Best Pittsburgh Grants for Nonprofits in Pennsylvania

The Pay-It-Forward Scholarship, offered by the Erie Community Foundation, supports Erie County residents enrolled as sophomores, juniors, or seniors at any Penn State University campus. Eligible students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5, submit a 350-500 word essay, and provide two letters of recommendation while also working part-time. In 2023, over $800,000 in scholarships were awarded to more than 500 students, helping them pursue their educational goals.

The Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds is a grant-making foundation and non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation and protection of the Pennsylvania's water resources.

Raccoon Creek Benefit Fund

Funding through this grant program will support projects that promote the restoration, preservation, protection, or provide other beneficial impacts on water quality in the Raccoon Creek watershed. This Fund was established through a Consent Decree that resolved alleged unauthorized discharges of pollutants in the Raccoon Creek Watershed.

Grantmaking Goals

• Improve water quality and aquatic habitat in Raccoon Creek and its tributaries.
• Address pollution sources, including legacy and ongoing impacts.
• Advance AMD/AML remediation, stream restoration, riparian buffers, and green infrastructure.
• Support monitoring, data collection, and evaluation tied to restoration outcomes.
• Strengthen local organizational capacity to deliver and sustain restoration work.
• Protect land for conservation or public access purposes through acquisitions or easements.
• Engage stakeholders through outreach, education, and communications that will help protect or improve the Raccoon Creek watershed. 

The JetBlue Foundation is dedicated to enhancing aviation-related education and STEM initiatives, aiming to inspire future aviation leaders. Offering grants up to $50,000, it supports educational organizations that focus on aviation technology, engineering, operations, and maintenance. The foundation prioritizes programs benefiting under-represented communities in aviation, including veterans, women, and diverse groups, ensuring a broader range of voices in the industry.

The Erie Insurance Giving Network Grant supports organizations focused on community building, safety, and environmental responsibility. Grants under $10,000 can be submitted at any time, while larger requests follow specific deadlines. Priority is given to organizations with community representation in their governing bodies. Eligible entities include nonprofit organizations, accredited educational institutions, and municipalities. The initiative emphasizes a commitment to diversity and inclusion, aligning with ERIE's corporate values.

The Pittsburgh Foundation Arts and Culture Grants support individual artists by providing funding that acknowledges their diverse experiences and artistic expressions. Established in 1945, the foundation aims to enhance the quality of life in the region by prioritizing equitable funding for artists and organizations. Grants typically range from $10,000 to $150,000 over two years, focusing on fostering creativity and cultural exchange, thereby enriching the artistic landscape of Pittsburgh.

The Pittsburgh Foundation offers Arts and Culture Grants to support small and mid-size arts organizations in Allegheny County. Established in 1945, the foundation focuses on equitable grantmaking in areas like arts, culture, and social justice. Grants typically range from $10,000 to $150,000, aimed at enhancing community engagement through artistic expression and cultural exchange. Organizations must be 501(c)(3) public charities and prioritize those addressing social injustices and serving underserved communities.

The Mt. Lebanon Community Foundation offers grants through the Mt. Lebanon Community Endowment, aimed at enhancing the community's character and quality of life. Established in 2002, it supports 501(c)(3) organizations and government agencies, focusing on youth, senior citizens, and community life. Grants are available for projects that benefit residents of Mt. Lebanon, PA, with an emphasis on sustainability, collaboration, and leaving a lasting legacy in the community.

The Pittsburgh Foundation's Economic Mobility Grants focus on enhancing career advancement opportunities for low-income families and communities. With funding ranging from $10,000 to $150,000, the foundation seeks to support initiatives that provide technology training, foster partnerships for curriculum development, and promote collaboration in career readiness. These efforts aim to address the projected worker shortfall and improve economic mobility through targeted educational and training programs in Allegheny County.

The Community Foundation of Upper St. Clair Grants aim to enhance the community by funding initiatives in Arts, Health, and STEM. With over $1,000,000 awarded, the foundation supports projects that benefit residents and promote long-term positive impacts. The Board of Trustees evaluates proposals based on their scope, budget, and community effect, taking two to four months for consideration. Applicants are encouraged to provide detailed information to expedite the grant process.

The Pittsburgh Foundation Economic Mobility Grants aim to enhance access to post-secondary education for low-income families. By prioritizing initiatives that support college readiness, admissions navigation, and non-traditional students, the foundation seeks to empower communities. Grants typically range from $10,000 to $150,000 over one to two years, focusing on programmatic and policy-level interventions to foster economic mobility and address historical inequities in education.

The BRAIN Initiative's BBQS Program aims to revolutionize the study of brain function by facilitating high-resolution tracking of complex behaviors alongside neural activity. This transformative research opportunity seeks to develop innovative tools for minimally intrusive measurements of various biobehavioral functions while accounting for environmental variables. Emphasizing transdisciplinary collaboration, it focuses on creating new analytical frameworks that model neurobehavioral function as dynamic systems influenced by an organism's surroundings, thereby advancing our understanding of behavior at the organismal level.

The National Institutes on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) aims to support a collaborative network, the NIDCD National Human Ear Resource Network. This initiative provides essential resources for researchers focusing on auditory and vestibular disorders through the procurement and preparation of human ear tissues. The network enhances biomedical research by improving tissue preservation techniques, sharing digitized images, and offering specialized training for handling post-mortem human temporal bones.

The NLM Institutional Grants aim to enhance training in biomedical informatics, data science, and AI for predoctoral and postdoctoral researchers. By fostering innovative programs, NLM addresses the urgent need for experts in these fields to tackle complex health challenges. These grants support both new and renewed training initiatives, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches that combine diverse methods to advance biomedical science and improve health outcomes through advanced computational strategies.

The Limited Competition Small Grant Program for the NCATS CTSA Program aims to empower KL2 scholars by funding diverse clinical and translational research projects. These grants support short-term studies, methodology development, and preliminary data collection, facilitating the transition to independent research careers. Applications will undergo NIH peer review, ensuring only high-quality proposals receive funding. This initiative fosters innovation in research methodologies and technology, ultimately enhancing the capabilities of emerging translational scientists.

The Native American Research Centers for Health (NARCH) program supports federally-recognized American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes and organizations in advancing health-related research. It aims to enhance research careers and infrastructure through a competitive application process. Funded by the US Dept. of Health & Human Services, this initiative invites eligible entities to apply, ensuring that only high-quality proposals undergo peer review for potential funding.

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is launching a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to establish a national consortium focused on improving care for older adults with multiple chronic conditions. This initiative aims to evaluate the effectiveness of integrated primary care interventions through innovative electronic health record (EHR) platforms. By fostering collaborations among researchers and clinicians, the consortium will work to enhance patient outcomes and streamline population health management, paving the way for future advancements in aging care.

The National Institute on Aging (NIA) is set to issue a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for randomized controlled trials examining the long-term effects of nutritional interventions on risk factors for age-related chronic conditions. This initiative seeks to enhance understanding of how various dietary practices can influence health throughout the life span, emphasizing the need for studies with at least five years of follow-up. Researchers are encouraged to prepare collaborative proposals in response to this upcoming funding opportunity.

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) is launching a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) under the NIH HEAL initiative to enhance research on joint health and pain. This initiative aims to refine the understanding of joint tissues and pain mechanisms, expand clinical phenotyping, and support preclinical testing of novel therapies. Collaborations among experts in neurobiology, pain science, and rheumatic diseases are encouraged to foster innovative solutions for joint pain management.

The NIA Research and Entrepreneurial Development Immersion (REDI) program aims to enhance entrepreneurial education for graduate students and early-career scientists in aging and Alzheimer's research. This initiative prepares trainees for diverse career paths beyond traditional research, focusing on vital skills such as scientific communication, intellectual property, and market needs assessment. Through innovation-focused applications, the REDI program seeks to increase the number of Ph.D.-trained scientists ready for various career opportunities in translational sciences and entrepreneurship.

The Innovation Grants to Nurture Initial Translational Efforts (IGNITE) support the development of assays and screening processes to identify potential therapeutic agents for neurological disorders and non-opioid analgesics. Sponsored by the NIH, this initiative seeks to foster collaborations and projects that utilize innovative methodologies. Although applications are not currently being solicited, interested parties are encouraged to prepare meaningful proposals that align with the goals of the NIH Helping to End Addiction Long Term initiative.

The Innovation Grants to Nurture Initial Translational Efforts (IGNITE) program, supported by the National Institutes of Health, aims to fund pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic studies. These studies will assess the biological activity of therapeutic agents, including small molecules and biologics, for diseases prioritized by participating institutes. The initiative emphasizes the development of non-opioid analgesics with minimal addiction risks. Although applications are not currently solicited, this notice encourages potential applicants to prepare collaborative projects.

Grand Rapids Community Foundation

The Community Foundation is a nonprofit organization that connects people, passion and resources. With our partners, the Community Foundation uses the tools of philanthropy to find solutions to pressing issues. We provide grants to support the work of nonprofits, scholarships to local students and other forms of support to communities working to eliminate barriers to opportunity, prosperity and belonging.

Scholarships

Each year Grand Rapids Community Foundation supports hundreds of students on their college or career training journeys. We are excited to remove barriers to academic success so that students like you can pursue what you're passionate about.

Hackett Family Scholarship

Open to students of color who identify as female, are graduates of any Grand Rapids Public Schools, Grandville, Godfrey Lee, Godwin, Kelloggsville, East Kentwood, or Wyoming high schools, with a minimum 2.0 GPA and who will enroll full time.

The National Institutes on Deafness and other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) is inviting applications for a Coordinating Center for the National Human Ear Resource Network. This initiative aims to enhance research on auditory and vestibular disorders by providing essential resources, facilitating collaboration among laboratories, and promoting the use of human ear tissues in studies. The Center will play a pivotal role in coordinating activities, sharing updates with the scientific community, and supporting various research efforts across the nation.

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) is seeking applications for a Training Center under the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM). This initiative aims to enhance professional development for librarians, community engagement, and access to health information. By fostering partnerships and disseminating NIH resources, the NNLM will broaden its impact and improve public understanding of health data and information. The NTC will develop innovative training curricula and materials to meet diverse audience needs.

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) is seeking applications to establish Regional Medical Libraries within the Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM). Since 1965, the NNLM has enhanced public health information access through partnerships with libraries and health organizations. The initiative aims to improve community engagement, disseminate NIH research findings, and foster collaborations to promote health literacy and access to biomedical data, thereby supporting local clinical research efforts.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse is funding pilot and feasibility studies aimed at preparing for substance use and HIV prevention research trials. The program encourages innovative interventions for substance use disorders and HIV eradication, focusing on stakeholder collaboration and practical application. Projects may include assessment of service models, intervention development, and community engagement. This initiative is designed to fill critical research gaps and enhance partnerships, although applications are not currently being accepted.

The HEAL Initiative Whole Joint Health Program aims to advance research on the biological mechanisms of joint pain by exploring the interactions of various tissues within the joint. This innovative program will support clinical studies that focus on non-pharmacological interventions to enhance healing and improve quality of life for individuals suffering from chronic joint pain. By fostering a comprehensive understanding of joint health, the initiative aligns with the NIH's broader goals to reduce chronic pain and opioid dependency.