McKinstry Celebrates $1 Million in Climate Giving

In 2020, McKinstry launched our five-year Action for Impact plan to address the climate, affordability and equity crises. Central to this plan is our commitment to eliminate climate harm from the built environment and accelerate the transition to a zero-carbon future. This month, the McKinstry Charitable Foundation reached a climate-focused philanthropic giving milestone of $1 million.

This investment goes to more than 58 nonprofits nationwide, driving impact in a broad range of environmental focus areas including clean energy, climate justice and building decarbonization. A significant portion of the funds were directed through our employee-led People’s Choice campaigns, where staff and Union team members direct funds toward the causes they care about most.

“Philanthropy plays a critical role in our communities, supporting nonprofit organizations to execute their missions with excellence,” said Ashley Ruiz, vice president of McKinstry and executive director of the McKinstry Charitable Foundation. “We are proud to partner with so many impactful organizations nationwide that are advancing positive solutions for the environment and our planet.”

McKinstry is committed to investing in organizations that advance climate action across the country. Over the past five years, our funding has helped support companies and initiatives making a lasting difference. Here’s a closer look at a few of them:

• Climate Solutions: Focused on decarbonization, Climate Solutions is leading the Breaking Barriers Collaborative to help businesses transition to low-carbon fleets and buildings. This cohort-based accelerator brings together diverse voices to ideate for a clean energy future across the Pacific Northwest.
• Forterra: Throughout nearly 17,000 acres of forested land, Forterra is supporting land conservation and stewardship. Focused on restoring Crystal Springs Park, McKinstry’s investment extends beyond monetary giving to engaging our people at Building Good opportunities that create thriving ecosystems and nurture beloved neighborhood green space.
• Denver Urban Gardens (DUG): DUG is expanding food access and climate resilience through community-based urban agriculture with over 200 gardens and 20 food forests across the Denver metro area. Driven by a multi-year commitment from McKinstry and local Building Good support, DUG manages both a community garden providing health food and a newly established food forest offering tree canopy at Doull Elementary School, which serves a majority BIPOC and low-income student population.
• Columbia Slough Watershed Council: Through habitat restoration, education and community engagement, the Columbia Slough Watershed Council works to enhance water quality and restore damaged ecosystems along one of Portland’s vital waterways. With McKinstry’s support, the Council is scaling its programs and capacity to serve more people and protect more of the Columbia Slough, driving stewardship and partnership within local communities.
• Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful (KTBB): KTBB inspires environmental stewardship through hands-on service and education. From community cleanups to tree planting efforts, their initiatives transform public spaces while fostering a shared sense of responsibility for local ecosystems. In 2024 alone, more than 23,000 volunteers helped remove over 259,000 pounds of litter and completed nearly 1,200 beautification projects across the region. Through McKinstry’s partnership and Building Good engagement, employees in Florida have actively supported KTBB’s mission to create greener, healthier spaces for people and wildlife.

We are proud to have contributed $1 million toward climate-focused efforts supporting equitable decarbonization in the communities we serve. McKinstry will continue partnering with organizations working toward climate equity to help build a more sustainable future for all.

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