Community engagement
At Drax we seek to be a good neighbour and have a positive impact in the communities and regions where we operate. To achieve this, we have a designated Community team that works closely with local community leaders and grassroots civil society.
Learn more about our approach to community engagement in the Drax Foundation Annual Review 2023.
Drax Foundation
The Drax Foundation was established in 2023 to provide grant funding for non-profit organizations that share our commitment to improving equitable access to STEM education, community green spaces, and renewable energy.
Applications to the Drax Foundation
The Drax Foundation welcomes expressions of interest (EoI) from eligible organizations. Please review our Funding and Selection Criteria. An EoI form can then be requested by emailing [email protected]
Drax Community Fund
Each of the communities where we operate has unique needs and challenges. That’s why we established our Community Fund to support grassroots activities and civil society in each of our operating communities.
Applications to the Community Fund
Eligible organizations working in our operating communities should submit an online enquiry form in the first instance Online Enquiry to Drax Community Fund
Contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Through all that we do, we are committed to making a measurable contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We have prioritised eight intersecting goals where we can have the greatest impact.
Our impact in 2023
Meet some of our grantees
Investing in girls and indigenous communities as future STEM leaders with Society for Canadian Women in Science and Technology (SCWIST).
SCWIST was established to create more diversity in STEM by promoting, encouraging, and empowering women and girls and gender-diverse people. Our funding is supporting SCWIST’s ‘STEM Explore’ programme to deliver 240 STEM workshops in urban areas, reaching 1,500 students. We are also supporting SCWIST’s STEM mentoring programme, which will see 100 girls paired with diverse STEM professionals.
“On behalf of SCWIST, I would like to express our heartfelt appreciation for the Drax Foundation’s generous support for our Youth Engagement Continuum. STEM skills are life skills. With access to STEM knowledge, the youth of today – the adults of tomorrow! – can shape their own futures and chart a logical path in a rapidly changing world.” – Society for Canadian Women in Science and Technology, JeAnn Watson, Treasurer and Director at SCWIST
Working with Science World to bring STEM education to remote communities across British Columbia.
Science World is a non-profit science centre that engages learners across British Columbia in STEM and On The Road is a core part of its outreach, reaching up to 30,000 students each year across 20 remote school districts. In 2023, we kicked-off a three-year partnership with Science World to bring On the Road to some of the rural communities where we operate.
“At Science World, our core belief is Science for All and this collaboration allows us to extend that commitment into rural and underserved communities across BC. Together with the Drax Foundation, we’re making science accessible, relatable, and most importantly, fun for everyone.” – Tracy Redies, President & CEO of Science World
Supporting foodbanks in our local communities during the festive season.
As part of our community outreach, we make annual donations to foodbanks in each of our operating communities in the run up to the December festive season. This is a key aspect of our Community Fund, which prioritises under-served and under-represented communities. In 2023, we donated £110k to 33 foodbanks.
“Thanks to the generous support of businesses like Drax we were able to provide 140 Christmas Hampers in the town of Princeton. This has a huge impact on so many lives in our little town, adding some joy to the Christmas season.” – Scott Musgrove, Director of Princeton Food Bank, Canada
Communities in Crisis Fund
Our Communities in Crisis Fund provides emergency aid in response to natural disasters, conflict, and other humanitarian crises.
Crisis Fund donations made during 2023:
