Contributed Article/Courtesy FMI
PHOENIX – Freeport-McMoRan is pleased to announce its foundation awarded $3 million to 68 projects across its 12 U.S. operating communities in Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, New Mexico, and Texas through its Community and Social Investment Funds in 2025.
“The success of our community investments depends on strong partnerships with local communities,” said Tracy Bame, President of the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation. “By working together to identify opportunities and address potential risks to resilience and well-being, we can support projects and programs that deliver meaningful social impact. These collaborations are essential to building long-term community strength, especially in preparing for a post-mining future.”
The Freeport-McMoRan Foundation works with a range of committed partners throughout the investment process. These include True Impact, an impact measurement platform that helps organizations analyze project impact, and Better City, an economic advisory firm that helps host communities create Resilience Action Plans.
These plans are part of Freeport’s Resilience Initiative and are built through a community-led process. Residents and stakeholders work together to identify key risks, set priorities, and develop practical strategies for both near-term and long-term action. The plans build on existing community efforts and consider local strengths, resources, and capacities.
The foundation supports projects that align with these plans through its Community and Social Investment Funds to strengthen local resilience and the ability to respond to challenges and opportunities over time.
Community Investment Fund Process
The Community Investment Fund application review and selection process is led by seven to nine local leaders representing diverse organizations, and by two to three Freeport representatives, who determine how funds are awarded. The community leaders are selected by members of the local Community Partnership Panel, a stakeholder engagement forum established by Freeport more than 20 years ago to foster open and ongoing dialogue with the community. This collaborative process ensures funding decisions reflect local priorities and support meaningful, long-term solutions.
Since 2012, just under $3.6 million has been invested in Greenlee County through the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation Community Investment Fund. The funds have been awarded to programs and projects that help foster sustainability and reduce dependency on any single industry. In 2025, a total of $255,000 was awarded to the following grant recipients:
Southeastern Arizona Community Unique Services
Meals for Greenlee County Seniors – $15,000
These funds will help ensure that area residents receive the support they need to remain in their homes and access adequate nutrition, thereby improving their health. This project aligns with the civic engagement strategy in the Greenlee County Resilience Action Plan.
Tooth B.U.D.D.S., Inc.
School-Based Mobile Oral Hygiene Program Van – $30,000
Funds will be used to help purchase a cargo van to expand existing services for the Mobile School-Based Oral Hygiene program in Greenlee County.
Town of Duncan
Duncan Wastewater Infrastructure Resilience Enhancement – $35,000
Funding will be used to enhance existing wastewater infrastructure. This project aligns with the infrastructure needs assessment strategy of the Greenlee County Resilience Action Plan.
Town of Clifton
Police Dispatch CAD Software – $75,000
Funds will support the purchase and implementation of modern computer-aided dispatch software to enhance emergency response capabilities. This project aligns with the disaster response strategy of the Greenlee County Resilience Action Plan.
Greenlee County
Greenlee County Fairgrounds Renovations – $100,000
Funding will be used to design a reimagined recreational space for the Greenlee County fairgrounds. This project aligns with the economic development strategy of the Greenlee County Resilience Action Plan.
