Norfolk Southern donations top $18.2M across 22 states

Norfolk Southern donations again cleared the $18 million threshold, making it the third consecutive year above that level.

This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The railroad (NYSE: NSC) said it directed more than $18.2 million in 2025 to charities and nonprofits across its 22-state freight transportation network, aligning the giving with its community impact pillars, as described in an update distributed by PRNewswire.

“Our railroad is deeply connected to the communities we serve,” said Kristin Wong, Director of NS Foundation and Community Impact. She said the investments reflect a long-term commitment to resilience, opportunity and helping families thrive.

Norfolk Southern donations in 2025: totals and reach

Norfolk Southern’s 2025 snapshot paired grantmaking with employee involvement. The company said it provided grants to more than 385 organizations in over 210 cities.

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It also reported more than 7,200 volunteer hours, with employees working through 143 organizations across 73 cities. Norfolk Southern added that volunteers supported groups such as HOPE Atlanta, Habitat for Humanity and Marine Toys for Tots.

Where the grants went: sustainability, safety, workforce development?

Sustainability. Norfolk Southern said it advanced equitable access to parks and trails through a $250,000 donation to Trust for Public Land. The company said that brought total support for the organization to $950,000 since 2022.

Safety. The railroad said it invested in public safety with $2 million for the Atlanta Police Foundation’s Safest City Campaign and $100,000 for the Chicago Police Foundation. It also reported providing $1.6 million through Safety First grants.

Workforce development. Norfolk Southern said it expanded opportunity by helping to open a welding training center at the City of Refuge. It also cited $100,000 in Trades on Track scholarships, along with the continued Thoroughbred Scholars program, which it said has awarded $1.4 million in scholarships to children of NS team members since 2002.

Thriving communities. The company said it distributed $4.5 million in grants aimed at housing, food and job training. It also reported a $1 million donation to Hampton Roads Community Foundation to support 75 nonprofits in Virginia, plus targeted disaster relief and healthcare support throughout 22 states.

2026 timelines and a snapshot of the railroad

Looking ahead to 2026, Norfolk Southern said it will keep working with nonprofits, community leaders and public agencies to identify local needs and deliver resources intended to help communities grow stronger, safer and more resilient.

The railroad also set out the next application windows. It said applications for the Thriving Communities Safety First grant program will open in February, and that the application window for the Trades on Track community scholarship program will open in May. More information is available in the company’s overview of Norfolk Southern grant programs, and Railway Supply has also covered Norfolk Southern’s community grant activity (Railway Supply).

Norfolk Southern Corporation said its history dates to 1827 and that it and predecessor companies have safely moved goods and materials that drive the U.S. economy. Today, it operates a 22-state freight transportation network.

The company said shipping by rail helps customers avoid approximately 15 million tons of yearly carbon emissions, and that its team members deliver approximately 7 million carloads annually, from agriculture to consumer goods.

Norfolk Southern also said it has the most extensive intermodal network in the eastern U.S., serving a majority of the country’s population and manufacturing base, with connections to every major container port on the Atlantic coast as well as major ports across the Gulf Coast and Great Lakes.

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