Search Through Allegheny County Grants for Nonprofits in Pennsylvania

Mission

To encourage human development in West Virginia and Southwestern Pennsylvania through strategically placed charitable resources.

Guiding Principles

The following principles guide the Foundation’s grants programs in those regions: 

• We honor Michael and Sarah Benedum’s belief in “helping people help themselves,” and we seek opportunities to cultivate the creativity of people and communities. 
• We nurture leadership within the communities we serve, and we participate in leadership when it adds value.
• We encourage planning, projects and programs that cross geographical and political boundaries so that access to services and economic growth is maximized.
• We expect collaboration among the public, private and nonprofit sectors in order to leverage the resources that each can bring to common concerns.
• We strive to advance innovative practices that demonstrate measurable and sustainable benefit.
• We seek projects that contribute to advancement in public policy.

What We Fund

In keeping with the wishes of Michael and Sarah Benedum, the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation is a regional philanthropy focusing on West Virginia and Southwestern Pennsylvania. The Foundation generally invests two-thirds of its grant dollars in West Virginia and one-third in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

The Foundation serves the entire state of West Virginia. In Southwestern Pennsylvania, the service area includes Allegheny, Washington, Greene, and Fayette Counties. This four-county area is a natural connector between Pittsburgh and West Virginia and contains rural communities that may benefit from the Benedum Foundation’s experiences in West Virginia. However, the Foundation recognizes that economic regions do not follow political boundaries, and therefore, the Foundation both encourages projects that cross state lines, and supports economic initiatives that benefit the multi-state economy centered on Pittsburgh.

Program Areas

The Foundation makes grants in two program areas that span both states:

Education

The Benedum Foundation seeks to foster learning environments, across formal and informal educational systems, that position young learners to thrive in career and life. Academic achievement, social and emotional wellbeing, and real-world workforce preparation are the ultimate objectives of this program.

The Foundation places a high priority on teacher quality and the most advanced instructional tools. Because schools do not function in isolation, the Foundation also looks to the resources of community organizations, business, and higher education to reinforce the learning objectives of the classroom. In preparation for the rising demands of the workplace, the Foundation recognizes the need for all students to enter some form of post-secondary education.

Although the Foundation is interested in any significant opportunity to improve the education system, current specific areas of interest include:

• Programs that improve teacher quality through professional development and innovative instructional strategies.
• Early childhood educational practices that bolster children’s social, emotional, cognitive, and academic development, including early intervention services that support school-success.
• Expanded and extended learning opportunities that complement and enhance the learning that occurs during the traditional school day.
• Career education and future readiness skill development, aligning secondary and post-secondary programs to high-demand, high-wage occupations.

Economic Development

Innovation will be the cornerstone of the future success of the economy in West Virginia and Southwestern Pennsylvania. The Foundation supports economic development activities based upon the region’s strengths in research, technology, and advanced manufacturing.

The Foundation’s agenda seeks to promote regional planning and cooperation, recognizing that with respect to any endeavor, “region” should mean whatever area is most appropriate to optimize the available opportunity, without reference to historic, geographic, or political boundaries. The expected outcomes of the Foundation’s Economic Development grants are the creation and growth of innovative, wealth-producing businesses and high-quality jobs.

In addition, many of the communities in the region served by the Foundation are rural, and enjoy abundant natural assets that provide economic opportunities that complement centers of technology-based growth. The Foundation currently supports efforts to advance agriculture, outdoor recreation, artisanship, and cultural tourism. Current specific areas of Foundation interest include:

• Promotion of entrepreneurship.
• Projects that promote technology-based economic development.
• Programs to promote the growth and accessibility of new capital for businesses in distressed communities and areas of high unemployment.

Strategic Priorities 

Improve the health and well-being of people with disabilities, women and girls 

Priority will be given to proposals that address:

• Improve access to health care and dental care for people with significant disabilities or complex health conditions;
• Address bias among healthcare professionals;
• Address the specific needs of women, girls, and people with disabilities who are Black or other people of color;
• Influence policy and practice to change systems.

Prevent domestic and sexual violence, and support the most vulnerable victims in pursuit of safety, healing, and justice.

Priority will be given to proposals that:

• specifically address the needs of people with disabilities; Black people and other people of color; immigrants and refugees; members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Remove societal barriers and promote equitable opportunities for women, girls, and people with disabilities.

Priority will be given to proposals designed to:

• Promote equal rights, access, and full inclusion for people with disabilities, particularly Black people and other people of color with disabilities, in all aspects of life;
• Include programs, services and advocacy efforts focused on girls who have been marginalized, particularly Black girls and other girls of color, girls with disabilities, and girls in under-resourced areas;
• Address the needs of women that society marginalizes and fails to serve, particularly those who struggle with addiction, homelessness, trauma, and poverty.

What types of funding will be considered?

FISA Foundation believes in and invests in innovation; however we also recognize the economic challenges facing nonprofits. In light of the fact that funds are limited, FISA carefully considers where it can have the greatest impact, as well as the availability of other funding sources (including focus areas of other local foundations). The Foundation will consider grants for:

• General operating support for programs that advance our strategic priorities
• Ongoing programs and projects
• New and innovative projects or programs
• Capacity building initiatives
• Advocacy

BackgroundSolving big problems through civic leadership, collaboration, and innovation Henry L. Hillman Foundation inspires, invests in, and leverages great ideas to make Pittsburgh one of the world’s most forward-looking cities.Henry L. Hillman Foundation’s mission is to inspire, invest in, and leverage great ideas and initiatives for outcomes that improve the quality of life in Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania.Henry L. Hillman Foundation seeds and scales innovative solutions to address significant community needs. Projects supported by the Henry L. Hillman Foundation are forward-looking, collaborative, and seek to leverage the Pittsburgh region’s competitive advantages.Strategic PortfoliosHenry L. Hillman Foundation has a broad interest in initiatives that are timely and designed to take advantage of an emerging opportunity. The Foundation will prioritize investments that align with the following “portfolio” focus areas:

Aging Well

Preparing for a smaller and older regional population

• Support healthy aging, with a focus on caregivers and aging in place
• Leverage the assets and value of the aging population

Big Ideas and New Models

Solving big problems through collaboration, leadership, and new ways of thinking

• Support and incentivize nonprofit partners to take risks and to try new ways of approaching their work

Capturing the Next Economy

Shaping the future of work and new models of economic development

• Grow and strengthen the region’s innovation economy
• Support Pittsburgh’s growth as a leader in the future of work and learning
• Promote economic mobility and diverse pathways to living wage careers, particularly within the innovation economy

Healthy Neighborhoods

Safe, healthy, and thriving communities that positively influence social determinants of health

• Prevent displacement and concentration of poverty through enhancing the availability of high-quality, affordable housing
• Improve the environment for healthy living, including through safe housing, clean air, healthy food, and accessible outdoor spaces
• Support the vibrancy of Main Street business districts and strive to make Pittsburgh a leading city for individuals who want to start or grow a business

Strengthening Democracy

Good governance and ethical society for collective long-term prosperity

• Support high-quality public media for an informed population
• Increase civic engagement and ensure equitable and accurate representation
• Develop skills and tools for more effective civic participation
• Encourage policy progress and innovation across portfolio focus areas

Sustainable Regional Infrastructure

Innovation and investment in twenty-first century communications, energy, and other systems that support success within the other portfolio focus areas

• Modernize infrastructure and systems through innovation, with a focus on quality, affordability, and security
• Enhance broadband connectivity and the development and deployment of digital tools
• Transition to a low-carbon economy

Please see FAQs for additional guidelines.

Mission & Principles

To improve the health and well-being of the communities served by Jefferson Hospital through engagement, community-driven research, and grantmaking.

Fulfilling the Mission

JRF is not a private foundation but rather a support organization for AHN Jefferson Hospital. As such, our activities broadly support the Hospital’s mission, as we both work to improve the health and well-being of the residents in its service area.

In order to achieve our mission, we operate under a set of guiding principles:

• Approaching our work through an equity lens and an intentional purpose of inclusivity
• Advancing the Foundation’s priorities by investing grant resources with effective community organizations
• Promoting and strengthening the community’s resources, assets, and voice with integrity and transparency
• Actively partnering with a variety of public, nonprofit, and private organizations and leaders who share our vision
• Wise investment of the Foundation’s funds for growth while preserving the principal
• Gathering, sharing, and leveraging important information about community resources and existing and emerging needs
• Building the capacity of community groups to promote quality of life and fulfill the mission of the Foundation
• Supporting the development and expansion of interventions and programs that demonstrate best or promising practices
• Supporting AHN Jefferson Hospital by focusing on the social determinants of health within the community

Grantmaking

The Jefferson Regional Foundation has three grant cycles in the Foundation’s fiscal year which runs from July 1st to June 30th. The Foundation’s Board of Directors meets in December, March, and June of each year to review and discuss recommended grant requests. If the Foundation’s Board of Directors approves a grant request, partners are notified of the grant award and provided with next steps to receive funding.

Partner organizations who have ensured eligibility, a connection to our service area, and fit with our grantmaking priorities may submit Letters of Intent (LOIs) at any time. Foundation staff, upon review of the LOI, an introductory meeting, and other due diligence activities, must extend an invitation to partner organizations to a submit a full grant proposal.

Grant Priorities

The Jefferson Regional Foundation, with target communities south of Pittsburgh, PA, has used the Jefferson Hospital Community Health Needs Assessment as an important source of community information to identify grantmaking priorities (see Community Reports). The Foundation intends to engage with Jefferson Hospital and community partners in an ongoing assessment and review of community needs. This will result in the evolution of grantmaking priorities over time.

The Foundation currently has three priorities for grantmaking:

• Health & Wellness
• Basic needs including food, housing, and transportation
• Physical, mental, behavioral, and environmental health
• Education, Workforce, & Economic Opportunity
• Early childhood/literacy
• Youth development
• Training
• Youth, adult, and community education
• Community Engagement & Policy Work
• Advocacy
• Civic engagement
• Organizing

Funding Categories

Types of strategies the Foundation will consider funding that support increased health and well-being:

• New and innovative initiatives (includes pilot or planning grants)
• Ongoing initiatives
• General operating support for organizations operating within the Foundation’s service area
• Capacity-building funds (strategic planning, technical assistance)
• Capital funds (equipment, facilities) Note: This category is limited and requires extensive discussion with Foundation staff. It is generally reserved for grantees that have a direct and immediate community impact in the Foundation service area.

Background

Mary Hillman Jennings (1921–1979) created the Foundation in 1968 with the intention of advancing her charitable work and her support for Pittsburgh-area nonprofit organizations. Throughout her life, she dedicated herself to a wide range of community activities and believed that a truly world-class region invests in its most vulnerable citizens and its most disadvantaged communities.

Providing opportunity for people in southwestern Pennsylvania facing barriers

Improving the quality of life in southwestern Pennsylvania for all, with a focus on communities historically left out of opportunity, is central to Mary Hillman Jennings Foundation's approach.

Priorities

In the greater Pittsburgh region, Mary Hillman Jennings Foundation's grantmaking focuses on community development, health, education, human services, the arts, and the environment. Serving the most vulnerable among us is a top priority.

• Arts and Culture
• Community and Economic Development
• Education and Workforce Development
• Energy and Environment
• Health and Medicine
• Human Services

Strategic Priorities

Mary Hillman Jennings Foundation prioritizes investments that increase opportunities and promote the economic, social, and emotional welfare of those whose voices and concerns are often overlooked. Current priorities are focused on programs that provide direct services to:

At-Risk Children and Youth

• After-school programs
• Culturally relevant arts and culture education

Homeless Individuals

• Homelessness prevention and response
• Low-to-no barrier housing options and supportive services

Immigrants and Refugees

• Culturally responsive approaches that promote well-being and inclusion, such as translation, interpretation, and student supports

Low-Income Workers

• Neighborhood-based workforce development and financial empowerment initiatives

Mothers and Children

• Lowering premature morbidity and mortality
• Supporting maternal and child well-being from birth

People Struggling with Addiction and Recovery

• Prevention, education, harm-reduction, and increased access to existing services
• Increasing community response capacity

People Formerly Incarcerated who are Re-Entering the Community

• Policy changes, diversion models, collaborative approaches, and innovative in-jail and re-entry programs for juveniles and adults

Victims of Violence

• Reducing neighborhood violence through evidence-based programs
• Mental health and other essential services

McElhattan Foundation

The Industrial Scientific Foundation was established in 1994 and for many years served as the charitable arm of Industrial Scientific Corporation, which was founded by K.E. McElhattan and his son, Kent McElhattan. It supported nonprofits at the local and national level. When Industrial Scientific was sold in 2017, the Foundation began operating as the McElhattan Foundation.

Mission & Vision

Bring us bold ideas that advance the goals of our five program areas:

• End Death on the Job 
• Out-of-School-Time Learning
• Economic Development in Knox & Franklin, PA
• Expanding Educator Diversity
• End-of-Life Planning & Care

Expanding Educator Diversity

Excellent teachers are key to unlocking powerful learning experiences.

Research shows that all students thrive when their educators are racially and ethnically diverse. This is especially true for students of color. The presence of teachers of color contributes to positive academic and non-academic outcomes (reduced absenteeism, increased admission to gifted programs, reduced dropout rates, and increased likelihood to enroll in four-year college) for students of color. 

However, while students of color account for 37.6% of learners in Allegheny County, as of the 2022-23 school year, teachers of color represented just 4.6% of the 10,700 teachers in the county’s public schools. This disparity contributes to the racial achievement gap and hinders the learning outcomes of our region's children. It also plays a part in disincentivizing youth of color from pursuing careers in teaching. At the same time, college debt, stagnant wages and stressful working conditions drive qualified teachers away in droves.

Recognizing these systemic challenges, our vision is that all Allegheny County students of color are taught by high-quality teachers of color throughout their PreK-12 schooling.

What We Fund

• Efforts that increase access to and completion of high-quality teacher preparation programs for educators of color; 
• Highly collaborative partnerships that increase access to models such as teacher residencies, grow your own programs, and those that leverage dual enrollment, apprenticeships, and career and technical training;
• Initiatives that promote recruitment of/and retention for educators of color; and  
• Systems-level efforts, including network building, research, and efforts to advance public policy.

Funding

In general, we are most receptive to large requests ($50K+) from organizations we have worked with before. If you are entirely new to us, we'd suggest a smaller initial request; if that grant goes well, you'll be in a much stronger position to make a larger request during a future grant cycle.

Our founder

Richard King Mellon was a visionary. The philanthropic foundation he created, the Richard King Mellon Foundation, has invested since 1947 in visionaries who seek to advance the competitive future and quality of life of Southwestern Pennsylvania, and to protect, preserve and restore America’s environmental heritage. More than 75 years after its founding, the Foundation has become the largest in our region and one of the 50 largest in the world. The Foundation’s 2021 year-end net assets were $3.4 billion, and its Trustees in 2021 disbursed $152 million in grants and program-related investments.

Economic Mobility

While economic mobility specific RFPs are no longer open, applications for funding on the subject matter highlighted in those historic RFPs can be submitted at any time through our General Application. The historic Economic Mobility RFPs can be viewed here.We welcome bold proposals that align with our 2021-2030 Strategic Plan.

Our Strategic Plan is a roadmap to award more than $1.2 billion from 2021-2030. It is a plan to focus the Foundation’s resources on the most powerful pathways to greater opportunity and prosperity for the people of southwestern Pennsylvania. And to do even more to protect, steward, and activate environmentally sensitive land in southwestern Pennsylvania and across the United States.Your applications are the lifeblood of our Strategic Plan.

About the Polk Foundation The Polk Foundation believes that every person with a disability deserves to live with dignity and have maximum opportunity to grow, achieve, and succeed.Honoring Patricia Hillman Miller's lifelong commitment to this principle, the Foundation will continue to focus primarily on improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.Polk Foundation GrantPatricia Hillman Miller created the Polk Foundation to ensure that high-quality care and programs were available to children with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families in southwestern Pennsylvania, at a time when many children with developmental and intellectual disabilities lived in poverty with limited services. She was instrumental in the successful opening of the Allegheny Valley School for Exceptional Children in 1961. The Polk Foundation’s close relationship with AVS, now Merakey AVS, continues. Although Merakey AVS is the principal beneficiary of the Polk Foundation, the Foundation accepts inquiries from other nonprofit organizations that provide services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, and makes grants on a limited basis as funding is available.Priorities

• Health & Medicine
• Human Services

Strategic Priorities The Polk Foundation prioritizes investments that promote the economic, social, and emotional welfare of people with developmental and intellectual disabilities and increase the opportunities available to them. In particular, the Foundation focuses on:

• Programs designed in partnership with people with disabilities and their families
• Technology initiatives that enable maximum independence
• Relevant research with high potential for quick translation to clinical care and quality of life improvements
• Community initiatives that aim to make neighborhoods more welcoming and inclusive of those with developmental and intellectual disabilities
• Capital improvements (on a limited basis)

We welcome bold proposals that align with our 2021-2030 Strategic Plan.

Our Strategic Plan is a roadmap to award more than $1.2 billion from 2021-2030. It is a plan to focus the Foundation’s resources on the most powerful pathways to greater opportunity and prosperity for the people of southwestern Pennsylvania. And to do even more to protect, steward, and activate environmentally sensitive land in southwestern Pennsylvania and across the United States.

Funding Programs

We strive to improve the competitive position of the region; strengthen the vitality of Southwestern Pennsylvania, particularly the City of Pittsburgh and its neighborhoods; and protect important habitats and natural amenities in Western Pennsylvania and across the United States.

• Conservation
  • Wildlife flourishes and people thrive in once-imperiled habitats, through strategic land protection, stewardship, and activation, and sustainable economic development that deploys renewable energy and new technologies that foster livable communities and healthy natural systems.
• Economic Development
  • To help make Southwestern Pennsylvania an engine for economic growth and vitality by investing in the ingenuity and creativity of its population, enhancing individuals’ economic prosperity, and strengthening our sense of community.
• Economic Mobility
  • All children and youth living in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties will be able to access their most promising future.
  • We invest in pathways to opportunity for vulnerable children and youth to overcome the obstacles to achieving economic mobility.
• Health & Well-Being
  • Everyone in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, particularly the most vulnerable, has the opportunity to live a healthy life.
• Organizational Effectiveness
  • Our partners will have the organizational strength and agility to pursue big ideas and take risks in service of accelerating achievement of their strategic priorities.
• Social-Impact Investments
  • The Foundation's social-impact investing enables mission-driven for-profit companies to secure the risk capital, networks and resources they need to develop products, deploy services and address societal issues at the individual and community level.

We welcome proposals that span funding programs.

General Application

The General Application is for proposals that align with our 2021 – 2030 Strategy and one – or several – of our funding programs.

The General Application is our most flexible application option. The General Application does not have deadlines, so you can submit at any time throughout the year. Through the General Application, you can apply for general operating support or project-specific support. You can also seek funding for planning and innovation, implementation, or scaling activities.

To have the greatest impact, organizations need flexible funding that supports organizational development and long-term planning. The purpose of the General Support Grant Program of the Social Justice Fund is to provide operating support for organizations engaged in advocacy, mobilization and healing work. 

By providing general support, The Social Justice Fund will increase investment in strengthening the infrastructure for social justice work in the Pittsburgh region, particularly for efforts that are led by communities that are least well off politically, economically and socially. General support grants are one-year grants that can be renewed for up to three years. However, renewals are not guaranteed and each year the application process will be competitive. At the end of each 12-month grant period, grantees will submit a final report describing their progress and meet with Foundation staff to share their findings. Grantees will also have access to workshops, training and peer-learning opportunities to help develop their individual capacity and build networks that will deepen the collective impact of their work. 

What We Fund

The Social Justice Fund is intended to support organizations engaged in advocacy, mobilization and healing work. We have defined these categories of work as follows:

• Advocacy: Efforts intended to bring about greater justice in economically underserved, people of color, LGBTQIA, immigrant and disability communities by working to place an issue higher on the political agenda; strengthen government/institutional commitment to implement or improve policies or practices; or increase or sustain financial or other resources. This can include petitions, one-on-one educational meetings with decision-makers, raising public awareness, public education, policy analysis and litigation.
• Mobilization: Bringing together affected individuals and their allies to raise awareness of and challenge a particular social, cultural, political or economic injustice and to strengthen community participation in decision-making. Mobilization can include activities such as: community conversations, protest marches, workshops/teach-ins, using art or images to illustrate ideas or influencing public perception through traditional and popular media. 
• Healing: Efforts that provide opportunities for community members to build and re-establish healthy connections and lift up resiliency and wellness practices as a transformative response to oppression, especially violence and trauma. 

POISE Community Impact Grants

POISE Foundation accepts online grant applications twice a year during its Spring and Fall funding cycle for requests that fit within one or more of its Priority Areas and are for activities within the Pittsburgh Region.

Grants are typically between $1,000-$5,000.

Funding Priority Areas

POISE Foundation’s mission is to assist the Black community in achieving self-sustaining practices through strategic leadership, collective giving, grantmaking, and advocacy. Through the Community Impact Grants, the Foundation provides small grants to nonprofit organizations located in the Pittsburgh Region that provide services, and seeks to bring change to the Black community which leads to empowerment and self-sufficiency. In general, grants are one year in duration. 

POISE typically provides grants to Black-led, Black serving nonprofit organizations offering programs and services that fit within one or more of our Priority Areas:

Community & Economic Development

Programming that helps community leaders, residents and their communities build capacity to engage in civic participation, to collaborate, to make decisions and to advocate for the well-being of Black communities and the residents that live there. These types of programs also seek to engage community members in learning about and understanding community issues, and the economic, social, environmental, political, psychological, and other impacts on their way of life. In addition, these programs should aim to foster pathways from poverty to prosperity for individuals and families in Black communities. We also look for programming that encourages diverse and robust neighborhood and community economies.

Education

Programming that supports and advances the educational achievement of Black youth in the Pittsburgh Region. We also invest in programming that offers innovative approaches to learning experiences that engage families and communities in the academic and social success of Black youth.

 Entrepreneurial Activities

Programming that advances the creation and development of Black businesses and cooperatives in the Pittsburgh Region.

Young Ladies

Programming that supports and advances the well-being of young ladies in preparation for future endeavors in the Pittsburgh Region.

Strengthening Black Families

Through Strengthening Black Families, we can envision a region where the Black Family is restored a core institution that is actively thriving and engaged in the re-development and transformation of Pittsburgh’s Black community. The Foundation will invest in programs and activities that build, strengthen, and support Black families.   

• being family-driven;
• building, strengthening, and supporting family development;
• increasing family time, interaction, engagement and communication;
• being culturally and contextually responsive in approach;
• assisting families with building authentic support networks with other families;
• providing families with tools and opportunities to build the skills necessary to advocate for their needs; and
• promoting and supporting family healing and wellness.

• Black-led, Black serving organization
• Have a current 501(c)3 or a fiscal sponsor with this documentation
• Serving Black families in Allegheny and Beaver Counties
• Organizations may request up to $6,500 for Strengthening Black Families programs/projects.

EQT Foundation

EQT is proud to be a part of the many communities where we operate, live and work. We believe strongly that giving back is a responsibility, and we’ve stayed true to that belief since the EQT Foundation was established in 2003 as a dedicated resource for financial, in-kind and volunteer support to communities touched by our business.

Since its inception, the EQT Foundation has awarded more than $74 million to nonprofits throughout the operational footprint of EQT Corporation. We are committed to supporting the education and training of children and adults; the development of diverse, livable communities; and preserving our natural environments.

The EQT Foundation believes in meaningful engagement with the communities it calls home and takes great pride in being a responsible and responsive corporate citizen. The EQT Foundation focuses its resources on areas that have a direct effect on the stability of communities and, in turn, contribute to the success of its business operations in those areas.

Funding Priorities

The EQT Foundation’s funding strategy endorses organizations and programs that directly impact the community and its residents. The Foundation supports nonprofits that demonstrate positive, needed, and trusted impacts throughout their community with special attention given to proposals grounded in analysis that demonstrate creative approaches to addressing critical issues.

The EQT Foundation also seeks evidence of:

• Geographic setting that aligns with EQT Corporation’s business locations;
• Ability to manage available resources effectively; and
• Outreach that gains solid public recognition and support for the nonprofit, its programs and sponsors.

The Foundation’s funding priorities are:

Community Enrichment

Encourage the development of diverse, safe, healthy, and sustainable communities, which can help to retain residential, commercial and economic growth.

Examples: Food banks, libraries, farmers markets, arts & music programs, community festivals & initiatives

Education & Workforce

Promote proficiency in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) topics for youth, as well as training programs to create a future skilled workforce.

Examples: In-school STEM-based curricula, computer and science camps, project-based learning, teacher professional development, career planning and preparation

Environment

Support the preservation of natural resources, and educate children, residents, and businesses to employ conservation techniques to minimize adverse impacts on the environment.

Examples: community gardens, watershed conservation, environmental education, preservation and restoration of green spaces

Duquesne Light Company's Microgrant program, Community Impact Grants (CIG), was launched in 2021 to support projects and programs led by diverse grassroots community organizations who are working on the ground to directly support our customers and communities, thereby furthering our mission of building a clean energy future for all.

Program Focus Areas

SOCIAL EQUITY: including social justice initiatives such as housing programs, programs advancing racial equality, refugee assistance, and access to food for historically disenfranchised communities

EDUCATION: including programs that support K-12 education in the areas of science, technologically, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM), access or increased access to technology, and purchasing of equipment for educational programming or capacity building

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE: including community gardens, park upgrades and restorations, and climate resilience projects

Mission

Staunton Farm Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of people who live with mental illness and/or substance use disorders. The Foundation works to enhance behavioral health treatment and support by advancing best practices through grant making to non-profit organizations in ten southwestern Pennsylvania counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, Westmoreland.

Our Vision

Investing in a future where behavioral health is understood, supported, and accepted.

Grantmaking

Grantmaking is a key step in realizing the Foundation’s vision of a future where behavioral health is understood, supported, and accepted. Staunton Farm Foundation seeks proposals that use evidence-based models, emphasize best practices, provide measurable outcomes, and eliminate negative stereotypes associated with behavioral illnesses. Current priority areas include:

Collaboration

Grants for collaboration with multiple stakeholders to learn/train as a region. The Foundation will act as a convener and a neutral facilitator.

Examples: Provide funding to new projects which identify unusual partners’ support; integration of behavioral health; develop trainings that support multiple organizations rather than one; work with local colleges/ universities to develop workforce

Innovation

Grants that advance the field and use evidence-based practices and approaches to improve outcomes.

Examples: Use of technology to advance the behavioral health field/improve outcome measures; bringing practices to scale across region

Advocacy

Grants promoting policies to improve treatment, especially for underserved populations, and extend the efforts of those supporting and advancing policy change.

Examples: Policy (not lobbying); giving voice to providers and consumers; developing white papers; gathering data to support policy change; educating legislators; convene legislators and nonprofits to discuss behavioral health support

Communication

Grants to educate the general public about current issues, as well as offer resources to change the conversation about behavioral health.

Examples: Create/share anti-stigma messages to change public perception/policy; provide opportunities for dialogue; build understanding and acceptance; improve practice by disseminating knowledge and promoting a culture of learning

United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania funds community partners focused on providing programs and services in our five-county region.

Kindergarten Transition

Getting a child enrolled and prepared for the first day of kindergarten is one of the most critical steps of building success in school and beyond. United Way coordinates community transition teams and provides funding for nonprofits to help bridge the gap between preschool and kindergarten.

Transition teams are made up of early childhood teachers, administrators, support staff, parents and community members. They work together to make sure students can transition smoothly from preschool life to kindergarten, and start school feeling calm, confident and ready to learn.

Transition teams coordinate activities and experiences that help students adapt to kindergarten: parent orientation nights, student summer camps, classroom visits and more.

Transition teams also give a voice to key issues surrounding early childhood education. They promote the importance of quality early childhood education, early literacy development and on-time kindergarten registration. They help early childhood educators and school districts communicate better, and do the same for families, schools and the greater community.

Social-Impact Investment Pitch Competition

We strive to improve the competitive position of the region; strengthen the vitality of Southwestern Pennsylvania, particularly the City of Pittsburgh and its neighborhoods; and protect important habitats and natural amenities in Western Pennsylvania and across the United States.

Conservation

Wildlife flourishes and people thrive in once-imperiled habitats, through strategic land protection, stewardship, and activation, and sustainable economic development that deploys renewable energy and new technologies that foster livable communities and healthy natural systems.

Economic Development

To help make Southwestern Pennsylvania an engine for economic growth and vitality by investing in the ingenuity and creativity of its population, enhancing individuals’ economic prosperity, and strengthening our sense of community.

Economic Mobility

All children and youth living in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties will be able to access their most promising future. We invest in pathways to opportunity for vulnerable children and youth to overcome the obstacles to achieving economic mobility.

Health & Well-Being

Everyone in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, particularly the most vulnerable, has the opportunity to live a healthy life.

Organizational Effectiveness

Our partners will have the organizational strength and agility to pursue big ideas and take risks in service of accelerating the achievement of their strategic priorities.

Social-Impact Investments

The Foundation is currently accepting applications for its annual Social-Impact Investment Pitch Competition.

The Foundation's social-impact investing enables mission-driven for-profit companies to secure the risk capital, networks, and resources they need to develop products, deploy services, and address societal issues at the individual and community level.

Mission Statement

Opportunity Fund awards grants to small to midsize arts organizations, and organizations and initiatives that advance social and economic justice.

At least 75% of our grants are awarded to projects that benefit the Greater Pittsburgh Community. 

Funding Areas

Arts

• Performing Arts, with an emphasis on theatre, dance and music, especially classical chamber music and jazz, presented by small and mid-sized arts organizations
• Visual Arts, with an emphasis on craft and small to mid-sized organizations.

Social & Economic Justice

• Black-Led Movement Work
• Civil Liberties
• Civil Rights, with special interest in Black and LGBTQ+ people, and other groups impacted by social injustice
• Human Rights
• Reproductive Freedom
• Safety Net Resources for people in need, including social services, economic independence, housing, tangible aid, transportation, healthcare

The Opportunity Fund offers both project-based grants and operational support. As a new funding entity, Opportunity Fund is continually finding and adjusting its focus. As such, past grants are not entirely indicative of what will be funded in the future.

Vision and Focus Areas

We commit to creating a vibrant, equitable and just Pittsburgh region that supports everyone – regardless of race, identity or circumstance – to thrive and fulfill their potential.

Under our strategic plan, we strive to strengthen our focus on community and the positive impact that can be achieved through our grantmaking. Our current areas of focus are: Basic Needs, Equity and Social Justice, Arts and Culture, Economic Mobility and Environmental Action. From time to time, we have special grant-making opportunities related to specific regions or to issues such as juvenile justice or senior care. 

The Pittsburgh Foundation is committed to helping the communities we serve become equitable and vibrant places where everyone can thrive. We align our grantmaking with resident’s dreams for themselves, their families and their communities and prioritize support in the five focus areas listed below.

Basic Needs

We seek to improve the stability of low-income people by supporting direct assistance to obtain food, housing, health care, mental health supports, child care, education and employment.

Across our basic needs grantmaking, we are committed to expanding knowledge of, improving access to, and improving coordination among local resources and human services.

• Food Access: We seek to support programs and services that assist low-income individuals and families to obtain enough food.
• Child Care: We seek to ensure equitable access to quality child care.
• Education: We strive to ensure access to high-quality in-class education as well as culturally-responsive,  out-of-school time programs.
• Mental and Physical Health: We aim to support the mental and physical health needs of residents by ensuring access to quality, affordable and culturally responsive services.
• Housing: We seek to support or fill gaps in a county-wide eviction prevention system, and help support those living in transitional housing and/or facing unexpected loss of housing.
• Employment: We seek to support youth and adults who experience significant barriers to employment.

Equity and Social Justice

We seek to support civic participation and community organizing to achieve policy changes.

Our equity and social justice grantmaking places strong emphasis on leadership by individuals who have been directly impacted by systemic injustice, as we believe that they are best positioned to propose solutions that remove barriers that impeded their ability to thrive.

• Civic Participation
  • Voter Engagement: We seek to support the ability of the nonprofit sector to engage historically underrepresented populations and communities that have documented low voter turnout.
  • Access to Information: We seek to support public media  outlets and other platforms that produce professional, regionally focused, fact-based news coverage and information.
• Community-Driven Solutions
  • Protect Basic Needs:  We seek to support grassroots organizations and resident-informed initiatives that address barriers that prevent families from being able to meet their basic needs and thrive.
  • End Mass Incarceration:  We seek to uplift and provide resources for community-led efforts to change policies and practices that result in over-policing and over-incarceration.
  • Youth Justice:  We are interested in supporting intervention and prevention activities that support youth who have any involvement with the criminal and juvenile justice systems.

Environmental Action

We seek to protect the health of our communities and the preservation of our environment.

Our environmental action grantmaking prioritizes support for projects, initiatives and collaborations that center communities in environmental decision-making and amplify the intersectional nature of working to protect the health of our communities and the preservation of our environment. We recognize that environmental issues span beyond geographic borders. While we will continue to prioritize projects serving residents of Allegheny County, we will also consider on a case-by-case basis projects that work across the southwest Pennsylvania 12-county region.

• Equitable Access to Land, Water, and Air: To promote equitable access to land, air and water, we seek to support community-centered conservation and stewardship of natural resources.
• Learning and Action: We seek to address the harms of chronic pollution and mitigate future impacts, translate research into action to protect the health of communities and their environments and support resident voice in environmental decision-making in their communities.

Arts and Culture

We seek to strengthen small-to-mid-sized arts organizations and support individual artists by fostering a diverse, healthy and just arts ecosystem. 

• Small-to-Mid-Sized Arts Organizations: Small and Mid-Size Arts Organizations face disparities in their ability to access resources.
• Support for Careers and Lives of Individual Artists: Through this funding to individual artists, the Foundation hopes that the Pittsburgh region will be exposed to the breadth of human experience and the unparalleled talent the region has to offer.

Economic Mobility

We seek to reduce the wealth gap in Allegheny County.

• Access to Post-Secondary Education: We seek to support programs that enable students to earn college credit while in high school; admissions navigation support and academic and financial counseling; re-engagement strategies for students who have stopped attending school; and supports for non-traditional students.
• Career Advancement: We are interested in supporting organizations that offer technology training with career potential. 
• Entrepreneurship: We are interested in efforts to increase entrepreneurship.
• Homeownership: In 2025, applications for the Homeownership focus area will be by invitation only.

Types of Grants

Recognizing that nonprofits need flexible support that allows them to adapt to changing community needs, we offer applicants the opportunity to apply for two types of grant support:

• Project/Program Support:  Funds are used to develop and/or implement a specific set of programmatic activities. These grants are usually time-bound and aimed at achieving specific goals and milestones.
• General Operating Support: Funds can be used at the discretion of the organization to cover any costs necessary to carry out its mission. This means that the grant award can be used to cover day-to-day activities or ongoing expenses such as administrative salaries, rent and office supplies, etc., as well as for program costs, software and hardware purchases, and professional development

Our Priorities

We will prioritize funding for organizations that reflect one or more of the following:

• Primarily serve communities disproportionately impacted by poverty.
• Have a demonstrated commitment to addressing the historical and present-day impact of social injustices on the specific communities it serves.
• Have an established history in the communities in which it works.
• Are representative of the communities it serves, including but not limited to, leadership and staff who have lived experience in the community issues that it addresses.
• Meaningfully integrate the experience and perspectives of the communities that it serves in the design, implementation, evaluation and/or decision-making process for its strategies and/or programs.

Funding

Generally, grants will be awarded for no more than two years due to limited availability of funds. One-year grants generally range from $10,000 to $75,000. Two-year grants will generally not exceed $150,000.

In limited situations, proposals that align with one or more of our grantmaking focus areas and with grantmaking priorities, and that clearly demonstrate the need and potential impact, may be considered for a larger grant. Organization leaders should have a conversation with a program officer before submitting a request for more than $150,000.

Pittsburgh Foundation

Established in 1945, The Pittsburgh Foundation is one of the nation’s oldest community foundations and as of 2022 is the 18th largest of more than 750 similar foundations across the United States.

As a community foundation, its resources comprise endowment funds established by individuals, businesses and organizations with a passion for charitable giving and fulfilling the Foundation’s mission of improving quality of life for all in the region.

Foundation-Directed Grantmaking

The Pittsburgh Foundation is committed to helping the communities we serve become equitable and vibrant places where everyone can thrive. We align our grantmaking with resident’s dreams for themselves, their families and their communities and prioritize support in the five focus areas: Basic Needs; Equity and Social Justice; Environmental Action; Arts and Culture; and Economic Mobility.

Duration: Generally, grants will be awarded for no more than two years due to limited availability of funds.

Amounts: One-year grants generally range from $10,000 to $75,000. Two-year grants will generally not exceed $150,000. Actual grant amounts are determined based on staff review of each individual application and consideration of the funding available at the time the application is received.

Arts and Culture

The Pittsburgh Foundation believes in the transformational power of art and in the talent and strength of Pittsburgh-based artists and organizations. Funding aims to create opportunities for artists and organizations to practice their craft, pursue new ideas, produce thought-provoking work, celebrate the totality of the experience of the artist, and encourage cultural exchange through shared artistic experiences. We support endeavors to amplify voices, share narratives and provide more equitable funding throughout the art and culture landscape.

Arts and Culture Grants: Small and Mid-Size Arts Organizations

We seek to support organizations producing and presenting art in any discipline, such as, but not limited to:

• Concert/performance/theatrical presentation: including artists' fees and other reasonable costs associated with the presentation.
• Creation of new work/commissioning: including commissioning fees and costs to present the work.
• Curation/exhibition: including space rental, installation, shipping and documentation.
• Residencies: including artists' fees, housing, travel and project budgets.
• Arts education programs: including out-of-school time arts education for students of all ages.
• Cultural activities: activities that enhance, celebrate and elevate narratives represented in the community member's lives, work and varied cultures, including activities led by cultural workers/bearers.

Priority will be given to organizations with budgets under $2 million.

Pittsburgh Foundation

Foundation-Directed Grantmaking

The Pittsburgh Foundation is committed to helping the communities we serve become equitable and vibrant places where everyone can thrive. We align our grantmaking with resident’s dreams for themselves, their families and their communities and prioritize support in the five focus areas: Basic Needs; Equity and Social Justice; Environmental Action; Arts and Culture; and Economic Mobility.

Duration: Generally, grants will be awarded for no more than two years due to limited availability of funds.

Amounts: One-year grants generally range from $10,000 to $75,000. Two-year grants will generally not exceed $150,000. Actual grant amounts are determined based on staff review of each individual application and consideration of the funding available at the time the application is received.

Basic Needs

We seek to improve the stability of low-income people by supporting direct assistance to obtain food, housing, health care, mental health supports, child care, education and employment.

Hardships caused by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 have been deep and widespread, but for many people — especially those who are Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) — hardships predate the pandemic. As examples, one-in-five Pittsburghers is food-insecure, and there is a shortage of affordable housing and child care. When individuals and families can meet their basic needs, they experience less stress, which supports overall health and well-being.

Across our basic needs grantmaking, we are committed to expanding knowledge of, improving access to, and improving coordination among local resources and human services.

Basic Needs Grants: Education

Education includes student-centered activities that promote curiosity, joy and academic improvement in math, literacy, civics, history and science. It also includes the development of critical thinking, project-based learning and social capital competencies that are key to student success. Key to the development of these skills is the out-of-school time community, which serves as a bridge between learners, families and educational institutions. In Allegheny County, 67,000 students would attend an out-of-school time program if one were available. And if performance gaps based on race, ethnicity or economic status were eliminated, up to $5 billion dollars in lifetime compensation and in-kind benefits could be directed to students and their families, annually.

In our education portfolio, we are interested in supporting the following: 

Out-of-school time (OST)

The Foundation supports culturally-responsive, out-of-school time programs that promote academic achievement and whole-child development. Specifically, we seek to support:

• Activities that offer advanced skill development opportunities and/or certifications.
• Tutoring and homework assistance.
• Post-secondary planning and application support.
• Opportunities to build relationships between schools and families.

We are particularly interested in programs that work to maximize student learning time, reduce chronic absenteeism, offer evidence-based mental health supports and serve students with disabilities and experiencing housing insecurity.

Improving education quality

The Foundation supports the following to ensure every child receives in-school instruction in an environment that is safe and high-quality:

• Specific curricula improvements at high-need, low-performing schools (e.g.: new science, literacy, math, civics or history curricula).
• Responsive professional development for OST and school staff.
• Efforts to reform policies and practices that negatively impact students and their families.

Pittsburgh Foundation

Established in 1945, The Pittsburgh Foundation is one of the nation’s oldest community foundations and as of 2022 is the 18th largest of more than 750 similar foundations across the United States.

As a community foundation, its resources comprise endowment funds established by individuals, businesses and organizations with a passion for charitable giving and fulfilling the Foundation’s mission of improving quality of life for all in the region.

Foundation-Directed Grantmaking

The Pittsburgh Foundation is committed to helping the communities we serve become equitable and vibrant places where everyone can thrive. We align our grantmaking with resident’s dreams for themselves, their families and their communities and prioritize support in the five focus areas: Basic Needs; Equity and Social Justice; Environmental Action; Arts and Culture; and Economic Mobility.

Duration: Generally, grants will be awarded for no more than two years due to limited availability of funds.

Amounts: One-year grants generally range from $10,000 to $75,000. Two-year grants will generally not exceed $150,000. Actual grant amounts are determined based on staff review of each individual application and consideration of the funding available at the time the application is received.

Basic Needs

We seek to improve the stability of low-income people by supporting direct assistance to obtain food, housing, health care, mental health supports, child care, education and employment.

Hardships caused by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 have been deep and widespread, but for many people — especially those who are Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) — hardships predate the pandemic. As examples, one-in-five Pittsburghers is food-insecure, and there is a shortage of affordable housing and child care. When individuals and families can meet their basic needs, they experience less stress, which supports overall health and well-being.

Across our basic needs grantmaking, we are committed to expanding knowledge of, improving access to, and improving coordination among local resources and human services.

Basic Needs Grants: Employment

In this area, we seek to support youth and adults who experience significant barriers to employment, including limited math and reading skills. This includes support for programs that prioritize the employment needs of individuals who are low-income, have a disability, are formally incarcerated, experience housing insecurity, in or aging out of foster care, and single parents. These needs are complex and not easily resolved by one agency alone.

We are specifically interested in services and activities that:

• Offer comprehensive assistance for adults and include interest and skill assessments, soft- and hard-skill development, employer and human service partnerships, job placement with wages of at least $13.00 an hour and at least six-month follow up.
• Align with career pipeline programs and local industry partnership strategies targeting technology, health care, financial services, advanced manufacturing and construction activities.
• Provide age-appropriate youth programs that include life and social skills training, career exploration or career planning with work-based learning such as employer visits, job shadowing, adult career mentoring, internships, summer youth employment, occupational skills training, pre-apprenticeships, industry recognized credentialing and employment in targeted industries.
• Seek to identify and implement best practice/innovative strategies that support single parents, people with justice system involvement and people in recovery. 

Pittsburgh Foundation

Established in 1945, The Pittsburgh Foundation is one of the nation’s oldest community foundations and as of 2022 is the 18th largest of more than 750 similar foundations across the United States.

As a community foundation, its resources comprise endowment funds established by individuals, businesses and organizations with a passion for charitable giving and fulfilling the Foundation’s mission of improving quality of life for all in the region.

Foundation-Directed Grantmaking

The Pittsburgh Foundation is committed to helping the communities we serve become equitable and vibrant places where everyone can thrive. We align our grantmaking with resident’s dreams for themselves, their families and their communities and prioritize support in the five focus areas: Basic Needs; Equity and Social Justice; Environmental Action; Arts and Culture; and Economic Mobility.

Duration: Generally, grants will be awarded for no more than two years due to limited availability of funds.

Amounts: One-year grants generally range from $10,000 to $75,000. Two-year grants will generally not exceed $150,000. Actual grant amounts are determined based on staff review of each individual application and consideration of the funding available at the time the application is received.

Economic Mobility

Both programmatic- and policy-level interventions are needed for low-income families and communities to build financial security and increase economic mobility. Access to post-secondary education, homeownership, career advancement and entrepreneurship are grantmaking areas that The Pittsburgh Foundation will support to improve economic mobility in our community.

Economic Mobility Grants: Career Advancement

A 2018 report by the Allegheny Conference on Community Development predicted a potential worker shortfall of 80,000 by 2025 due to retirements and slow job creation. These projections intensify the need to focus on systemic changes in career preparation in the K-12 educational system, and to target training opportunities to incumbent workers who have persistently lower median yearly earnings and higher levels of unemployment. Technology is reshaping virtually every occupation at a rapid rate, changing the skills students must have and driving the need for continuous upskilling of incumbent workers. Additionally, all workers will need to increase their digital fluency and acquire "soft" skills such as communications, problem-solving and customer service.

We are specifically interested in activities that:

• Offer entry-level and advanced technology training with career potential.
• Support partnerships where employers have helped develop training curriculum and industry recognized credentials, are invested in and committed to training and hiring for a variety of occupations, and provide career advancement support and opportunity.
• Support collaboration between the public workforce system, industry partners and school districts to update and implement state mandated K-12 career readiness standards and curriculum.

Pittsburgh Foundation

Established in 1945, The Pittsburgh Foundation is one of the nation’s oldest community foundations and as of 2022 is the 18th largest of more than 750 similar foundations across the United States.

As a community foundation, its resources comprise endowment funds established by individuals, businesses and organizations with a passion for charitable giving and fulfilling the Foundation’s mission of improving quality of life for all in the region.

Foundation-Directed Grantmaking

The Pittsburgh Foundation is committed to helping the communities we serve become equitable and vibrant places where everyone can thrive. We align our grantmaking with resident’s dreams for themselves, their families and their communities and prioritize support in the five focus areas: Basic Needs; Equity and Social Justice; Environmental Action; Arts and Culture; and Economic Mobility.

Duration: Generally, grants will be awarded for no more than two years due to limited availability of funds.

Amounts: One-year grants generally range from $10,000 to $75,000. Two-year grants will generally not exceed $150,000. Actual grant amounts are determined based on staff review of each individual application and consideration of the funding available at the time the application is received.

Environmental Action

Our environmental action grantmaking prioritizes support for projects, initiatives and collaborations that center communities in environmental decision-making and amplify the intersectional nature of working to protect the health of our communities and the preservation of our environment. We recognize that environmental issues span beyond geographic borders. While we will continue to prioritize projects serving residents of Allegheny County, we will also consider on a case-by-case basis projects that work across the southwest Pennsylvania 12-county region.

Environmental Action Grants: Learning and Action

All people have the right to live in a safe and healthy environment. To address past harms and mitigate future impacts, we seek to translate research into action to protect the health of communities and their environments and build agency within these communities.

The Foundation is interested in supporting the following:

• Community-engaged participatory research and citizen science activities that seek to increase environmental health safety and climate literacy.
• Cross-sector partnerships that advance systems changes to improve environmental health outcomes, protect the environment and share decision-making power with community members.
• Advocacy initiatives that advance policies that protect health and preserve the environment.
• Grassroots and youth organizing efforts that advance environmental priorities in the region (for example, clean energy, transportation, food systems, economic transition of coal-impacted communities).

Pittsburgh Foundation

Established in 1945, The Pittsburgh Foundation is one of the nation’s oldest community foundations and as of 2022 is the 18th largest of more than 750 similar foundations across the United States.

As a community foundation, its resources comprise endowment funds established by individuals, businesses and organizations with a passion for charitable giving and fulfilling the Foundation’s mission of improving quality of life for all in the region.

Foundation-Directed Grantmaking

The Pittsburgh Foundation is committed to helping the communities we serve become equitable and vibrant places where everyone can thrive. We align our grantmaking with resident’s dreams for themselves, their families and their communities and prioritize support in the five focus areas: Basic Needs; Equity and Social Justice; Environmental Action; Arts and Culture; and Economic Mobility.

Duration: Generally, grants will be awarded for no more than two years due to limited availability of funds.

Amounts: One-year grants generally range from $10,000 to $75,000. Two-year grants will generally not exceed $150,000. Actual grant amounts are determined based on staff review of each individual application and consideration of the funding available at the time the application is received.

Equity and Social Justice

We seek to support civic participation and community organizing to achieve policy changes.

While programmatic interventions can improve outcomes for individuals, equitable access to opportunity will only be possible at scale when systemic policies, practices and cultural messages that perpetuate injustice are eliminated.

Our equity and social justice grantmaking places strong emphasis on leadership by individuals who have been directly impacted by systemic injustice, as we believe that they are best positioned to propose solutions that remove barriers that impeded their ability to thrive.

Equity and Social Justice Grants: Voter Engagement

Nothing is more fundamental to our democracy than the right to vote. However, there was a time in our nation’s history when many, including women and Black people, did not have access to the ballot and/or were prevented through legal means and violence from exercising this right. Through a series of constitutional amendments and legislative actions implemented over the years, all Americans now have the right to equal, unencumbered access to the ballot. However, voter suppression efforts are not a thing of the past. Since the 2013 Supreme Court ruling to remove federal oversight of state voting rules, there has been a surge in state bills to limit voter access.

We seek to support the ability of the nonprofit sector to engage historically underrepresented populations and communities that have documented low voter turnout. Engagement will occur within and beyond election cycles to ensure every eligible voter has a voice in our democracy at all levels. 

Specifically, we are interested in supporting the following activities:

• Non-partisan voter education, including efforts that teach residents about the electoral process and how government works and build knowledge about the candidates and relevant issues in any given election cycle.
• Non-partisan registration and turnout, including Get-Out-The-Vote events, door-knocking/ canvassing, and efforts to eliminate logistical barriers to voting. This includes ensuring that voters have accurate polling location information and transportation to the polls.
• Voter access: Advance reforms that preserve existing rights and support inclusive ballot practic

Pittsburgh Foundation

Established in 1945, The Pittsburgh Foundation is one of the nation’s oldest community foundations and as of 2022 is the 18th largest of more than 750 similar foundations across the United States.

As a community foundation, its resources comprise endowment funds established by individuals, businesses and organizations with a passion for charitable giving and fulfilling the Foundation’s mission of improving quality of life for all in the region.

Foundation-Directed Grantmaking

The Pittsburgh Foundation is committed to helping the communities we serve become equitable and vibrant places where everyone can thrive. We align our grantmaking with resident’s dreams for themselves, their families and their communities and prioritize support in the five focus areas: Basic Needs; Equity and Social Justice; Environmental Action; Arts and Culture; and Economic Mobility.

Duration: Generally, grants will be awarded for no more than two years due to limited availability of funds.

Amounts: One-year grants generally range from $10,000 to $75,000. Two-year grants will generally not exceed $150,000. Actual grant amounts are determined based on staff review of each individual application and consideration of the funding available at the time the application is received.

Equity and Social Justice

We seek to support civic participation and community organizing to achieve policy changes.

While programmatic interventions can improve outcomes for individuals, equitable access to opportunity will only be possible at scale when systemic policies, practices and cultural messages that perpetuate injustice are eliminated.

Our equity and social justice grantmaking places strong emphasis on leadership by individuals who have been directly impacted by systemic injustice, as we believe that they are best positioned to propose solutions that remove barriers that impeded their ability to thrive.

Equity and Social Justice Grants: Youth Justice

We are interested in supporting intervention and prevention activities that support youth who have any involvement with the criminal and juvenile justice systems.

The priorities for our youth justice grantmaking are the result of local community-guided research and the Foundation’s on-going collaboration with community, nonprofit leaders and Allegheny County providers that serve youth impacted by the justice system. Specifically, we are interested in supporting intervention and prevention activities that:

• Support youth who have any involvement with the criminal and juvenile justice systems.
• Prevent and address disproportionate system-involvement of youth.
• Support prevention and pre-arrest diversion initiatives.
• Improve staff knowledge and skill related to best practices in intersectionality, trauma, conflict resolution and mediation skills.
• Address a youth justice issue of emergent priority that prevents youth involvement with the criminal justice system.

United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania funds community partners focused on providing programs and services in our five-county region.

Community Impact Grants

Through United Way’s Impact Fund, nonprofit agencies may apply for general funding opportunities that support our three investment priorities: Meeting Basic Needs, Moving Toward Financial Stability, and Building For Success in School and Life.

Grants will be awarded for 3 years and may be adjusted based on the completion of annual reporting and performance requirements, and the availability of funds. 

Investment Priority Framework

• Meeting Basic Needs
  • Individuals and families have a greater opportunity to thrive when they have access to nutritious food, a safe place to live, and supportive community resources.
  • UWSWPA invests in partners committed to:
    • Addressing food insecurity and providing access to nutritious food.
    • Providing individuals and families access to safe and secure housing through programs that provide shelter, address eviction prevention, home repair, and utility assistance.
    • Providing access to reliable transportation.
    • Providing safety and support to survivors of intimate partner violence.
    • Addressing the negative health effects of social isolation by providing interventions that promote connection and community.
• Moving Toward Financial Stability
  • To break the cycle of generational poverty, it is essential that people have resources and supports to earn a living wage and the tools they need to build wealth.
  • UWSWPA invests in partners committed to:
    • Connecting people to employment through skill-building and career development programs.
    • Offering equitable opportunities across race, gender, and ability for peopleto access services and benefits that increase their income and financial security.
    • Advocating for critical policy and systems change by engaging stakeholders across the community
• Building For Success in School and Life
  • Every young person deserves the chance to have a positive start toward adulthood, to learn and succeed to the level of their educational ability and reach their full potential in life
    • UWSWPA invests in partners committed to:
      • Providing affordable, high-quality early childhood educational opportunities and family supports.
      • Working collaboratively with school districts and other community partners that provide positive out-of-school time opportunities for young people.
      • Addressing learning loss, social and emotional well-being and kindergarten readiness.
      • Providing career and college readiness tools and resources to historically underrepresented groups of students.

The Wish Book is a soft-cover, printed book that is mailed to our donor community every November. Donors may use their donor-advised fund to make grant requests to fulfill the "wishes" on a rolling basis between November and March. In 2023, donors contributions totaled $670,000 to 100 Wish Book organizations.

The 2025 Wish Book should arrive before Thanksgiving. To fulfill a wish, contact your donor services representative by phone or email. You can find your representative's contact information on our staff page or by contacting the Development and Donor Services department