Natural Stone Foundation is formed

The Natural Stone Institute now has a new vehicle to honor and recognize industry friends while also giving back to the stone industry. The Natural Stone Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization that serves as the philanthropic arm of the association and works to further strengthen its commitment to providing relevant education and support for critical initiatives. I believe this will position the association for continued growth and expansion while also providing a pathway for donors to leave a legacy for many years to come.

The Foundation has already generated positive results for the industry by supporting the association’s Use Natural Stone promotional campaign, which provides trusted content designed to educate and inspire consumers, architects, designers, builders and other specifiers to choose genuine natural stone in their projects.

Plans are also underway to utilize the Foundation’s support for several key strategic initiatives to better educate the architecture and design community, consumers and industry professionals about the features and benefits of natural stone. In addition to funding the Natural Stone Scholarship and Women in Stone Empowerment Scholarship, the Foundation will be underwriting an effort to create international standards for natural stone. This endeavor will position the Natural Stone Institute to lead this important effort by becoming the International Standards Organization (ISO) secretariat.

If you’re looking for a way to give back to and help sustain the industry you know and love, consider making a tax-deferrable contribution to the Foundation. Donations can honor someone who has influenced the natural stone industry or create an endowment supporting the industry you’ve made your living from. Gifts can also recognize an important milestone in a colleague’s professional life or commemorate the memory of someone special. This year, the Foundation’s goal is to raise $100,000 for underwriting programs, providing scholarships and furthering industry research and education.

All proceeds raised will help the Foundation sustain the stone industry and lead the way to a stronger future. To make a contribution visit www.naturalstoneinstitute.org/foundation. For more information about the Natural Stone Foundation, please contact Pam Hammond at (440) 250-9222 or pam@naturalstoneinstitute.org.