Strategic Priorities 

FISA Foundation focuses its disability-related grantmaking on adults and children with physical, intellectual, sensory, and developmental disabilities.

Improve the health and well-being of people with disabilities, women and girls (particularly women and girls of color).

Priority will be given to proposals that address:

• Improving access to health care and dental care for people with significant or complex disabilities.
• Expand accessible health services available across SWPA.
• Priority will be given to making existing community-based health services accessible and welcoming vs. developing specialized clinics to serve only individuals with disabilities.
• Train health professionals to more effectively work with individuals with disabilities.
• NOTE: Requests for accessible equipment or other efforts to immediately remove barriers will only be considered if they also include a plan for training staff and/or updating policies to institutionalize accessibility)
• Advocating for strategic changes to legislation, policy, practice or the community’s understanding of issues to improve the health and well-being of individuals with disabilities, women and girls, particularly women and girls of color.

Address the epidemic of abuse (specifically sexual assault and domestic violence) that disproportionately impacts women, girls, and people with disabilities.

Priority will be given to proposals that address:

• Prevention by:
• Engaging men and boys in changing men’s behavior and attitudes
• Increasing offender accountability
• Increasing bystander intervention
• Changing social norms that promote violence.
• Ensuring that individuals with disabilities (and other vulnerable/underserved groups of victims) have access to needed services.
• Incorporating disability-specific issues into abuse prevention efforts
• Advocacy efforts and policy change.

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

Priority will be given to proposals that address:

• Pipelines to employment for people with disabilities.
• Meaningful community engagement and full inclusion of people with disabilities.
• Empower girls and women, particularly those who struggle with addiction, homelessness, trauma, and poverty, to lead productive and dignified lives, to have equitable opportunities for success, and to reach their full potential.
• NOTE: Proposed programs and services should be responsive to intersecting identities and experiences (including race, socioeconomics, ability, sexual orientation or identity).

What types of funding will be considered?

FISA Foundation believes in and invests in innovation; however we also recognize the current 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:

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

Grant Amount

FISA’s grants vary in size depending on the scale and scope of the project. The smallest grant to date was $100; the largest, $250,000 (over three years). Most grants range in size from $5,000 to $75,000. It would be unusual for FISA to make a large (over $50,000) grant to an organization we have not worked with before.

Mission

The Independence Foundation is a private, not-for-profit philanthropic organization serving Philadelphia and its surrounding Pennsylvania counties. The Foundation’s mission is to support organizations that provide services to people who do not ordinarily have access to them. With a strong focus on health, the Foundation invests in people and programs that enrich the life experiences of the residents of the Philadelphia area.

In addition to health care, the Foundation extends its funding to human services, legal aid and arts & culture, building on the belief that a region that promotes physical well-being, provides equal access to services, values justice, and appreciates the arts will thrive for generations to come.

Funding Initiatives

Human Services

In keeping with our mission to support organizations that provide direct services to people who do not ordinarily have access to them, Independence Foundation’s current Human Services funding agenda focuses on programs that address the following areas:

• Adequate food and food distribution 
• Affordable housing and access to shelter by homeless persons
• Services which support independence for people living with disabilities

Independence Foundation supports programs that empower less advantaged residents of the Philadelphia area to achieve self-sufficiency by providing these most basic of needs.

Health Care

Independence Foundation believes that high quality, comprehensive primary care and related services result in better health, improved quality of life, reduction in health disparities, and lower costs to the health care system. Concerned about the difficulties experienced by many people in the Philadelphia region in accessing these services, the Foundation supports programs that improve accessibility.

In addition, the Foundation is committed to improving the health care of older adults, who represent the fastest growing segment of the population and account for a disproportionate share of overall healthcare costs, through educational preparation of the nursing workforce and innovative clinical and community health programs. Funding within the health care initiative focuses on the following:

• Existing nurse-managed health care centers undertaking capacity building projects to expand and/or improve the provision of primary care and related services 
• Programs that support health policies and/or infrastructure for nurse-managed and other safety-net health providers
• Projects designed to inform health care-related planning
• Clinical, community, and/or educational programs designed to improve the health of older adults

Arts And Culture

Independence Foundation believes in bolstering the well-being of the region by supporting a variety of opportunities for involvement and participation in the arts. Art plays a transformative role in society, one that enriches community and connects people.

The Foundation supports programs in the arts that enhance the common artistic spirit through creation or performance. To this end, Independence Foundation awards multi-year general operating grants aimed at strengthening organizations by supporting creative work and administrative capacity, based on community involvement, artistic merit, and leadership in the field. 

In addition to providing general operating grants to local theatres, the New Theatre Works Initiative was launched to encourage the development and production of new theatrical work in the Philadelphia area. Independence Foundation also supports many larger cultural institutions in the region, believing that they contribute to making the Philadelphia area both culturally vibrant and economically healthy. Programs that connect the arts with non-traditional participants, and increase both access to and awareness of the arts, are of special interest to the Foundation. 

As part of the Foundation’s commitment to recognize and support work by artists across the region, individual artists are funded in both the performing and visual arts through the Fellowships in the Arts program.

Legal Aid

The Independence Foundation is committed to the support of free legal services for the underserved of the Philadelphia region. Agencies funded under the Public Interest Legal Aid Initiative address civil legal issues confronting individuals from diverse populations who do not traditionally have adequate access to legal representation, including the indigent, the elderly, the disabled, and the homeless. These grants provide core operating support to strengthen the administrative capacity and the direct service programs of those agencies that deliver critical legal services.

How we give

The Weinberg Foundation fulfills its mission to help those in greatest need by providing grants within five focus areas. These focus areas serve different populations, as well as different geographic areas. However, the Community Services focus area is intended for large community organizations operating multiple programs that meet a range of needs. Most nonprofit grant requests should align with one of the four core focus areas: Housing, Health, Jobs, or Education.

The Small Grants Program (SGP)

The Weinberg Foundation recognizes that small, community-based organizations provide critical services to vulnerable individuals and families. Through the Small Grants Program (SGP), the Foundation supports smaller nonprofits with a streamlined grant application and review process. Grants awarded under the SGP must still align with the Foundation’s strategic priorities in the areas of Housing, Health, Jobs, and Education.

Funding requests through the Small Grants Program can be for operating, program, or capital grants. The maximum Small Grant amount is $50,000 per year over two years, or $100,000 total. Organizations are eligible to apply if they meet the Foundation’s eligibility criteria and maintain an annual organizational budget of $3 million or less.

Housing

Stable housing provides a foundation for individuals, children, and families to lead healthy and productive lives.

Without housing, people are unable to focus on education, employment, health care, and meeting other basic needs. The Foundation is dedicated to supporting organizations that provide safe and affordable housing.

The Foundation supports the creation of new housing units, as well as the renovation of existing housing, to provide and maintain affordable, quality, and supportive housing options. Projects should be integrated into the broader community and must incorporate supportive services. Priority is given to projects that add new units of housing into a community.

Affordable Housing Development and Renovation

Here are a few examples of appropriate projects:

• Affordable housing for older adults, including services that allow residents to age independently, within their communities, and with maximum quality of life.
• Permanent supportive housing serving people exiting homelessness. Project details must include the types of services offered, as well as a focus on financial management and job training and career development.
• Affordable housing that meets the needs of veterans, young adults with developmental disabilities, those escaping domestic violence, and other vulnerable populations.

Maintaining Stable Housing

The Foundation supports programs that allow people to remain housed within their communities by providing comprehensive services that meet a range of social, economic, and health needs.

Here are a few examples of appropriate projects:

• Aging in community programs that allow older adults to age independently and with maximum quality of life. Specifically, programs may include home modification and repair, which can also be used as a platform for delivery of a variety of services.
• Rapid Re-Housing programs for families, youth, veterans and others who have experienced homelessness. These programs include case management, limited financial assistance, and job services and career development.
• Independent living, including supportive services that allow young adults with disabilities to live in the least restrictive environment possible, within their community.

Health

Good health is a prerequisite for any other life pursuit.

Poor physical or mental health can prevent people from seeking education, employment, and other opportunities that would allow for economic mobility. The Foundation is dedicated to supporting organizations that help children, adults, and families lead healthy lives.

Health Care Access

The Foundation supports organizations that provide access to health care, as well as those that work to improve the health status of vulnerable patients.

Here are a few examples of appropriate projects:

• Capital projects that expand access to primary care. Grantees are typically Federally Qualified Health Centers, and other community health centers, that provide a single-access point for a range of services. Please note that the Foundation does not fund hospitals or free clinics.
• Oral and behavioral health programs that increase access to care through the construction of new facilities as well as operating support that leverages billing revenue.
• Health care transition programs that ensure young adults with developmental disabilities have access to qualified primary care providers as they move into adulthood.

Aging in Community

The Foundation supports projects that enable older adults to remain independent. Projects must incorporate a model that connects older adults and/or caregivers with a range of services that help them age independently, within their communities, and with maximum quality of life.

Here are a few examples of appropriate projects:

• PACE (Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) Centers or other capital projects that provide nursing home-eligible older adults with a single-access point for a range of services.
• Prevention models that address older adults’ social determinants of health, with the goal of preventing hospitalization, readmission, and institutionalization.
• Caregiver support programs that help with older adults’ daily personal care (bathing, dressing, walking, eating, etc.).

Veteran Mental Wellness

The Foundation supports programs that enhance the mental wellness of veterans who are reintegrating into civilian life.

Here are a few examples of appropriate projects:

• Retreat programs, including an intensive on-site experience with a minimum of one year of follow-up. Programs must use a proven curriculum.
• Post-traumatic mental health therapy that is evidence-based and proven to reduce symptoms.
• Coordinated resource networks that facilitate access to a range of supportive services. These networks have a single-access point that evaluates veterans and connects them with the most appropriate service providers.

Nutrition and Food Access

The Foundation supports organizations and programs that increase access to sufficient and nutritious food.

Here are a few examples of appropriate projects:

• Meal service programs that ensure homebound people living with severe, chronic illnesses have access to nutritious food.
• Food delivery models, including nonprofit grocery stores, which increase access to healthy foods in food deserts.
• Food bank expansions and other capital projects that increase warehouse space, add cold storage and handling, and make other modifications necessary to serve more people. Please note that the Foundation focuses on regional food banks and not on food pantries or feeding programs.

Trauma, Abuse, and Safety

The Foundation supports programs that promote child and family safety and that reduce the long-term traumatic effects of child abuse and neglect, sexual assault, intimate partner or family violence, elder abuse, and exposure to community violence.

Here are a few examples of appropriate projects:

• Domestic violence programs that provide safe shelter, counseling, legal assistance, and other support services.
• Shelters and multidisciplinary team projects, including comprehensive services, for older adults fleeing physical, mental, economic, and sexual abuse.
• Prevention and treatment programs that strive to reduce, and alleviate the effects of, child sexual and physical abuse, child trafficking, and child neglect.

Jobs

Employment provides the best opportunity for personal success and financial security.

Quality training programs that lead to employment enable individuals and families to achieve economic stability. The Foundation is dedicated to supporting organizations that help people secure and keep quality jobs with opportunities for advancement.

Job Training

The Foundation supports job-training programs that result in industry-recognized credentials, as well as job-placement and retention services. Employers must engage with the training organizations to verify program content and support placement and retention services. Organizations should track job retention and wages for at least two years.

Here are a few examples of appropriate projects:

• Sector-based training programs in the health care, manufacturing, construction, food service, information technology, biotechnology, manufacturing industries, and more.
• Life-skills and job-readiness training, including case management and referrals to technical-training programs or direct job placement.
• Capital costs for job-training centers, including construction or renovation projects or large equipment purchases, that result in an increased number of individuals served in a sector-based training program.
• Veterans programs that provide job-placement services for military members and their spouses.

Financial Literacy and Economic Stability

The Foundation supports programs that provide people with the financial tools necessary to achieve economic stability.

Here are a few examples of appropriate projects:

• Financial coaching programs to help participants decrease debt, increase savings, and set long-term financial goals.
• Free tax preparation for low-wage workers provided by IRS-trained and certified volunteers.

Youth Employment and Career Support

The Foundation supports programs that provide career exploration and work-based learning opportunities for youth.

Here are a few examples of appropriate projects:

• Hard and soft-skills training to help disconnected youth (neither in school nor working) reconnect with career-pathway opportunities.
• Paid internships that expose youth to a direct work experience.
• Summer jobs programs for youth citywide.
• Customized, community-based employment opportunities for young adults with disabilities who are transitioning from a school environment into the workplace.

Education

Education can help break the cycle of poverty.

Providing at-risk children and youth with academic opportunities helps prepare them for a stable and productive future. The Foundation is dedicated to supporting organizations that provide or supplement a high-quality education from kindergarten through high school.

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)

The Foundation supports in-school and out-of-school STEM programs, professional development to strengthen STEM instruction, and programs proven to improve math proficiency, in order to prepare youth for evolving workforce needs that require STEM literacy.

Here are a few examples of appropriate projects:

• STEM programs, either in or out-of-school, that engage students in project-based learning. Programs should be able to demonstrate the academic impact of this work.
• Intensive, evidence-based math interventions proven to increase students’ math scores. Please note that the Foundation will not fund curriculum only.
• Programs that teach educators how to use and incorporate project-based STEM learning into their classrooms.
• Construction of STEM spaces, including labs, makerspaces, and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) centers.

Out-of-School Time

The Foundation supports after-school, weekend, and summer programs for students, kindergarten through grade 12. Funded programs must have an academic component with demonstrated academic outcomes.

Here are a few examples of appropriate projects:

• After-school, weekend, or summer programs that work with students for a minimum of six weeks over the summer and one year during the school year and blend academic learning with enriching activities to increase academic achievement, school attendance, and positive social behavior.
• Summer programs that blend academic learning with enriching activities and provide nutritious meals, as well as opportunities for physical activity. See Summer Funding Collaborative for more information.
• Job opportunities that introduce teens to the workforce and teach soft skills necessary for work and life. Ideally these programs will have opportunities for advancement, continued involvement, or handoff to another employer.

College and Career Preparedness

The Foundation supports programs that assist students in developing a post-secondary plan and position them for success after graduation from high school.

Here are a few examples of appropriate projects:

• College access programs that help students and families navigate the college application and admissions processes, including SAT/ACT testing, financial aid, and scholarship access. Priority will be shown to programs that also help students persist through college to obtain a degree.
• Career technology education (CTE) programs that help students achieve an industry-recognized certification that will allow them to graduate from high school in a position to enter the workforce and eventually earn a family-sustaining wage.

About Labor & Industry

The Department of Labor & Industry (L&I) employs more than 5,000 workers in 200 offices statewide. Established in 1913, the department originally inspected the working conditions in factories around the state. Over time, the department's responsibilities expanded.

L&I administers benefits to unemployed individuals, oversees the administration of workers' compensation benefits to individuals with job related injuries, and provides vocational rehabilitation to individuals with disabilities. The department prepares job seekers for the global workforce through employment and job training services for adult, youth, older workers, and dislocated workers. In addition, L&I enforces various laws and safety standards in the workplace and administers the commonwealth's programs for community service by young Pennsylvanians.

L&I also promotes economic development and an improved business climate through a variety of initiatives and programs to help Pennsylvania's workforce remain world-class and globally competitive.

PAsmart Apprenticeship Grants

PAsmart grant funds are used to support the growth of Registered Apprenticeship and Pre-Apprenticeship Programs, creating opportunities in new industries and occupations for Pennsylvania workers to advance along career pathways. This grant program will support schools, students, workers, and businesses across the Commonwealth and reach underrepresented populations, including women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, veterans, socio-economic disadvantaged individuals, individuals who speak English as a second language, individuals who were previously incarcerated, or individuals experiencing multiple barriers to employment. Ultimately, PAsmart will help Pennsylvanians develop the skills they need for the job they want, and in turn, support businesses by creating a skilled workforce to hire.

Governor Tom Wolf secured $12.5 million in PAsmart grants to support the growth of registered apprenticeships and pre-apprenticeships to create opportunities for Pennsylvania workers to advance along career pathways.  

Governor Wolf’s PA Statewide Movement for Accountability, Readiness and Training (PAsmart) framework is designed to better align education, workforce and economic development initiatives and funding.

PAsmart is based on four goals:

• Strategically investing resources in initiatives to support economic growth and education and training opportunities;
• Achieving successful outcomes for Pennsylvania students, workers, businesses, and communities;
• Improving coordination and alignment of education and workforce development programs, services and funding; and
• Transforming inter-agency, cross-sector collaboration around education, workforce and economic development at state, regional and local levels.

The PAsmart initiative was designed as strategic, competitive and cross-sector investment focused on meeting the education and workforce development needs of students, workers, employers, and communities across Pennsylvania, including those disconnected from education and workforce opportunities. 

PAsmart grants support the following PAsmart Principles and Funding Priorities:

• Data-driven Innovation
• Cross-sector Partnership
• Cross-sector Alignment
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
• Capacity Building
• Leveraging Existing Resources
• Performance Outcomes

 Grant Opportunity 1: Building, Supporting, and Expanding Registered Apprenticeship and Pre-Apprenticeship Programs

$11.5 million is available to build, support and expand Registered Apprenticeship and Pre-Apprenticeship Programs with a specific focus on diverse talent pipelines and underserved populations, non-traditional occupations, alignment with secondary and/or post-secondary educational institutions, and expedited growth through multi-county or statewide initiatives.

Competitive funding is available with a focus on the following: 

• Diverse Talent Pipelines and Underserved Populations: Build new or expand current Registered Apprenticeship Programs with a concentration on recruiting from diverse talent pipelines and serving populations traditionally underserved in Registered Apprenticeship. Programs should have a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as career pathways to opportunities that pay a living wage; and/or
• Non-Traditional Occupations: Support the expansion of Registered Apprenticeships into non-traditional occupations and/or industries/sectors through building new or expanding current Registered Apprenticeship Programs; and/or
• Career Pathways: Expand apprenticeship and/or pre-apprenticeship initiatives in close alignment with secondary and/or post-secondary educational institutions concentrating on Career Pathway system growth; and/or
• Expedited Growth and Wider Reach: Support the expansion of apprenticeship and/or pre-apprenticeship programs that have a statewide or multi-county reach allowing for expedited growth of quality programming across the Commonwealth.

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 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.

Basic Needs

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 that will address the root causes of economic and racial inequities.

Our equity and social justice grantmaking places strong emphasis on strengthening the voice and power of low income residents and people of color because policies and systems have created barriers for them when it comes to education, housing, criminal justice, public health and participation in our democracy.

• 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, especially those covering low-income and Black, Indignous and people of color (BIPOC) communities.
• Community-Driven Solutions
  • Protect Basic Needs:  We seek to support grassroots organizations and resident-informed initiatives that utilize advocacy, community organizing, and other systems change strategies to address the 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 practicies that result in over-incarceration and racial disparities in the criminal legal system.
  • 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 by advancing environmental justice.

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 seek to strengthen community resilience and adaptation in response to a changing climate. We also 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: As a direct response to past and ongoing environmental racism, which disproportionately impacts and harms low-income, working class and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) communities across our region, we seek to address these harms and mitigate future impacts, translate research into action to protect the health of communities and their environments and build power in communities to advance environmental justice. 

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-to-mid-sized arts organizations face disparities in their ability to access resources. Additionally, arts organizations serving communities of color are, in general, smaller and less financially secure than their counterparts in white communities. 
• 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 racial 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 Black entrepreneurship.
• Homeownership: We are specifically interested in funding programs that include personalized financial and home purchasing education; advocacy for mortgage assistance initiatives for Black women; and other programs that include collective ownership options.

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

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 racial justice, 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.

Forman Family Fund Grants

The Nessa Forman, David Forman, Eleanor and Solomon Forman Family Fund -- a Designated Fund of The Philadelphia Foundation -- supports Southeastern Pennsylvania nonprofits serving young people aged 11 to 18 offering in-school or out-of-school-time programs that address one of the following areas:

• Photography
• Architectural Drawing and Architecture
• Written Arts

Up to 10 grants of no more than $40,000 each will be awarded annually. The fund was established through the estate of Nessa R. Forman, former V.P. for Corporate Communications and Public Affairs at WHYY and former Arts and Leisure Editor of the Philadelphia Bulletin. She was a passionate advocate for arts education.

Types of Projects Funded

• Direct program expenses
• Staff time
• Materials and supplies
• Indirect expenses (up to 15% to total grant amount)
• Transportation, meals and field trips for participants

Background

McAuley Ministries is the grant-making foundation of Pittsburgh Mercy. Established in 2008, McAuley Ministries serves as a catalyst for change, committing resources and working collaboratively to promote healthy, safe, and vibrant communities. Grant-making priorities include health and wellness; education; community and economic development; capacity-building support for nonprofit organizations; and program initiatives which focus on the Hill District, Uptown, and West Oakland, communities historically served by the Sisters of Mercy in Pittsburgh. McAuley Ministries also provides support to organizations that are sponsored by and/or affiliated with the Sisters.

Geographic Priority

McAuley Ministries honors the legacy of the Sisters of Mercy by focusing its grantmaking on the sponsored ministries of the Sisters of Mercy in Southwestern Pennsylvania and the Pittsburgh neighborhoods traditionally served by the health care ministry of the Sisters of Mercy: the Hill District, Uptown, and West Oakland.

What We Fund

Proposals funded by McAuley Ministries:

• New programs and projects.
• Ongoing programs and projects.
• Capacity-building initiatives, including general operating support when organizations have a track record of producing outcomes for residents and the community.
• Capital projects that advance the strategic priorities of McAuley Ministries.

Health & Wellness

McAuley Ministries helps communities build gardens encouraging healthy eating and community socialization. 

McAuley Ministries supports initiatives that improve the overall health status of residents of the Hill District, Uptown, and West Oakland by meeting basic needs, encouraging healthy lifestyles, and providing community-based health care through innovative service delivery models. Priorities include:

• Affordable and safe housing for low- and moderate-income families and special populations, including seniors, veterans, persons who are homeless, and persons with disabilities.
• Support for organizations providing a safety net for basic needs (e.g., food, shelter, transportation, and access to health insurance).
• Initiatives that help seniors to thrive and age in place.
• Behavioral health initiatives that recognize and address the impact of community trauma.
• Evidence-based initiatives that prevent and interrupt gun violence.
• Support for Pittsburgh Mercy innovation that advances new models of health care for vulnerable populations.
• Community gardens and play spaces that encourage healthy eating, exercise, and community socialization.

Community & Economic Development

We fund initiatives that 1) assist individuals and families in the Hill District, Uptown, and West Oakland to transition from poverty to self-sufficiency, and 2) contribute to community vibrancy and quality-of-life. Priority will be given to:

• Workforce development that links training to family-sustaining jobs. Youth employment initiatives that introduce young people to careers and foster a strong work ethic.
• Business incubators that support emerging resident-owned businesses and link entrepreneurship to market opportunities, resulting in job growth and wealth-building.
• Evidence-based initiatives that help families address the key barriers to self-sufficiency.
• Neighborhood initiatives that enhance community aesthetics and cultural vibrancy.

Education

McAuley Ministries supports initiatives that assist children residing in the Hill District, Uptown, and West Oakland to succeed in school, graduate from high school, successfully transition to and graduate from college, and/or successfully transition to work. Priority initiatives include:

• High-quality early childhood development.
• After-school programs with high-quality tutoring and enrichment activities.
• Initiatives to improve college readiness and the number of residents who graduate from college or other post-secondary education.
• Initiatives that address the social obstacles to academic achievement and college completion.
• Parent and community engagement to support educational equity and achievement.

Capacity Building

McAuley Ministries assists nonprofit organizations serving the Hill District, Uptown, and West Oakland to enhance their ability to fulfill their missions by strengthening nonprofit governance and leadership; strategic and business planning; program development; technology and information systems; management systems and practices; and financial resources. McAuley Ministries will also serve as a convener to encourage collaboration and strategic alliances for greater collective impact. Priority will be given to:

• Leadership development and growing the next generation of leaders.
• Strategic planning and program-specific planning to accelerate innovation.
• General operating support for mission-critical organizations that demonstrate the capacity to produce outcomes for residents and the community.
• Convenings that encourage strategic alliances and enhance collective impact; support for planning and operationalizing alliances.
• Limited capital funding for facilities and technology linked to programming and operational improvements that are consistent with our grantmaking priorities

Major Grants

Major grants are awarded when consistent with our mission and strategic priorities. Major grants are awarded through a single, competitive grant cycle. Applicants must submit a letter of inquiry through our online application system. If you are invited to submit a full application, the funding decision will be made in July. Major grants typically range from $50,000-$200,000 and may be awarded for up to three years. While McAuley Ministries funds capital projects, those projects must demonstrate clear alignment with programming that is consistent with our grantmaking priorities.

In addition, McAuley Ministries may award major grants to projects that we have identified or initiated through a non-competitive process based upon our work and involvement in the community.

There is an often quoted parable that tells of two people fishing downstream who are startled to see a person floating down the river, struggling for life. Working together, the fisher folk pull the person to safety but shortly after they notice another person crying for help. Again, they pull the person to safety. Other community members hear what is happening and rush to help. As the fisher folk tire, volunteers take their place, and the community works together all day and all night to safely pull more and more people from the river. The next morning the community members have a new idea—we need to go upstream and find out why so many people are falling in the water. Upon walking upstream, the community members find that people are drawn to the edge of a cliff to look at the river and its beauty. Unfortunately, there is no safe way to do this and many of them fall. The community members return and report the number of people who have fallen into the river due to the lack of a protective barrier on the cliff. In response, the community builds a wall behind which people may safely view the water. Some still fall, but there are far fewer.

Funding Priorities

• The Greater Harrisburg Community Foundation (GHCF) UPstream grant opportunity seeks to improve our area communities by supporting existing or new “upstream” systems, interventions, programs, or projects that attempt to create positive social change by addressing a problem at its source rather than managing its “downstream” symptoms.
• This grant opportunity is open to singular or collective nonprofit organizations whose proposals will serve the GHCF service area of Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lebanon, and/or Perry Counties and the Dillsburg Area of Northern York County.
• GHCF UPstream is available to organizations of all sizes, budgets, and reaches.
• The number of grant awards will be dependent upon the quantity of qualified applicants and funds sought.

GHCF UPstream welcomes creative and strategic solutions that seek to address the source of systemic issues within the communities you serve. Applicants may seek support for ANY “upstream” project, program, or intervention that best meets the needs of the population to be served. Examples of upstream projects include, but are not limited to: access to quality education, access to a safe and healthy environment; life skills training; materials that increase accessibility or improve an individual’s self-sufficiency; availability of reliable and safe transportation that improves an individual or group’s ability to grow, learn, or address a key need; animal spay/neuter clinics; early health screenings; job training and placement; support of basic needs that work to support an individual or group’s ability to grow, learn, or address a key need. The principal focus of GHCF UPstream is the support of any grant application that best presents upstream solutions to any area of community need. In addition, GHCF is empowered by a range of special funds which serve to collectively strengthen our area communities through shared themes and also welcomes upstream applications that address:

• Education: Early childhood education; education & development programs for children & youth; educational programs serving adults
• Environment & Parks: Environmental stewardship; horticulture & the arts; health & environment; park beautification & improvement
• Health & Wellness: Health & human services; programs and projects focusing upon: cancer awareness and/or research, dental care for those in need, HIV & AIDS, individuals with debilitating or terminal illness, Individuals with intellectual disabilities, prevention of head and/or spinal cord injury, purchasing of devices that improve accessibility
• Homelessness & Hunger: Programs & projects addressing homelessness & hunger
• Mental Health: Counseling for children with terminally ill family members; guidance, counseling, or programming that includes guidance and/or counseling for youths; programs and projects that address mental health
• Seniors: Programs & projects serving older adults
• Communities of Focus: Programs and projects that benefit residents of Millersburg, a borough of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Disaster relief & human services that serve the communities of Lebanon City, PA and Cressona, PA. Projects to enhance Camp Hill Borough parks provided by youth organizations such as Scout programs or other youth organizations; programs & projects that focus upon or nurture access to early childhood education within Camp Hill.
• Please note: each community of focus is supported by special funds and parameters established by caring community members and is specific to the respective community.

Attention Prospective Arts Applicants! – The Greater Harrisburg Community Foundation recognizes the artistic, cultural, and economic value of the arts and is pleased to offer funding opportunities for the arts through The Arts for All Partnership, a collaboration between the Greater Harrisburg Community Foundation and the Cultural Enrichment Fund. This unique collaborative funding initiative aims to improve the efficiency of arts grant funding and increase the overall impact of grant funding for arts programming in our communities. Prospective grant applicants whose project is centered upon the arts and access to the arts, will be best served by seeking funding support through The Arts for All Partnership rather than GHCF Upstream.

Size of Grants

GHCF UPstream seeks both large and small proposals. The amount of funds sought should be reflective of the size of your project and the work to be accomplished. Grant awards will range from $500 – $10,000; in 2019 awards ranged from $1,500-$10,000. The maximum grant for any proposal is $10,000. Grants are awarded for one year. 

Mission

The Bunbury Fund’s mission is to strengthen the ability of nonprofit organizations to do their best work. We refer to this work as capacity building. It is work that helps your organization deliver its mission with greater confidence. We respect that what an organization might need in terms of capacity building is best identified by its staff and board.

The Bunbury Fund

The Bunbury Fund (“the Fund”) is a donor advised fund of the Princeton Area Community Foundation, created from the assets of the Bunbury Company, a private grant-making, charitable foundation formed by Dean Mathey in 1952.

The Fund’s giving is overseen by a group of seven advisors and grantmaking is focused within areas we see as pivotal to organizational effectiveness. These areas fall under the heading of capacity building, defined by the National Council of Nonprofits as “whatever is needed to bring a nonprofit to the next level of operational, programmatic, financial, or organizational maturity, so it may be more effectively and efficiently advance its mission into the future. Capacity building not a one-time effort to improve short-term effectiveness, but a continuous improvement strategy toward the creation of a sustainable and effective organization."

We at the Bunbury Fund work to build relationships with the organizations we support that are meaningful, evolving, and transparent, not simply transactional. For more than 70 years the Bunbury Fund has served the nonprofit sector with grants that have supported important work. In recent years we have focused on meeting distinct capacity building needs identified by individual organizations and presented to us. Our commitment is to strengthen the ability of nonprofit organizations to do their best work and our desire is to be open to learning along the way. We know we are better together and so we collaborate with a variety of regional organizations, including the NJ Center for Nonprofits, NonProfitConnect, Community Works, Smith Family Foundation, and other Princeton Area Community Foundation fundholders and committees, including the Fund for Women and Girls, NextGen Giving Circle, and the COVID-19 Relief and Recovery Fund.

What We Fund

Capacity-building grants up to $50,000

• Strengthening the board governance
• Succession planning for board and staff leadership
• Developing strategic partnerships and program collaborations
• Strategic and scenario planning
• Systems upgrades to improve service delivery and measurement
• Embracing practices that support racial equity and inclusion
• Supporting the strategic and capacity building needs of start-ups and newly launched initiatives
•  Strengthening Human Resources systems
• Improving technology/communications

Multi-year grants (up to 3 years) up to $150,000

We will also review proposals for multi-year projects that focus on developing organizational effectiveness over a period of up to three years. This is work that might be accomplished in phases where the completion requires more than one year.

Planning Grants up to $10,000

A planning grant helps an organization evaluate the resources required to undertake a more comprehensive capacity-building project. This is often an initial step in determining the needs and viability associated with a larger capacity building project.

All approved grants will include a 15% overhead based on the amount of the award.