News Details

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (NYSE: AMP) recently completed the first of three funding cycles for 2009, awarding more than $1.1 million to nonprofit organizations. Sixty-three grants were made under the company's three funding platforms: Meeting Basic Needs, Supporting Community Vitality and Volunteer Driven Causes.

"In order to build strong, healthy communities, we must ensure that people's basic needs are being met," said Brian Pietsch, head of community relations at Ameriprise Financial. "Each of the organizations we support plays a crucial role in this, whether they are improving the livability of an entire neighborhood, or working one-on-one with its most vulnerable members."

Highlights from the company's recent funding cycle include:

    --  Supporting programs at CLIMB Wyoming that help low-income, single
        mothers achieve self-sufficiency. The grant from Ameriprise Financial
        will enable CLIMB to continue to offer comprehensive services including
        job training and placement, counseling and life-skills training. By
        targeting higher paying, in-demand occupations, CLIMB places
        participants in careers that will enable them to provide for their
        families while also meeting local workforce needs.
    --  Helping Seattle's Intiman Theatre bring "Abe Lincoln in Illinois" to
        life on stage and in the community.Ameriprise Financial is funding
        innovative outreach programs that will connect nontraditional audiences
        with this masterpiece of American drama. Interactive dialogs and
        educational activities, which take place at Intiman and in a range of
        accessible locations, will stress collaboration and understanding across
        race, class and geographic boundaries.
    --  Providing essential funding and volunteers to help the Greater
        Minneapolis Crisis Nursery end child abuse and neglect.Volunteers from
        Ameriprise Financial regularly purchase, prepare and serve meals to
        at-risk children at the residential nursery. In addition, the company is
        providing a grant to help families get the help and support they need to
        ensure their children are safe, secure and well-adjusted.

Aligned with its giving priority of meeting basic needs, Ameriprise Financial is also actively engaged in hunger relief efforts. Earlier this year, the company announced a partnership with Feeding America, which includes a $500,000 grant (the equivalent of 3.5 million meals) to help the organization meet an increased demand on food banks and work toward finding long-term solutions to domestic hunger.

To initiate this partnership, a food drive was held in nine Ameriprise Financial employee centers. Monetary and food donations from employees are providing approximately 400,000 additional meals to people suffering from hunger.

Ameriprise Financial is currently accepting grant applications for its third funding cycle. The deadline for receiving applications is September 1, 2009.

About Ameriprise Financial Community Relations

Ameriprise Financial is dedicated to utilizing the firm's resources, talents and volunteer time to improve the lives of individuals and build strong communities. Through grantmaking, volunteerism and employee and advisor gift matching programs, the company supports a diverse group of over 5,000 nonprofits across the country. Additional information on the company and its Community Relations initiatives can be found at ameriprise.com.

About Ameriprise Financial

Ameriprise Financial, Inc. is a diversified financial services company serving the comprehensive financial planning needs of the mass affluent and affluent. For more information, visit ameriprise.com.

(C) 2009 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.

Grants Awarded: First Cycle 2009

Meeting Basic Needs - 33 grants: AccessAbility, Inc.; Admission Possible; American Indian OIC, Inc; Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis; CLIMB; Community Food Bank, Inc.; Emergency FoodShelf Network, Inc.; First Step Staffing, Inc.; Food & Friends, Inc.; Golden Harvest Food Bank, Inc.; Goldie's Place; Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity, Inc.; Habitat for Humanity International, Inc.; Jeremiah Program; Junior Achievement of Hawaii; Junior Achievement of the Upper Midwest; Kulshan Community Land Trust; Lavender Youth Recreation and Information Center; Lutheran Community Services, Inc.; Minnesota Indian Women's Resource Center; Neighbors, Inc.; Oar of Fairfax County, Inc.; People Serving People Charities, Inc.; Project Bread - The Walk for Hunger, Inc.; Rebuilding Together - Twin Cities; RESOURCE, Inc.; Southeast Asian Refugee Community Home; Susan G. Komen for the Cure - NC Triangle Affiliate; Twin Cities RISE!; Volunteers of America, Inc.; Weingart Center Association; Youth In Need; YWCA of Eastern Union County

Supporting Community Vitality - 23 grants: Ballet Works, Inc.; Children's Theater Company and School; Denver Museum of Natural History; Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum; Greater Louisville Fund for the Arts, Inc.; Guthrie Theatre Foundation; Intiman Theatre; La Oportunidad; Metropolitan Economic Development Association; Minneapolis Institute of Arts; Minnesota Opera Company; Minnesota Orchestral Association; Minnesota Shubert Center; Orange County Museum of Art; Riverview Economic Development Association; Rochester Symphony Orchestra & Chorale; Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Society; South Bend Civic Theatre, Inc.; Stages Theatre Company, Inc.; Walker Art Center, Inc.; Women's Center of Jacksonville, Inc.; Youth Farm and Market Project; Youth Performance Company

Volunteer Driven Causes - 7 grants: Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association, Inc.; Center for Academic Excellence, Inc.; Community Hospice Foundation, Inc.; Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery; Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Virginia Chapter; Leukemia Society of America, Inc.; Twin Cities Juneteenth Celebration, Inc.

    Source: Ameriprise Financial, Inc.