over the course of two afternoons, CNX employees collected 74 bags of trash, 18 tires, a TV, and a few appliances in a cleanup blitz near the Washington Reservoirs in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The effort, in coordination with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, (PennDOT) provided an uplift to the residential community and prevented litter from ending up in the reservoirs and downstream waterways.
CNX Volunteer Firefighters Serving Their Communities
First responders are known for running toward a crisis. For local fire departments, the crisis doesn’t always involve flames.
“The fire department is the community ‘go-to.’ When someone has a question or problems, they call the fire department,” said Donnie Lindsey, CNX Process Safety Manager, and Chief of the Shinnston Fire Department in his hometown.
Fires, floods, food and clothing drives, car accidents, safety trainings, and community gatherings are just a few of the bells that local fire departments answer when they ring. “Staying engaged with the city leadership, the residents of the city, and surrounding areas is our first duty,” said Lindsey. “Being proactive and visible to them… but most importantly being there when we are needed.”
CNX has long supported local fire departments—both full-time and volunteer—and we are proud to have several volunteer firemen on our team. Measurement Foreman Doug Detig joined the Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) in Finleyville, PA at the age of 18. Growing up, he saw how pivotal the department was to the community. After 30 years of service, Detig says, “I have seen the worst side of people on incidents but knowing that I can help them in their time of need makes me and the entire department proud to serve.”
“My family has been a part of VFDs for years, which led me to want to help people,” said Shane Ullom, a Plant Operator with CNX Midstream. At his “day job,” Ullom ensures that natural gas flows safely through compressor stations that deliver it from well pads to points of distribution. In his other role, as Chief of the Roberts Ridge VFD in Marshall County, WV, his responsibilities are not defined by “day” or “night.” “My duties as Chief are to run all operations, including budgets, SOPs, training, fire reports, and legal matters,” Ullom said, adding, “I also delegate responsibilities within my membership.”
Running a community fire department is a task that spans communities and generations alike.“It’s neighbors helping neighbors,” said Chad Watkins, a Lease Operator with the CNX Well Tending team, “We’re all giving back to the communities where we live and serve.” Watkins is Chief of the Washington Lands Volunteer Fire Department in Moundsville. “I wanted to follow in my dad’s footsteps as chief of Washington Lands and I like to help people in their time of need.”
Watkins, Ullom, and Lindsey are all second-generation firefighters who credit their upbringing for inspiring them to serve their communities—a deeply held value they plan on passing down to the next generation. “The fire service has always been a part of my family. Now my daughter is getting involved,” said Lindsey.
While Detig is the first in his family to serve in an official role as a firefighter, he has become part of a much larger family. “We are all brothers and sisters in the department,” he said. “We support everyone and know that we can call on each other at any time.”
For all who serve, it’s a matter of impact. “I always wanted to make a difference in the community,” said Lindsey, “Having the ability to help someone in need is the best reward for me. I want to give back to the communities that I was raised in.”
President—Harrison County Fire Chief’s Association
Board member— Harrison County Ambulance Authority
Instructor—WVU Fire Service Extension
Operator—Moundsville Volunteer Fire Department, Marshall County, WV