Who We Are

Shirley M. Payne
President and Executive Director

As one of the region’s largest energy providers, the operating companies in the Northeast Utilities (NU) family deliver a service that is vital to New England communities. Similarly, the health of those communities is vital to our success as a company. Reinforced by this relationship, NU’s commitment to investing in communities is substantial and long-standing.

In 1998, NU established the Northeast Utilities Foundation to focus its community investments and to provide grants to its nonprofit community partners. Consistent with NU’s business strategy and core values, the Foundation invests primarily in projects that address issues of economic and community development and the environment. The Foundation also invests in workforce development initiatives to stimulate continued growth in our regional economy. Since its inception, the Foundation has invested more than $10 million in leading nonprofit organizations and vital community projects throughout NU’s service territory in Connecticut, western Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.

In December 2006, NU reaffirmed its commitment to the Foundation by making a $25 million gift to the organization. This gift endows the future of the Foundation and its support of critical nonprofit efforts in NU’s service territory. Today, the Northeast Utilities Foundation continues to seek out new and innovative ways to partner with nonprofit organizations to enrich our communities and make life better for our customers.