ISG Launches Impact Fund to Empower Employee Philanthropy During Ownership Month

Celebrating Community Impact: The Launch of the ISG Impact Fund

Mankato, Minnesota, November 5, 2025 – ISG, a firm wholly owned by its employees via an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), has revealed the establishment of the ISG Impact Fund. This initiative aims to bolster the generosity of its employee owners while reinforcing the firm’s commitment to positive change in the communities they serve.

The launch of this fund coincides with Employee Ownership Month, a period dedicated to recognizing the significance of employee ownership. With a strong ownership mentality embedded in its culture, ISG harnesses the passion and expertise of its employee owners to benefit clients and projects alike. Clients experience the advantage of a dedicated team that prioritizes their needs, while local communities reap the rewards of ISG's engagement and volunteer initiatives.

Historically, ISG has been committed to giving back through corporate sponsorships and donations. The ISG Impact Fund aims to enhance this legacy by introducing a more structured and transparent approach to charitable giving. The fund not only empowers employee owners to influence donation directions actively but also includes a matching program that reinforces ISG's philosophy of owner-led philanthropy.

Through the ISG Impact Fund, employees can have up to $250 in charitable donations matched each year, provided the recipient organizations are 501(c)(3) nonprofits that resonate with ISG's core values: dynamism, collaboration, respect, responsiveness, and empathy. This program enables employees to support the causes that resonate with them while aligning with ISG’s mission.

In celebration of Employee Ownership Month, employee owners at ISG were invited to suggest and vote for a nonprofit organization to receive the initial donation from the ISG Impact Fund. The clear winner was the Hunger Task Force, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This organization is dedicated to fighting hunger and malnutrition, ensuring that families have access to food while striving towards sustainable solutions to eradicate hunger. Their operations are deeply rooted in understanding community needs and responding accordingly.

Employees from ISG’s office in Brookfield, Wisconsin, have actively volunteered to aid the Hunger Task Force, demonstrating their dedication to the mission. As the winning nonprofit, the Hunger Task Force is set to receive not only a financial contribution but also heightened visibility thanks to ISG’s supportive network.

Chelsea Davis, an ISG ESOP Committee member and leader at the Brookfield office, expressed enthusiasm regarding the program, stating, “It is inspiring to see our employee owners support an organization that’s close to home and doing remarkable work. The ISG Impact Fund’s matching initiative is a significant way for us to extend our outreach beyond the workplace.”

ISG's celebration of Employee Ownership Month also recognized runner-up organizations that contribute meaningfully to local communities, such as the Illinois River Watershed Partnership in Northwest Arkansas, CASA in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Leader Valley in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

In addition to direct financial support, ISG reiterates its investment in direct service through its Impact Day program, offering each employee owner eight hours of paid time off annually to volunteer for organizations that are significant to them. This model effectively combines philanthropic efforts with hands-on community service, which reinforces the connections vital for thriving communities.

ISG’s Impact Fund and Impact Day initiatives demonstrate the firm’s unwavering dedication to community support, employee engagement, and partnerships with clients. For further information on ISG’s culture of employee ownership, visit their official website.

About ISG

ISG, a firm owned entirely by its employees, has a rich history exceeding 50 years, marked by trust and strong relationships with clients, stakeholders, and their community. As a comprehensive architecture, engineering, environmental, and planning firm with over 600 professionals across states including Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, ISG offers unmatched services, strategies, and guidance to a broad spectrum of markets nationwide. Discover more about ISG at ISGInc.com.