Community

Making a Difference in Our Communities

At Cleveland-Cliffs, we care deeply about the communities in which we operate, and where our employees live and work. Our goal is to be a responsible corporate citizen that acts as a partner in solving community challenges and helping our communities thrive. Our community outreach focuses on investing in education, improving the environment, and supporting healthy and vibrant communities. Through these focus areas, we have formed partnerships with schools, community organizations, neighborhood groups and other charities.

The Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation

The Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation was established in 1962 and has been a dedicated resource for charitable giving activities in the United States for over 50 years.

The mission of The Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation is to have a positive impact in the areas where Cleveland-Cliffs operates by partnering with and investing in non-profit organizations that enhance educational opportunities, protect and improve the environment, promote human health, and support vibrant communities.

Our Areas of Focus

Cleveland-Cliffs and our philanthropic Foundation invest in programs that serve the communities where we operate and meet one of our focus areas:

Education

Partnering with organizations that build skills, including STEM skills, across all age groups; preparing a ready workforce; and increasing employment opportunities for community members.

Environment

Supporting organizations that protect and restore the environment through land and water restoration, creating green spaces, and promoting sustainable communities and natural areas.

Healthy & Vibrant Communities

Working to build healthy, safe, vibrant communities by providing services and creating opportunities for underserved populations; funding programs that promote healthy lifestyles and combat disease; and investing in community-improvement initiatives led by arts, cultural and civic institutions.

How to Request Support

Spotlight: $2.5 Million to Address Food Insecurity

Cleveland-Cliffs and The Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation continues to address food insecurity as one of its key areas of social responsibility.

In February 2023, Cleveland-Cliffs employees donated more than 240,000 pounds of non-perishable food items during the annual Souper Bowl Food Drive. To complement our employees’ generosity, The Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation donated $500,000 to more than 48 organizations working with individuals and families who are food insecure.

In the past three years, The Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation has invested more than $2.5 million in cash contributions to support food insecurity in communities throughout the United States and Canada where the company operates.

“Many continue to struggle to put food on the table in our communities as the pandemic continues. This gift from the Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation will enable us to continue our mobile donations.”

- Marijo Martinec, Food Bank of Northern Indiana executive director and CEO

Learn More

Scholarships & Awards

Sons and Daughters Scholarship Program

Applications are now being accepted for The Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation Sons and Daughters Scholarship. To be eligible for the competitive scholarship, a student must be in his or her final year of high school and the child, stepchild, or adoptive child of a full-time employee of Cleveland-Cliffs, or of an affiliate or a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cleveland-Cliffs.

The Sons and Daughters Scholarship is a competitive scholarship awarding $3,000 annually, for a maximum of four years while enrolled in an undergraduate institution. The scholarship program is administered by the Middletown, Ohio Community Foundation and no employees of Cleveland-Cliffs are involved in the selection process. Employees with high school seniors graduating in Spring 2022 should carefully review the scholarship criteria outlined in the attached document. Please note that children of officers of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (the public company) are not eligible for the scholarship program.

Scholarships are intended to recognize and reward outstanding high school academic and non-academic achievement, and to provide financial assistance to scholars pursuing a bachelor's degree. Scholarships will be awarded to students attending either an accredited U.S. or Canadian college or university as outlined in the application procedures.

Louie F. Cox Memorial African American Scholarship

The Louie F. Cox Scholarship benefits African American students who live or will graduate from a high school located in Butler or Warren Counties in Ohio. The $20,000 scholarship strives to recognize and reward outstanding high school academic and non-academic achievements, and to provide financial assistance to deserving scholars pursuing a bachelor’s degree on a full-time basis from an accredited U.S. state or private not-for-profit college or university. No preference is given to Cleveland-Cliffs employees or their children. Association with Cleveland-Cliffs or its subsidiaries is not a condition of eligibility.

Steel Magnolia Awards

In recognition of women who have overcome obstacles to make a difference in the lives of others, the Cleveland-Cliffs Foundation underwrites the Steel Magnolia Awards. The awards honor women who have faced personal adversity and shown exceptional strength, courage, compassion, and leadership in the communities where the company operates. The recipients are selected by an independent panel of judges. More than 50 Steel Magnolia Awards have been presented to inspirational women since the program's inaugural year in 2009.