A Philosophy of Giving
At American Snuff Co. there is an overarching philosophy of giving.
American Snuff Co. employees are involved in the communities in which they live and work in numerous ways. Giving back is in the DNA of American Snuff Co. and is exemplified in the employees who make financial contributions and give their time to a number of local non-profits.
American Snuff Co. created the American Snuff Charitable Trust in 1952 as an expression of the commitment to the communities where its employees live and work.
The American Snuff Charitable Trust provides financial support across a range of non-profit organizations that have a demonstrated ability to provide assistance to local communities.
Since the American Snuff Co. Charitable Trust’s inception, it has donated millions of dollars and has proud, longstanding relationships with charitable organizations in the Clarksville, TN and Winston-Salem, NC areas.
The American Snuff Co. Charitable Trust seeks out grantees by actively engaging with employees, as well as community groups and other foundations in the ASC Charitable Trust locations of focus, monitoring emerging needs, and inviting proposals from potential grantees based on priorities set forth below.
Grant Categories
The American Snuff Co. Charitable Trust focuses its contribution resources in communities where American Snuff Co. employees live and work: Clarksville, Montgomery County, Tennessee and Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina and the surrounding areas.
– Local Community Campaigns – We support local programs focusing on creating thriving and inclusive communities. We focus on equity in health, education, food insecurity, and economic empowerment.
– Education – Our education focus is directed towards supporting programs which provide or closely tie to afterschool enrichment, educational opportunities at all levels, and pathways for college and career success.
– Prevention of Cruelty to Children – Programs impacting our local areas which provide parents, caregivers, and children resources aiding in preventing violence, cruelty, bullying in all forms, trafficking, forced labor and other areas of cruelty towards children. This encompasses programs which raise public awareness, encourage engagement, and advocate for children at the local level.
– Scientific Research – We focus on innovative approaches to local community challenges which includes new technologies, strategies, or research which focus on the community but can be scaled for greater impact. We support projects which focus on the development of sustainability, efficiency, and extending opportunities to solve problems and serve the community’s needs.
Grant Submissions
To be eligible for funding consideration, an applicant must generally meet the following criteria:
- A nonprofit agency with tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or an appropriate government agency and is in good standing with the IRS;
- Demonstrates strong community ties where significant numbers of American Snuff Co. employees live and/or work with primary focus given to Clarksville, Montgomery County, Tennessee and Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina and surrounding areas; and,
- Demonstrates fiscal and administrative stability.
- Delivers services addressing critical community needs.
- Operated and organized so that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, age, or disability, in terms of hiring practices, service provisions or board-member selection.
- For any faith-based organizations, must provide charitable services broadly to all community members regardless of denomination and without utilizing the funds, in whole or in part, to further religious doctrine or foster religious instruction, and have a separate, valid 501(c)(3) charitable designation from the IRS.
The Trust will not generally consider funding requests for the following:
- Deficit Funding;
- Endowments;
- Support for individuals;
- General operating expenses;
- Requests from religious institutions;
- Programs that promote religious doctrine or will use the funds, in whole or in part, to further religious doctrine or foster religious instruction;
- Requests from recreation, athletic, or sports teams, programs or leagues;
- Requests for political candidates and organizations;
- Requests for personal or travel expenses for individuals or organizations;
- Sponsorships of fundraising events, seminars or media; and,
- Media projects such as films, books, or podcasts, including distribution costs of these programs.
The American Snuff Co. Trust’s application form can be found in our Application Portal. You’ll need to create an account during your first visit. Once you have created your account, you may save and update your application as well as submit subsequent applications via either a standard login or a CyberGrants FrontDoor certified login.
- Submit your grant application through our online portal and complete the eligibility quiz;
- You’ll need to submit the organization EIN (Tax ID#) along with a copy of the IRS Exemption Determination Letter. The nonprofit must be in good standing with the IRS. If you’re not sure, you can check IRS.gov or Guidestar;
- A statement of purpose and organizational objectives;
- A description of the problem, need or issue the proposal seeks to address;
- A complete description of the proposed project. This includes goals, objectives, geographic area and population served by the project, timeline, staffing, evaluation, budget, and sources of current and future funding;
- The Internal Revenue Service letter confirming the organization’s 501(c)(3) status; and,
- A list of the organization’s board of directors and officers.
Once you submit your application, you will receive automatic notifications as follows:
- Email notifications indicating that your application has been accepted for review and has been moved into the review process.
- Email notification upon completion of the review process, indicating whether your application was declined or accepted for funding and the amount of the approved funding.
As a responsible organization, American Snuff Co. Trust invests in programs and initiatives that are measurable and demonstrate real impact. One year following the payment of each grant, the Trust requires that the recipient organization submit a written report on what has been accomplished with the funds and the community impact.
The American Snuff Co. Trust individually reviews applications and awards grants on a quarterly basis according to the following schedule:
| Quarter | Completed Proposal Received By | Final Review |
| Q1 | February 15 | 1st week of March |
| Q2 | May 15 | 1st week of June |
| Q3 | August 15 | 1st week of September |
| Q4 | November 15 | 1st week of December |
Eligibility / Rules
To be eligible for funding consideration, an applicant must generally meet the following criteria:
- A nonprofit agency with tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or an appropriate government agency and is in good standing with the IRS;
- Demonstrates strong community ties where significant numbers of American Snuff Co. employees live and/or work with primary focus given to Clarksville, Montgomery County, Tennessee and Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina and surrounding areas; and,
- Demonstrates fiscal and administrative stability.
- Delivers services addressing critical community needs.
- Operated and organized so that it does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, age, or disability, in terms of hiring practices, service provisions or board-member selection.
- For any faith-based organizations, must provide charitable services broadly to all community members regardless of denomination and without utilizing the funds, in whole or in part, to further religious doctrine or foster religious instruction, and have a separate, valid 501(c)(3) charitable designation from the IRS.
The Trust will not generally consider funding requests for the following:
- Deficit Funding;
- Endowments;
- Support for individuals;
- General operating expenses;
- Requests from religious institutions;
- Programs that promote religious doctrine or will use the funds, in whole or in part, to further religious doctrine or foster religious instruction;
- Requests from recreation, athletic, or sports teams, programs or leagues;
- Requests for political candidates and organizations;
- Requests for personal or travel expenses for individuals or organizations;
- Sponsorships of fundraising events, seminars or media; and,
- Media projects such as films, books, or podcasts, including distribution costs of these programs.
Application Instructions
The American Snuff Co. Trust’s application form can be found in our Application Portal. You’ll need to create an account during your first visit. Once you have created your account, you may save and update your application as well as submit subsequent applications via either a standard login or a CyberGrants FrontDoor certified login.
- Submit your grant application through our online portal and complete the eligibility quiz;
- You’ll need to submit the organization EIN (Tax ID#) along with a copy of the IRS Exemption Determination Letter. The nonprofit must be in good standing with the IRS. If you’re not sure, you can check IRS.gov or Guidestar;
- A statement of purpose and organizational objectives;
- A description of the problem, need or issue the proposal seeks to address;
- A complete description of the proposed project. This includes goals, objectives, geographic area and population served by the project, timeline, staffing, evaluation, budget, and sources of current and future funding;
- The Internal Revenue Service letter confirming the organization’s 501(c)(3) status; and,
- A list of the organization’s board of directors and officers.
Once you submit your application, you will receive automatic notifications as follows:
- Email notifications indicating that your application has been accepted for review and has been moved into the review process.
- Email notification upon completion of the review process, indicating whether your application was declined or accepted for funding and the amount of the approved funding.
As a responsible organization, American Snuff Co. Trust invests in programs and initiatives that are measurable and demonstrate real impact. One year following the payment of each grant, the Trust requires that the recipient organization submit a written report on what has been accomplished with the funds and the community impact.
Proposal Cycles
The American Snuff Co. Trust individually reviews applications and awards grants on a quarterly basis according to the following schedule:
| Quarter | Completed Proposal Received By | Final Review |
| Q1 | February 15 | 1st week of March |
| Q2 | May 15 | 1st week of June |
| Q3 | August 15 | 1st week of September |
| Q4 | November 15 | 1st week of December |
Board Members
American Snuff Co. (ASC) Trust is overseen by ASC employees. These employees live and work in the communities where ASC operates, and we correlate their interests with the organizations we support. Board members serve during their leadership tenure with ASC.
Adriano Alves Rusak
Adriano is the Vice President of Manufacturing for American Snuff Co. and serves on the ASC Trust Board representing Clarksville, Tennessee. As the Vice President of Manufacturing during a period of change, his skills as a leader and team builder served him well on the ASC Trust Board in topic prioritization and alignment of strategic values. Adriano’s service to the American Snuff Co. Trust Board includes guiding the team in strategy, business, and financial planning to make the best impact possible to our local communities.
Alexandra Smith
Alex is Director of Manufacturing – Secondary Manufacturing with American Snuff Co. and serves on the ASC Trust Board representing both Clarksville, Tennessee and Tobaccoville, North Carolina. Alex’s expertise in problem solving and consensus building have been instrumental in her work on the ASC Trust Board, where she is glad for the opportunity to make a positive impact and give back to the northern Tennessee and rural North Carolina community.
Jason Runyon
Jason is Director of Manufacturing – Primary Manufacturing with American Snuff Co. and serves on the ASC Trust Board representing Clarksville, Tennessee. Jason’s leadership and team building skills have led him to receive several awards including the Reynolds American 2021 Game Changer Award, 2018 Reynolds American High Gear Award, and the 2019 Operations Leadership Award. He supports the Dover Care Center and the Good Samaritans Center in Dover, Tennessee outside of his work accomplishments as he believes in making a positive impact on his community and that it makes us a more successful organization.
Kelly Wilson
Kelly is Director of Manufacturing – Plant Management for American Snuff Co. and serves on the ASC Trust Board representing Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Kelly’s understanding of the community’s needs and her skills as a connector and communicator has led her to support Mercy and Grace Ministries, Davie Community Foundation, GMBC Missions, and Storehouse for Jesus Food and Medical in our local area. Kelly is happy to serve and promote the intent of the American Snuff Co. Trust to better the communities where employees live, work, and serve as she views being a good steward as critical to supporting so many needs in our community.
Contact
Email for questions or help
ASCTrust@AmericanSnuff.com
Foundation Giving
focuses on supporting communities where Reynolds employees live and work; scholarships, employee matching, capital campaigns, health and education.
focuses on preservation, promotion and advancement of American Indian self-sufficiency and culture.
makes employee-directed donations in communities where ASC operates.