Best Community Development Grants in Pennsylvania

State and local agencies, local governing boards, nonprofits, tribes, and higher education institutions in eligible Appalachian Pennsylvania counties can seek funding for critical infrastructure and business and workforce development projects. Appalachian Regional Commission supports community development through investments in water and wastewater systems, transportation, broadband, entrepreneurship, worker training, education, and leadership across its 13-state region.

With a mission to strengthen communities, Heinz Endowments provides Pennsylvania community development organizations with funding across arts and culture, civic participation, environment and health, economic development, food systems, veterans, and workforce. 501(c)(3) public charities and eligible government or federally tax-exempt entities in southwestern Pennsylvania may apply via a brief LOI accepted on a rolling basis.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) public charities working on community development, healthy neighborhoods, and related initiatives in Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania can seek funding for innovative programs and pilots. Focused on civic leadership and forward-looking solutions, Hillman Family Foundations supports projects that improve quality of life and strengthen regional infrastructure and economic opportunity.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Pennsylvania and West Virginia can apply for Highmark Foundation grants to run evidence-based community health programs. Funding supports chronic disease prevention, family and mental health, access to care, and community health clinics, which may benefit community development efforts improving local well-being and quality of life.

Southwestern Pennsylvania 501(c)(3) public charities working on community development can seek funding for economic mobility, neighborhood capacity building, and transportation modernization. Hillman Family Foundations also supports related efforts in arts and culture, education and workforce development, environment, health, and human services across ten counties in the Pittsburgh region.

Eligible 501(c)(3) public charities and qualified government entities in southwestern Pennsylvania can apply for Hillman Family Foundations’ Mary Hillman Jennings Foundation Grant to support community development and related services. Funding may benefit programs in arts, education, health, environment, and human services that improve opportunities for vulnerable residents in the greater Pittsburgh region.

With a mission to strengthen economic vitality, Richard King Mellon Foundation provides Pennsylvania community development organizations with support for adult workforce training, job creation, entrepreneurship, and neighborhood revitalization in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties. Eligible applicants are charitable, tax-exempt organizations or U.S. government entities working on talent development, employment opportunities, or community-building initiatives.

Nonprofit and public sector organizations with a valid U.S. IRS Tax ID can seek flexible funding for conservation, economic development, mobility, and health initiatives that strengthen communities in Pennsylvania, especially southwestern counties. Focused on opportunity, prosperity, and environmental stewardship, the Richard King Mellon Foundation offers year-round general operating or project-specific support through its General Application.

Nonprofit ministries carrying out evangelism, leadership development, holistic services, media outreach, stewardship, or children and youth programs, including those in Pennsylvania, can apply for project-based support from the Festus and Helen Stacy Foundation. Grants favor 501(c)(3) organizations with national or international impact, especially in emerging nations, and applications are accepted year-round.

Community development and related nonprofits in Pennsylvania communities where Penn National Gaming operates can seek funding for local projects and services. Grants from Penn National Gaming help support community infrastructure, public safety, housing, education, human services, health, cultural programs, and veteran and military support in eligible Pennsylvania counties such as Berks, Dauphin, Lancaster, and York.

Nonprofit and research organizations working on gun violence prevention, justice reform, or violence intervention that impact the Great Lakes region, including Pennsylvania, can seek funding for policy, research, advocacy, and systems-change projects. With a mission to build safe and just communities, the Joyce Foundation supports initiatives advancing racial equity and community safety rather than direct services.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Pennsylvania working in visual arts, animal welfare, or environmental sustainability can apply for Joseph Robert Foundation grants up to US $10,000 for general operating or project support. Smaller community-based groups, especially those with budgets under $300,000, may find these funds helpful for local community development efforts.

Community development and revitalization nonprofits in Pennsylvania can apply for EQT Foundation’s EQT Foundation Grant Program to support community enrichment, STEM education and workforce training, and environmental initiatives. Grants of approximately US $15,000 are available, with priority for 501(c)(3) organizations in EQT’s operating counties such as Allegheny, Washington, Westmoreland, and others.

Nonprofits and community partners in Pennsylvania can secure multi-year support for arts-based community development and creative placemaking projects, with awards up to US $25,000 per year. With a mission to strengthen community vitality, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts backs initiatives that foster social cohesion, livability, resilience, and inclusive participation, including in disinvested neighborhoods.

Impact100 Philadelphia provides impactful grants aimed at supporting nonprofit organizations in the Philadelphia area. With a focus on addressing unmet needs, the program encourages applications from diverse organizations that demonstrate financial stability and community impact. Eligible nonprofits must be 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entities serving specific Pennsylvania counties, with at least three years of financial statements. The program prioritizes initiatives in arts, education, environment, family, and health sectors, enabling organizations to strengthen their core missions.

Nonprofit and community organizations in Pennsylvania addressing food insecurity, children’s health, technology access, workforce readiness, reentry, domestic abuse, opioid impacts, or water quality can apply for CNX Foundation’s community development support. Programs must serve communities within CNX’s Appalachian operating footprint, with tangible, measurable benefits for under-resourced urban and rural residents.

Pennsylvania community development and environmental organizations in southwestern counties can access funding for projects that enhance quality of life and local sustainability. Local Environment and Local Community grants from Colcom Foundation support conservation, trails, waste cleanup, arts and culture, education, health and human services, recreation, and economic and community development initiatives in eligible counties.

The Just Born Corporate Giving Grant Program aims to enhance the well-being of children and families in need by supporting initiatives in arts, education, health, and community development. The program focuses on opportunities that benefit underserved populations, emphasizing diverse leadership and community engagement. Grants prioritize projects that promote cultural enrichment, educational access, and essential health services, ultimately fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment for all. Through strategic partnerships, Just Born Quality Confections is committed to making a meaningful impact in its local communities.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations running programs in addiction, women and children’s health and welfare, or animal welfare in Pennsylvania can seek general operating or program support from Scaife Family Foundation. The foundation funds U.S. organizations, with historical priority for Western Pennsylvania, which may benefit community development and revitalization efforts serving vulnerable residents.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations located in or serving Allegheny County can apply for Pittsburgh Foundation grants of US $10,000 - US $150,000 for community development efforts, including basic needs, economic mobility, arts, and environmental action. Funding is available for both specific projects and general operating support within Pennsylvania’s Allegheny County region.

Nonprofit conservation and community organizations, municipalities, Tribal Nations, and agencies in Pennsylvania can apply for The Nature Conservancy’s Resilient and Connected Appalachians grants, awarding up to US $100,000 for fee or easement land acquisition projects. Funding covers capital, project development, stewardship, community engagement, and related operational costs that deliver conservation and community benefits within the Appalachians boundary.

Nonprofit public charities seeking up to US $10,000 for tangible items to support community-serving programs in Pennsylvania can apply; grants from Snee-Reinhardt Charitable Foundation help fund projects in areas like community development, human services, environment, and education. Preference goes to organizations in Pittsburgh, Southwestern Pennsylvania, and nearby regions.

501(c)(3) nonprofits within 100 miles of Coatesville, Pennsylvania can apply for the Stewart Huston Charitable Trust’s Secular Distribution Grant to support health and human services and civic affairs projects. Funding may assist community development, revitalization, education, cultural access, historic preservation, and programs for youth, families, seniors, and people with special needs in Pennsylvania.

Nonprofit organizations providing education, human services, or workforce development programs in Pennsylvania communities within Provident Bank’s branch network can access flexible Empowerment Grant funding for two-year projects or initiatives. Focused on community development and revitalization, the Provident Bank Foundation offers US $5,000 - US $25,000 for program costs, overhead, equipment, or new program start-up in established organizations.

Enterprise Community Partners

Enterprise Community Partners is a national nonprofit that exists to make a good home possible for the millions of families without one. Home is where life happens, where plans are made, and futures begin. It is the foundation for dignity, health, education, wealth, and community. Yet rents keep going up, paychecks don’t keep pace, and good homes in strong neighborhoods are increasingly out of reach.

The system doesn’t work. It must be changed, and it must be changed by us.

Enterprise has the breadth, scale, and expertise to do it. We support community development organizations on the ground. We aggregate and invest billions to improve housing and strengthen communities across the U.S. We advance housing policy at every level of government. We build and manage communities ourselves. Everything we do is informed by the residents we serve.

Together with our partners, we focus on the greatest need — the massive shortage of affordable rental homes — to achieve three goals:

• Increase the supply of affordable homes
• Advance racial equity after decades of systematic racism in housing
• Support residents and strengthen communities to be resilient to the unpredictable, and make upward mobility possible

Since 1982, we have invested $92.0 billion and created 1.1 million homes across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. We do all this to make home and community places of pride, power, and belonging.

National Housing Innovation Grant Competition

Home is foundational. It’s where we plant roots, raise and care for our families, and build community bonds. Yet in every corner of the country, millions of people of all ages and backgrounds need a home they can afford.

Wells Fargo is meeting this moment with a powerful grant opportunity. Together with Enterprise, Wells Fargo has launched the third iteration of the Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge. The 2026 cycle of the housing innovation competition will identify and propel proven, ready-to-scale solutions that transform current practices and increase housing choice and access.

Eligible applicants will compete for five individual grants of $2 million to advance their innovation and drive meaningful, systems-level change in the housing and adjacent industries. Winners will gain access to mentorship and coaching from industry leaders and experts and join a powerful network of Breakthrough Challenge innovators.

Focus Areas

This third cycle of the Housing Affordability Breakthrough Challenge aims to meet the nation’s affordable housing challenges across all types of communities: Native, rural, suburban, tribal, and urban.

Proposals must encompass one or more of three focus areas:

• Design and Construction
• Finance
• Service Delivery and Programs

Applicants will be asked to show how their proof of concept or pilot program has achieved clear outcomes and success, and provide a clear pathway to expanding the innovation’s reach and impact

Round 1: Criteria and Scoring

Your innovation must meet the criteria below to advance to the official scoring stage.

Type of Community

Innovations can serve all types of communities:

• Rural
• Urban
• Suburban
• Tribal

Location

Priority scoring will be given to applications from entities that are based in – or whose innovations are designed for – one or more of these 28 states, plus D.C.:

• Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Washington D.C.

Affordability

Innovations must serve residents at these income levels:

• Rental: 80% AMI or below
• Homeownership: 120% AMI or below
• Workforce housing: 120% AMI or below

The Greenspring Grant Program, established in 2012, focuses on supporting local non-profits dedicated to economic and workforce development. With $100,000 in grants ranging from $10,000 to $15,000, the program is entirely employee-run, allowing teams to select deserving organizations. Eligible entities include 501(c)(3) non-profits in Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, while special consideration is given to local initiatives aimed at recovery, youth, and underserved populations.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations running workforce and career pathways programs for adult workers in the age of AI, including those in Pennsylvania, can apply for Truist Foundation’s Inspire Awards, offering US $10,000 - US $250,000. With a mission to build economic mobility, Truist Foundation provides U.S. nonprofits with funding for upskilling, AI literacy, and wraparound career services.