Since 1991, the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation has provided broad-based annual support to the University of Wyoming that ensures the highest possible impact and benefit for important and practical learning projects. To date, the foundation has provided $1.35 million to UW, benefiting students and faculty and impacting the people of Wyoming.

“We are so pleased to support UW and all the great programs that reach out into our local community and further enhance the education and development of our future in Wyoming,” says Skylar Graybill, a Rocky Mountain Power operations manager based in Laramie. “The University of Wyoming is an incredible organization making an impact that can be seen, touched and felt throughout the state. The Rocky Mountain Power Foundation is grateful to be part of this journey.”

The Rocky Mountain Power Foundation’s latest gift builds on its longtime investment in Wyoming’s only four-year university. The recent gift will support six initiatives in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences; the Marna M. Kuehne Foundation Veterans Services Center; the Native American Education, Research and Cultural Center; the School of Energy Resources; the School of Politics, Public Affairs and International Studies; and the Science Institute.

“The Rocky Mountain Power Foundation has been an exceptional partner to the University of Wyoming for more than three decades, consistently investing in programs that make a meaningful difference for our students and communities across the state,” says Angela Ver Ploeg, senior director of corporate engagement in UW’s Office of Industry and Strategic Partnerships. “What makes this partnership particularly special is the breadth of its impact. From expanding educational opportunities and supporting student success to advancing energy research and statewide outreach, the foundation’s generosity reflects a shared commitment to strengthening Wyoming’s future.”

-- The College of Engineering and Physical Sciences received funding from the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation for its STEM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) outreach initiative. This funding will support the design, purchase and statewide distribution of Engineers Week activity boxes and classroom engineering kits for third grade students across Wyoming.

-- The Veterans Services Center will use foundation funds to support its Veterans Energized Instruction and Tutoring Program.

-- The Native American Education, Research and Cultural Center will use the funding it received to assist with programming and events that the center hosts, including the Native American Summer Institute.

-- The School of Energy Resources received funding to support student-focused research and educational activities associated with the Wind Energy Research Center, the Center for Energy Regulation and Policy Analysis, and the Nuclear Energy Research Center.

-- The Malcolm Wallop Civic Engagement Program in the School of Politics, Public Affairs and International Studies will use funds to build upon the success of the Wyoming Youth Resilience Project that was funded by the foundation in 2025 and its decade-long record of promoting civics education in Wyoming.

-- The Science Institute’s Science Initiative Roadshow and Community Engagement Program received funding to provide pre-K-12 students across the state with authentic, hands-on STEM experiences by purchasing supplies for activities. Rocky Mountain Power Foundation funds will help to cover travel costs and will support outreach assistants and senior outreach assistants -- UW undergraduate and graduate students -- as they facilitate the program’s outreach capacity.

This past summer, Thayne Cranford, a regional business manager with Rocky Mountain Power, and Graybill visited campus to deliver the check from the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation for this year’s funded programs and to learn more about the programs from campus partners. Program facilitators expressed their gratitude and discussed how Rocky Mountain Power Foundation funding continues to make a meaningful impact.

About the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation

The Rocky Mountain Power Foundation was created in 1988 by PacifiCorp, an electric utility serving 1.8 million customers in six Western states as Rocky Mountain Power in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho (www.rockymountainpower.net) and as Pacific Power in Oregon, Washington and California (www.pacificpower.net).

The foundation’s mission, through charitable investments, is to support the growth and vitality of the communities served by Rocky Mountain Power and Pacific Power.

The Rocky Mountain Power Foundation supports communities and colleges by offering grants and financial support for nonprofit organizations that fund projects based on everything from education and STEM to environmental respect to arts and culture. The emphasis is on supporting community enhancement projects as a way to give back.

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