Putting promise into practice across the broader community
We partner with businesses, schools, local leaders, neighborhoods, and organizations to address issues and amplify opportunities—supporting causes that change lives, working to reverse racial and economic disparities, and promoting employee volunteerism.
Northwestern Mutual Foundation: Improving the lives of children and families in need
Since 1992, we've given more than $400 million to make a positive impact where our people live and work. Our areas of focus: fighting childhood cancer, improving education, revitalizing neighborhoods—and helping our hometown, Milwaukee, flourish.
Learn more about the Northwestern Mutual Foundation.
Curing childhood cancer
This year we mark a decade of helping to accelerate the search for better treatments and cures for childhood cancer while also supporting families in treatment and survivors facing late-term effects. We partner nationally with organizations including Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. And we take pride in knowing there are kids today who are cancer-free thanks to the research we've funded.Learn more
Revitalizing neighborhoods
We work directly with residents to advance their objectives and have invested nearly $15 million since 2013 to foster safe neighborhoods, healthy and thriving youth, and strong families. This year we built on our neighborhood revitalization efforts with $1.7 million in grants to nearly 30 nonprofit organizations in Milwaukee's Amani, Metcalfe Park, and Muskego Way neighborhoods.Learn more
Improving education
We support quality education for Milwaukee's youth at every level-working to improve their future as well as our community's. In the past 26 years, we've invested more than $60 million in Milwaukee-area schools to address educational disparities, helping to close the opportunity gap facing talented yet underrepresented students.Learn more
Supporting culture
Through the Northwestern Mutual Foundation, as well as the generosity of our employees, we support cultural attractions that make Milwaukee a great place to live and visit.Learn more
Building pathways to racial equity
A diverse and inclusive culture is not optional; our dedication to it is a business priority that affects all we do. Northwestern Mutual has a clear diversity and inclusion roadmap and is committed to specific multi-year initiatives to drive change across our company and communities.
Learn moreSustained Action for Racial Equity (SARE).
Launched in 2020 and chaired by our chief executive officer, the SARE task force is charged with creating meaningful, measurable, strategic change. A diverse group of 80+ leaders across our corporate headquarters and field force of financial advisors focuses on four key areas: creating a culture of belonging, elevating world-class talent, building financial inclusion and Black/African American prosperity, and ensuring marketplace impact and relevance.
Impact Investing Fund.
Our $100 million Impact Investing Fund, established in 2021, is delivering on our commitment to advance underserved communities on local and national scales. Twenty Black-owned businesses have received investments through the fund to date.
The Loyola Project.
We sponsored a documentary on the 1963 Loyola University Ramblers as they broke racial barriers. More than a million people have seen this incredible story of basketball, race relations and courage.
MKE Tech Hub Coalition.
We helped launch this coalition to establish a diverse and inclusive talent pipeline of tech talent and innovation in the Milwaukee region.
Investing in Black-led financial institutions.
Our $5 million investment in two Black-led, Milwaukee-based Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) increases access to capital for Black and African American businesses.
Supplier Diversity initiative.
We are developing mutually beneficial relationships with historically underrepresented businesses to strengthen our supply base, provide the best value to our policyowners and clients, and create lasting effects in our communities.
Investing in Black Entrepreneurs.
We've invested a total of $2M in 20 Black entrepreneurs through the Northwestern Mutual Black Founder Accelerator®, which includes a 12-week support program and mentoring by Northwestern Mutual leaders.
Investing in Black-led financial institutions.
Our $5 million investment in two Black-led, Milwaukee-based Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) increases access to capital for Black and African American businesses.
Supplier Diversity initiative.
We are developing mutually beneficial relationships with historically underrepresented businesses to strengthen our supply base, provide the best value to our policyowners and clients, and create lasting effects in our communities.
Investing in Black Entrepreneurs.
We've invested a total of $2M in 20 Black entrepreneurs through the Northwestern Mutual Black Founder Accelerator®, which includes a 12-week support program and mentoring by Northwestern Mutual leaders.
Here are some recent highlights:
$20M dollars allocated to start-ups with Black or African-American founders by Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures funds.
Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures funds has allocated $20 million to start-ups with Black or African-American founders. We have begun investing in companies and are engaged in discussions with others to be part of this initiative. See more details.
$100K dollars in grant money provided to each black founder.
Northwestern Mutual Black Founder Accelerator program is working with start-ups in partnership with gener8tor (a nationally ranked start-up accelerator) to provide each Black founder a $100,000 grant to apply toward their business model—along with mentoring from key leaders of Northwestern Mutual. Learn more about this program.
$100M in funding.
Northwestern Mutual Impact Investing Fund is supporting Black and African-American financial inclusion and economic prosperity with $100 million in funding.
Our employees and financial professionals give back
We enthusiastically support our employees' direct involvement in the causes closest to their hearts:
- Two days paid volunteer time
- Matching Gifts program, a dollar-for-dollar match for charitable gifts made by our people to accredited schools
- Northwestern Mutual Volunteer Program, which supports employee-led mentoring, blood drives, charity initiatives and events, and philanthropic collections
- Our Community Service Awards Program, through which Northwestern Mutual has awarded $6.3 million since 1995 to nonprofits supported by our financial professionals in their communities across the country
Climate risk stakeholders group
We've established a team to identify emerging expectations and data sources and coordinate assessment and prioritization of climate-related risks. This team assists the Enterprise Risk Management team in determining how climate-related considerations can be integrated into operations, strategic planning, and reporting, and monitor climate and other regulatory initiatives.
$20B
in environmentally sensitive and socially responsible investments, including $3B in housing support for people with low incomes.
$20B
in environmentally sensitive and socially responsible investments, including $3B in housing support for people with low incomes.