Helping Others Grow and Prosper

Pictured above left to right: First Stage Children's Theater, the nation's second-largest theater academy for children. The AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin, the only free clinic in Milwaukee offering specialized medical and dental care to HIV/AIDS patients. The enlarged and refurbished library at La Causa School, a 4K through 8th grade school, an anchor of its Hispanic community.

Northwestern Mutual's philosophy of doing the right thing includes acting as a good corporate citizen: helping others grow and prosper.

Such help comes in the form of donating time and talents to strengthen families, neighborhoods and communities. Other times, help takes the form of financial support. At Northwestern Mutual, we blend both types of help. Our employees volunteer tens of thousands of hours, and the Northwestern Mutual Foundation leads all other corporations in giving in its home state of Wisconsin.

This tradition of giving back to the community also makes good business sense. Supporting the community promotes visibility, builds goodwill and enhances the company's reputation. Strong communities also fortify a company's customer base and cultivate a rich source from which to draw a workforce.

Nearly $18 Million in Gifts to Support Our Mission
In 2007, the Northwestern Mutual Foundation supported important initiatives by nonprofit organizations in its three focus areas: Education, Health & Human Services and Arts & Culture. Nearly $14.5 million was given in support of national programs and Greater Milwaukee-area grants and sponsorships.

An additional $3.1 million given in 2007 in honor of the company's 150th anniversary was divided in half:

50 Days of Sharing and our Collaborative Funding Initiative
Sixty grants totaling $150,000 were awarded to accredited schools and nonprofit organizations in Greater Milwaukee, based on employee nominations. The remaining $1.3 million has been awarded to 10 nonprofit collaborative projects enhancing service and cost savings gained when groups work together.

Ways We Share
Based on the voting of financial representatives, $1.5 million was shared among America's Second Harvest, Goodwill Industries, Junior Achievement and the YMCA, nationally.

Education
Inspiring human potential through lifelong learning is one focus of Northwestern Mutual's philanthropy.

Scholarships
For more than a decade, the Foundation has provided scholarships for academically talented students in underserved groups in Milwaukee. In addition, a pilot program offers scholarships to diverse young people within communities served by Northwestern Mutual Financial Network Offices across the country.

Matching Gifts Program
The Foundation matches dollar-for-dollar employee and financial representative contributions to accredited schools throughout the nation. Last year, elementary and secondary schools, along with colleges and universities, received more than $3 million.

Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, Decade of Hope
This $2.5 million grant began in 2007 to help counter violence, teen pregnancy, crime and lack of opportunities. The collaborative project, in conjunction with Milwaukee Public Schools, will also concentrate on programming, post-secondary preparation and the addition of much-needed staff.

Health & Human Services
Northwestern Mutual is proud to continue its commitment to health research, access to care for the underserved, and human services initiatives.

United Way
In 2007, we contributed $3.2 million to the United Way of Greater Milwaukee. When combining employee donations and Foundation gifts, Northwestern Mutual continues to be the largest contributor to United Way and supports more than 600 programs at 135 nonprofit organizations.

Pioneering Research in Immunotherapy
This grant of $750,000 explores the power of patients' own cancer-destroying lymphocytes to battle this disease. Based on National Cancer Institute research, this immunotherapy treatment is focused on patients with advanced melanoma.

Arts & Culture
A vibrant arts community inspires creativity and fosters expression while positively impacting the economy.

NPR
We continue our $1 million sponsorship of Morning Edition, Weekend Edition and podcasts on National Public Radio.

United Performing Arts Fund
In 2007, we passed the $1 million mark, a first-time achievement for any corporate donor to UPAF. Contributions from the Foundation and our employees accounted for more than 10% of all dollars raised.

Volunteering

The Community Service Award
Since 1995, the Community Service Award has awarded $2.2 million to more than 200 nonprofit organizations, recognizing the volunteer leadership and dedication of our field force. Each year, 25 awards are presented: one $25,000 award honors the Most Exceptional Volunteer, and 24 awards of $10,000 honor Outstanding Volunteers. The work of our financial representatives in this program is broad: from setting up a store that offers free household goods and clothing to survivors of fires to constructing playgrounds for handicapped children.

Habitat for Humanity Partnership
As part of a company regional meeting in New Orleans in 2007, the Foundation and financial representatives donated time and money to build a home with Habitat.

Mutual Friends
Our employees share their time and talents generously through Mutual Friends, our volunteer program. The projects are many and varied — everything from serving meals to the hungry, to mentoring at-risk students, to building homes. Employees donating 40 hours per year can receive $500 grants for their organizations through the Volunteer Support Program. In 2007, Mutual Friends volunteers spent about 30,000 hours working to better the community.