ORNL Employee Campaign Tops $1M Again

Employees raise over $1 million for East Tennessee nonprofits and community organizations.

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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Employees of the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory and its managing contractor, UT-Battelle, raised $1,066,820 during their 2025 ORNL Gives campaign in support of nonprofits and community organizations across East Tennessee. The campaign featured employee-led fundraisers, volunteer hours, and in-kind support.

Why it matters

ORNL's workplace giving program allows employees to support a wide range of local nonprofits through donations and volunteering, demonstrating the laboratory's commitment to strengthening the communities where its staff live and work.

The details

ORNL employees contributed more than $878,970 in 2025 through individual giving and 80 employee-led fundraisers. UT-Battelle, ORNL's managing contractor, added $180,144 in support of those employee efforts. ORNL employees also contributed significant volunteer time and in-kind support, registering over 1,745 hours through Volunteer East Tennessee.

  • The 2025 ORNL Gives campaign took place in 2025.
  • The end-of-year total was announced at the ORNL Gives leadership breakfast on February 8, 2026.

The players

Stephen Streiffer

ORNL Director.

Brian Anderson

2025 ORNL Gives chair and director of the laboratory's Enrichment Science and Engineering Division.

UT-Battelle

The managing contractor for the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Department of Energy's Office of Science

The single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States.

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What they’re saying

“Our mission extends beyond the laboratory. I'm proud of our staff for continuing to demonstrate a deep commitment to supporting their community through generosity and service in 2025.”

— Stephen Streiffer, ORNL Director (Mirage News)

“What stood out to me this year was the creativity employees brought to ORNL Gives. From long-running events to new ideas like a hot dog eating contest or a golf tournament, people found ways to give that felt personal, and that translated into real impact for the community.”

— Brian Anderson, 2025 ORNL Gives chair and director of the laboratory's Enrichment Science and Engineering Division (Mirage News)

What’s next

The ORNL Gives program will continue to support nonprofits and community organizations in East Tennessee through employee donations, volunteering, and fundraising events in the coming years.

The takeaway

ORNL's workplace giving program demonstrates the laboratory's deep commitment to strengthening the local community, with employees contributing over $1 million in 2025 through a variety of creative fundraising efforts and volunteer initiatives.