Chevron Corp. announced a new employee giving and volunteer program that will provide up to $20 million annually for U.S. nonprofit organizations.

The new program, Chevron Humankind, includes company matching for employee financial contributions, grants to nonprofits for volunteer time and company-sponsored volunteer opportunities. Chevron Humankind, open to U.S.-based employees and retirees, allows employees to support nearly any nonprofit rather than restrict giving to specific categories of organizations.

"Our employees contribute their time, energy and talent to help improve their communities and we want to increase the value of that commitment." said Rhonda Zygocki, vice president, Policy, Government and Public Affairs. "Chevron Humankind builds upon the partnership of our company and its employees with communities where we live and work, to make employees’ contributions go even farther."

Under the new program, the company’s matching budget increases from $2.8 million to $10 million. Chevron Humankind builds on the company’s commitment to sustainable community partnerships, such as the $18 million Energy for Learning program to support school districts affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita in Louisiana and Mississippi, and a $30 million commitment as the first Corporate Champion of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Chevron employees in the U.S. logged approximately 60,000 volunteer hours in 2007 and contributed $8 million to non-profits. The new program complements Chevron’s global community engagement program to support sustainable development in communities around the world where it operates, with a focus on meeting basic human needs, education and career training and supporting local business development.