Building safer, stronger hometowns with $6.1 million in grants

By Chad Previch, Senior Communications Manager

Norfolk Southern supports over 400 community partners across 219 cities in 2025

Every day, our railroad runs through hundreds of towns and cities, linking people, jobs, and local economies. Through our Thriving Communities and Safety First grant programs, we give back to those places and the local partners strengthening them. In 2025, Norfolk Southern awarded more than $6.1M through both programs, supporting 402 organizations in 22 states and 219 cities across our network.

Why it matters: These grants help advance safety, opportunity, and resilience in the communities where we live and work.

How it works: Launched in 2023, Thriving Communities and Safety First are our two annual grant programs designed to support the people and places connected by our 22-state rail network. Together, these grants have provided funding of over $17 million, reflecting the four pillars of our community impact focus: safety, sustainability, workforce development, and thriving communities.

• Thriving Communities: In 2025, we awarded $4.5M+ for initiatives in sustainability, housing stability, and community well-being.
• Safety First: In 2025, we awarded $1.6M+ to enhance emergency preparedness and public safety.

A pediatric patient at Children’s of Alabama holds a stuffed Norfolk Southern thoroughbred mascot. NS is helping expand medical care in the community.

The impact: These grants power local efforts, from better emergency response to stronger career pathways and greater stability for families. Here are some recent highlights:

• City of Refuge (Atlanta): A Thriving Communities grant is funding shelter, meals, and life-building support for Atlantans facing housing insecurity. This builds on our ongoing partnership. Earlier this year we came together to open a new Welding Training Center.
• Children’s of Alabama (Birmingham): A Thriving Communities grant is expanding critical care capacity and simulation-based training, bringing lifesaving care closer to home for more children across Alabama.
• Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank (Pittsburgh): A $40,000 Thriving Communities grant has already delivered 30,000+ meals for families facing hunger in the region’s 11-county service area. NS also provided a recent $30,000 holiday donation and is hosting a community event on Dec. 6 at the food bank where meal kits and winter essentials will be given away.
• Chicago Police Foundation (Chicago): A Safety First grant is supporting tools like drones and vehicles to deter theft and strengthen community safety citywide.
• Front Steps (Cleveland): A Thriving Communities grant is expanding wraparound care for people facing homelessness. A 2024 grant also helped grow the nonprofit’s Basic Job Training Program.

What we’re saying

“We’re committed to supporting organizations that strengthen the communities we serve. These grants help local partners advance safety, build opportunity, and create lasting resilience for our customers, our employees, and our neighbors across the network.” – Kristin Wong, Director, NS Foundation and Community Impact

Looking ahead: 2026 grant applications will open in February. To learn more about Norfolk Southern’s grant programs or apply in the next cycle, visit Grant Programs.

Chad Previch leads external communications for Norfolk Southern in the areas of Sustainability, Community Impact and Technology. He also manages messaging related to the company’s Government Relations and Investor Relations priorities. He joined NS in 2025, bringing nearly 20 years of PR and corporate communications experience.