JAY – International Paper Company Foundation is accepting proposals for financial awards for existing and emerging educational needs, as well as short-term, critical civic needs within the communities where the company has facilities. The foundation also supports those organizations where its employees actively volunteer.

In 2003, foundation grants and other charitable contributions totaled more than $10 million to communities throughout the United States.

The three primary areas of support are education, employee involvement and new critical community needs. Guidelines for the current year include:

Education

• Environmental Education: especially programs focused on young children, outdoor classrooms, forestry and air and water quality programs.

• Literacy: programs that enhance the reading skills of children and programs that teach English as a second language.

• Minority Career Development: education program targeted to women and minorities that emphasize careers in manufacturing, engineering or forestry and outreach education programs for college potential minority youth.

Employee involvement

• Grant applications from employees for charitable organizations where they volunteer or, more specifically, the volunteer must be a full-time employee of IP, must be an active volunteer with the organization for a minimum of six months and the employee may request funds for only one nonprofit organization per year.

Critical community needs

• Realizing that there are times in every community when unexpected needs arise for which there are no readily available funds, the foundation will consider providing “seed” money on a one-time, non-recurring basis for these needs. The project must be a new “critical” community initiative, the proposal must demonstrate the support of the local community and should provide a benefit to the community at large and sources of potential future funding must be identified.

All proposals must be submitted on an International Paper Company Foundation grant application form and must be completed in its entirety to be considered. To obtain a form or ask questions, contact Fiona McCaul at 897-1206. Forms are also available online at www.internationalpaper.com. Click on IP Philanthropy and then IP Foundation.

The application deadline is April 23. Proposals funded in any one year are not automatically assured of future support. Please submit a new request each year to be considered for renewed funding.