Supports research to combat disease that has killed tens of millions of bats over the past decade
Part of Avangrid Foundation’s commitment to supporting causes across its four Pillars of Giving: Social Action, Education and Research, Biodiversity and Climate Change, and Arts and Culture
The Avangrid Foundation, the philanthropic arm of leading sustainable energy company Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), has announced a $100,000 grant to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s (NFWF) Bats for the Future Fund, which provides funding for existing and novel treatments for white-nose syndrome, a disease that has killed tens of millions of bats over the past decade. This is the sixth consecutive year that the Avangrid Foundation has helped fund this initiative. This year’s awards from the fund will have a total conservation impact of more than $1.4 million.
“As our climate continues to change rapidly, these types of research programs are more important than ever,” said Pedro Azagra, Avangrid CEO. “We’re very proud to have been a key contributor to the Bats for the Future Fund since 2018. It allows us to collectively deepen our understanding of white-nose syndrome and how to combat it.”
“Bats play a critical role in the environment and ecosystems around us,” said Pablo Colón, director of corporate citizenship and executive director, Avangrid Foundation. “It’s vital to protect them by studying and slowing the spread of white-nose syndrome. The Avangrid Foundation is proud to partner with NFWF to provide much needed funding for these innovative research and conservation initiatives.”
This year’s Bats for the Future Fund grant recipients are the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation, Temple University, Bat Conservation International, Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, and the University of Waterloo. The grants will support projects to enhance habitats around roosting sites for Indiana bats through tree planting, identify and include key foraging habitats in management plans, and further test the efficacy of anti-fungal applications to slow the growth of the causal fungus. More information on each project can be found here.
“White-nose syndrome continues to have serious impacts on hibernating bat species in North America,” said Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF. “Strategies including enhancement of habitats and inhibiting growth of the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome will help to improve survival and recovery of North American bat species. With the support of our federal and corporate partners, the grants we announce today will contribute to reducing impacts from this calamitous disease.”
Since its inception in 2017, the BFF has awarded more than $4.8 million in grants to support research and implement experimental treatment and management strategies that slow the spread of WNS and improve survival of bats across the U.S. and Canada. Grants support collaborations among federal and state agencies, universities, non-governmental organizations and for-profit corporations, who have joined forces to prevent potential bat extinctions caused by this spreading wildlife disease.
About Avangrid Foundation: The Avangrid Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization that funds philanthropic investments that primarily impact communities where AVANGRID, Inc. and its subsidiaries operate. Since 2001, the Avangrid Foundation and its predecessors have invested more than $32 million in partnerships that focus on building sustainable, vital and healthy communities; preserving cultural and artistic heritage; advancing education; and improving people’s lives. The Avangrid Foundation is committed to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in the United States. For more information, please visit www.avangridfoundation.org.
About Avangrid: Avangrid, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $41 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, Avangrid has two primary lines of business: networks and renewables. Through its networks business, Avangrid owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Through its renewables business, Avangrid owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. Avangrid employs more than 7,500 people and has been recognized by JUST Capital in 2021, 2022 and 2023 as one of the JUST 100 companies – a ranking of America’s best corporate citizens. In 2023, Avangrid ranked first within the utility sector for its commitment to the environment. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2023 for the fifth consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. Avangrid is a member of the group of companies controlled by Iberdrola, S.A. For more information, visit www.avangrid.com.
About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: Chartered by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores the nation’s fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Working with federal, corporate, foundation and individual partners, NFWF has funded more than 6,000 organizations and generated a total conservation impact of $8.1 billion. NFWF is an equal opportunity provider. Learn more at nfwf.org.
About the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service also leads the collaborative National Response to WNS. For more information about our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov. The public can also connect with our Facebook page, follow our tweets, watch our YouTube channel and download photos from our Flickr page.
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Sarah Warren
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585-794-9253
