Volunteerism and Philanthropy
NI partners with nonprofit organizations each year to provide NI employees opportunities to volunteer, encouraging both one-time and recurring volunteerism. NI works with the following nonprofit groups to coordinate volunteer activities for NI employees. If your nonprofit is interested in partnering with National Instruments volunteers, please fill out the attached form and send it community.connections@ni.com. Community Relations staff will post the volunteer opportunity to the NI online volunteer management tool, www.nivolunteer.com. For questions please send an e-mail to community.connections@ni.com. The Austin Children's Museum
Shoes for Austin
University of Texas Performing Arts Center
United Way Capital Area
Philanthropy - Giving Resources
Community Collaborations - Getting Connected
Austin Children's MuseumNational Instruments supports the work of the Austin Children's Museum as the presenting sponsor of the Austin Children's Museum Robotic Inventions Summer Camps. At these half-day camps, student inventors learn how to program robotic inventions with the LEGO MINDSTORMS robotics system. Students ranging from eight to 11 years of age can experience engineering first-hand as they program a creature-car or a musical amusement park ride, or design a solution to an engineering challenge. Central Texas High-Tech Community Relations CouncilNI works with other technology companies in Austin to ensure the most effective use of our collective resources to impact our community. FIRST LEGO League (FLL)National Instruments is an international sponsor of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) LEGO League (FLL), an international program for more than 100,000 children ages nine to 14 that combines a hands-on, interactive robotics program with a sports-like atmosphere. Keep Austin BeautifulNI partners with Keep Austin Beautiful, a nonprofit organization that works to empower citizens of the greater Austin area to take personal responsibility for enhancing their community environment. Shoes for AustinNI sponsors Shoes for Austin, a local nonprofit organization that gives new athletic shoes and socks to youths and adults who strive to improve their lives. Shoes for Austin teams up with more than 40 local nonprofit organizations to support in-need children and families who set and meet self-improvement goals, such as improving school grades, getting a job, learning about nutrition and sports, or improving reading skills. Once clients complete their goals, they receive new, name-brand athletic shoes and socks as a reward. Statesman Capitol 10,000NI supports the Austin American-Statesman Capitol 10,000, benefiting People's Community Clinic. This is the third year that the Statesman Capitol 10,000 has supported People's Community Clinic, which received $173,799 from the race in 2004 and $175,442 in 2005. The clinic will receive 100 percent of the proceeds from the 2006 race, as well. People's Community Clinic, a unique Austin institution, is one of the longest-running independent primary care clinics in America. It is Austin's only independent clinic offering comprehensive health and wellness care to improve the health of uninsured members of our community. The clinic has been locally managed for 35 years, and is nonprofit and privately funded. All services are offered on a sliding-scale basis. United Way Capital AreaVia collaboration, volunteerism, and monetary support through United Way Capital Area, NI supports community efforts to provide and improve basic needs and security, health and wellness, and lifelong learning and development in our community. The University of Texas at Austin DTEACh ProgramToday, educators strive to make STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education fun and exciting through the use of technology and hands-on learning. NI makes this easy for local K-12 educators through its support of the University of Texas College of Engineering DTEACh (Design Technology and Engineering for America's Children) program. University of Texas Performing Arts CenterSince 1997, NI has sponsored this leading arts center, helping bring world-class artists to the stages and schools of Central Texas. Operating under the auspices of the College of Fine Arts at the University of Texas (UT), the six PAC theaters serve as a "culture for learning" for UT faculty and students, artists, and the community, and as a center for the creation and cultivation of new American art. The UT PAC mission is to educate, enlighten, and entertain audiences, both public and behind the scenes. Whether it takes place in a classroom, on a stage, or out in the community, the PAC is dedicated to teaching the UT and Central Texas communities about the importance of the arts in our daily lives. |
NI employees are volunteering and giving back to their communities with time, talent, and resources.
NI employees serve as museum docents and volunteer for the Austin Children's Museum Robotic Inventions Summer Camps in addition to the museum's popular Gingerbread House workshop during the winter holidays.
NI volunteers help kids in need by sorting thousands of shoes in the Shoes for Austin warehouse or by traveling to local schools to award shoe grants.
NI employees support the arts by hosting and ushering through the busy UT PAC season.
Whether by sitting on the board of the Young Leaders Society or by being a member of a community impact council, NI employees are engaged throughout various programs facilitated by United Way Capital Area.
In the past five years, NI Austin employees have given more than $2 million through NI facilitated monetary and in-kind giving tools. Employees participate in an annual Fall Giving Campaign (with enrollment options for payroll deduction, matching gifts, and stock gifts) as well as blood drives and holiday giving opportunities.
In Central Texas and around the world, NI participates in strategic collaborations that help further our impact in our core community relations focus areas.