Communities and Giving

We align with organizations that are committed to creating enduring positive changes within our communities. Efforts are focused on four key impact areas: food security, crisis stability, social and economic empowerment and children’s well-being.

In 2023, 191 Nationwide leaders served on nonprofit boards across the country. The commitment of our leaders and associates, coupled with strong relationships with our national partners, creates a real impact across the country. 2023 highlights include:

$40.1 million
in Nationwide Foundation contributions to nonprofit organizations in 2023
$7.3 million
in associate contributions to nonprofit organizations
70,000+ hours
volunteered by Nationwide associates

Achieving food security

$2.5 million
contributed from the Nationwide Foundation to Feeding America member food banks and other hunger relief agencies in 2023
$875,000+
in Nationwide associate contributions in 2023
18,500+ hours
volunteered by Nationwide associates in 2023

In central Ohio, Raleigh, North Carolina and San Antonio, Texas, teams across Nationwide held takeover days and showed up for their communities. Nationwide takeover days are specific days where Nationwide assumes responsibility for staffing all available volunteer shifts at a local food bank and fills them with Nationwide leaders and their teams.

In central Ohio, more than 160 leaders and associates gave their time at the Mid-Ohio Food Collective. Their efforts resulted in the packaging of over 1,500 boxes of food within a span of two days.

In Raleigh, Nationwide associates gave their time at the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina. In San Antonio, associates gathered at Gustafson Stadium for a mass distribution event in collaboration with the food bank, successfully serving over 1,100 Texas families.

Supporting relief efforts during times of crisis

$1.5 million
donated from the Nationwide Foundation to American Red Cross disaster relief in 2023
2,800+
units of blood donated by associates in 2023
$58,938
raised from associates for Hawaii wildfire recovery through a Nationwide employee giving portal

Helping to meet the needs of the community

$6.1 million
contributed by associates in community giving through our campaign in 2023
$6.23 million
matched by the Nationwide Foundation to local United Way organizations across the country in 2023

Habitat for Humanity

Nationwide sponsored the building of four Habitat for Humanity homes in 2023 to help deserving families achieve their dream of homeownership. Through the sponsorship, associates helped build homes in central Ohio, Des Moines, Phoenix and San Antonio.

Protecting the health and well-being of children

Nationwide and Nationwide Children’s Hospital have a long-standing partnership aimed at improving pediatric health care and making a difference in the lives of children.

Since 2014, the Nationwide Foundation has supported the Pediatric Innovation Fund with $10 million annual gifts to the hospital’s research efforts. The 2023 gift supports the hospital’s work to expand access to affordable housing in Columbus, Ohio’s Linden neighborhood and its groundbreaking work in genomic medicine, including research and patient care. The Nationwide Foundation’s total giving to the hospital is $150 million.

Nationwide sports marketing platforms also have helped raise more than $55 million for the hospital since 2011. Nationwide sponsorships have included the Memorial Tournament, the Legends Luncheon, the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon & ½ Marathon, the Columbus Crew and a partnership with The Dale Jr. Foundation.

Nationwide sponsored Marathon Mile Champion Zavier Sexton during the 2023 marathon, which contributed more than $1 million to the hospital to support lifesaving research and care for kids.

Nationwide is proud to support Nationwide Children’s Hospital in helping kids like Zavier through lifesaving research and care. Through the marathon, we’ve helped raise more than $12 million since 2012 for the hospital.

Bloom, a program developed in partnership with Nationwide Children’s Hospital and funded by the Nationwide Foundation through the Innovation Fund, is an online curriculum designed to help parents confidently support their children’s mental health. Bloom offers short courses to help parents and caregivers build mental wellness habits, start mental health conversations and recognize when kids need additional help. The program recently earned Nationwide and Nationwide Children’s Hospital the prestigious Halo Award for Best Health Initiative from the Engage for Good organization.

Lifesaving research for children

The 13th annual Legends Luncheon, presented by Nationwide, raised $1.4 million for the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation and Nationwide Children’s Hospital. All proceeds of the Legends Luncheon directly benefit the young patients and families that Nationwide Children’s compassionately serves each day.

At the luncheon, Hunter Young was named the 2023 Nicklaus Youth Spirit Award winner. Learn about his story of survival and why he was honored with this award.

Nationwide awards scholarship to Nationwide Children’s Hospital Patient Champion

Nationwide, a founding partner of the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship golf tournament, honored 16-year-old Reid Zupanc’s 11-year fight against cancer by surprising him with a $10,000 college scholarship.

The presentation preceded the opening round of play at the Korn Ferry Tour Finals event in September of 2023. The tournament raised a record total of $3,518,710 for central Ohio charitable organizations, including $3,307,331 for pediatric cancer research and treatment at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Since the tournament’s inception in 2007, more than $25 million has been raised for the hospital.

Creating opportunity through responsible investing

Affordable housing investments1
$1.7 billion
assets under management
$277 million
invested in 2023
Health care, education and clean
water investments2
$4.8 billion
assets under management
$273 million
invested in 2023

Broadening our impact through sports sponsorships

The 2023 NFL Man of the Year Award, presented by Nationwide, went to Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward in honor of his foundation, which impacts The Heyward House.

Since 2014, Nationwide has donated more than $2.3 million to the foundations represented by the nominees.

Learn more about the 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.

In partnership with Nationwide, the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) announced Racing Louisville FC and Down Syndrome of Louisville as the recipients of the 2023 Nationwide Community Impact Award, a season-long initiative that promotes community partnerships and local service projects chosen and led by each NWSL club. In honor of the charitable collaboration, Nationwide presented a $25,000 donation to Down Syndrome of Louisville. Learn more about the Nationwide Community Impact Award.

Using our voice to advocate for lasting change

To help raise awareness of dangers and prevent tragic deaths in grain structures, hosted the 10th annual Nominate Your Fire Department Contest in recognition of Grain Bin Safety Week.

This program aims to supply fire departments across rural America with the specialized rescue training and equipment needed to respond if an entrapment occurs in a grain bin.

Since 2014, Nationwide and partners have awarded 332 grain rescue tubes to first responders across 32 states. At least seven successful rescues have utilized these resources, including recent rescues in Sabina, Ohio, and Sussex County, Delaware.

Saving lives starts with a strong partnership

Nationwide collaborates each year with the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS) to deliver the rescue equipment and provide safety training. NECAS instructors travel to training locations with state-of-the-art grain entrapment simulators, which are loaded onto 20-foot trailers and are able to hold about 100 bushels of grain each. The comprehensive training sessions include classroom education and rescue simulations.

Grain bin rescue in Sabina, Ohio

In March of 2023, Fire Chief Andy Mason and his team of first responders with the Wilmington Fire Department were dispatched to a nearby farm for a grain bin entrapment in Sabina, Ohio.

Before they arrived, the entrapped individual was up to his armpits in the grain. Thankfully, the fire department had received a grain bin rescue tube and training from Nationwide and NECAS in 2016, and they were able to rescue him quickly. Watch this video to learn more about this successful rescue.

Nationwide and the Nationwide Foundation are proud to be part of the Ohio Opioid Education Alliance, along with 170+ organizations working to address Ohio’s mental health and addiction crisis.

Nationwide and the Nationwide Foundation helped create and fund the 2022 and 2023 advertising campaigns, which focus on challenging the mindsets of Ohioans and eliminating stigmas associated with addiction and mental illness.

The 2023 campaign included a game at beatthestigma.org where people answered 10 questions, received instant feedback and learned more.

Through its Civic Action Program, which celebrated its 45th anniversary in 2023, Nationwide educates and empowers its associates to engage in the political and legislative process so their voices are heard and their votes count at election time.

In July 2023, Nationwide partnered with the American Bar Association (ABA) to host a Civic Engagement Forum for associates and community partners on civics, civility and collaboration. This well-attended event featured politicians and community leaders who shared their perspectives on the importance of civility, bipartisanship, civic engagement and trust in our electoral system.

As a result of the forum and Nationwide’s longstanding commitment to civics education in the workplace, Nationwide received a Presidential Citation from the ABA.

Helping to develop our next generation of leaders

Golden Owl Award®

Nationwide established the Golden Owl Award® to honor the contributions of teachers and support them with additional resources to assist their continued educational efforts.

Of 900 agricultural educators across nine states who were nominated by students and community members in 2023, 64 were recognized in their states as finalists. Each finalist was awarded $500 for their program.

Nine grand prize winners earned the title of their state’s Ag Educator of the Year, the coveted Golden Owl Award trophy, and $3,000 in funding to help bring new opportunities to their programs.

In conjunction with the Golden Owl Award, Nationwide also donated $5,000 to each participating state’s Future Farmers of America (FFA) organization to further support the personal and professional growth of students, teachers and advisors.

Pathways for girls interested in STEM careers

The Nationwide Foundation contributed $1.5 million to the Dream Big initiative, which helps propel girls into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields by allowing them to unleash their curiosity and develop a passion for leadership.

In May of 2023, the Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland (GSOH) hosted its groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of construction of a STEM Leadership Center.

Learn more about what this center will offer and the Dream Big initiative.

[1] This includes general account assets for the Nationwide companies, assets managed by Nationwide, and assets managed by Nationwide Asset Management LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.
[2] This includes general account assets for the Nationwide companies and assets managed by Nationwide Asset Management LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.