Giving
with Passion and Purpose
We believe that charitable giving is more than just writing a check. It is a way of expressing our gratitude, compassion, and solidarity with our communities, locally, globally, and professionally. We are committed to supporting the causes that matter most to our staff and to sharing our expertise and resources with those who need them. On this page, you will learn more about how we give back to our communities through our three main initiatives: staff-led volunteering activities, mentoring and training, and annual giving.
Ascent is strongly committed to giving back to the community and to the industry that we serve and that serves us. As such, we encourage and are committed to providing opportunities for our employees to be involved with charitable, community, and professional organizations. Employees are provided up to two hours per month to perform volunteer work on company time.
We are proud of our employees who have used their time and skills to make a positive impact in their communities. At left is a representative list of some of the organizations that they have supported through their volunteer work.
Senior biologist Carlos Alvarado helps students at a Sacramento elementary school learn about biology by showcasing wildlife tracks and signs of local wildlife species in the area.
Sacramento Ascentians plan quarterly volunteer events at the Sacramento Food Bank.
We share our knowledge openly because we feel it is important to give back and help advance the collective knowledge of the environmental, climate change, natural resources, and planning profession. Ascent experts regularly conduct professional trainings every year in both virtual and in-person settings. Recent examples include:
- Curriculum preparation and instructors for Association of Environmental Professionals (AEP) Advanced CEQA Workshops
- Co-chair and instructors at Continuing Legal Education International’s Annual CEQA Conference in San Francisco
- Conference chair for 2023 AEP Conference in Lake Tahoe
- Ascent webinar: Consensus Building for Climate Action Plans
- Instructors and guest lecturers for University of California Extension and Professional Education Programs
- Instructional webinars for implementation of the California Vegetation Treatment Program (CalVTP)
- Conference panels at the California Climate Adaptation Forum, AEP State Conference, California Trails and Greenways Conference, Resource Conservation District Association Conference, CalForest’s Forest Strategies and Innovations, and California Chapter American Planning Association Conference
Every year, we select charitable organizations that align with our values and our purpose, and support causes that matter to our employees and communities. These are the charities we chose for last year’s Annual Giving Program:
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Sacramento
- Boys and Girls Club of Lake Tahoe
- Bridge of Hope San Diego
- Catalyst California
- Elk Grove Pirahnas
- Feeding San Diego
- Folsom’s Hope
- Friends of the LA River
- Lindsay Wildlife Experience
- Mercy House
- My Sister’s House
- Naomi Project
- Oakland Promise
- Ocean Discovery Institute
- Out and Equal
- River City Food Bank
- Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego
- Sacramento SPCA
- Sacramento Tree Foundation
- Santa Monica Mountains Fund
- Solar Cookers International
- South Lake Tahoe Family Resource Center
- Tahoe Fund
- Tahoe Rim Trail Association
- Tahoe Youth and Family Services
- Wind Youth Services
- Yolo Basin Foundation
- Yosemite Conservancy
