Madden Family Foundation Fund Program

The Madden Family Foundation Fund is administered through The Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC), a community foundation based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. TFEC serves as a philanthropic partner in central Pennsylvania, managing various charitable funds and grantmaking initiatives. The Madden Family Foundation operates under TFEC to support underprivileged children, with an emphasis on breaking the cycle of poverty through education and empowerment. The Foundation is deeply committed to creating equal opportunities by supporting children’s access to high-quality education, resources, and community programs. The purpose of the Madden Family Foundation Fund is to support nonprofit organizations that serve disadvantaged mothers with children. The foundation is particularly interested in improving the lives of these families by facilitating access to necessary services and support structures that can uplift them from challenging socioeconomic conditions. Grants of up to $5,000 are available for established 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations operating in specific counties in south central Pennsylvania. These include Cumberland, Franklin, Lebanon, Dauphin, Perry, and northern York counties. Eligible projects must be scheduled to take place during the grant year, which begins January 1, 2026, and ends December 31, 2026. Applications open on June 1, 2025, and close on September 1, 2025. Applicants will be notified of funding decisions by December 1, 2025. Only programs operating within the defined grant period will be considered. Projects that fall outside of these dates will not be eligible for funding. The foundation encourages collaboration and strongly emphasizes sustainability, especially for requests that involve the creation of new staff positions. Grant applications are evaluated based on several defined criteria. The strongest applications will clearly align with the mission of the Madden Family Foundation Fund and demonstrate an understanding of the needs of disadvantaged mothers and their children. Reviewers assess applications based on their connection to the foundation’s mission, the clarity of the program narrative, defined roles and responsibilities, evidence of financial sustainability, measurable goals, and inclusivity. Points are assigned to each criterion for a total possible score of 50. Some limitations apply. The foundation does not fund advertising (unless specifically scoped and justified), capital campaigns, direct lobbying, individuals, religious activities, new staff positions without sustainable funding, or national/statewide organizations lacking a local presence. Projects must also not be retroactive in nature. Applications are submitted online, and draft reviews are available up to two weeks before the deadline by contacting TFEC’s Community Investment Team. For inquiries, applicants can reach out to the Community Investment Team at grants@tfec.org or call 717-236-5040. Additional contacts include Yamit Friedman (yfriedman@tfec.org) and Teresa Gonzalez (tgonzalez@tfec.org). The Foundation for Enhancing Communities is located at 200 N. 3rd Street, 8th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17101. The foundation welcomes questions throughout the process and offers resources such as application tutorials and grantseeker FAQs to assist applicants.

Draft review available up to two weeks before deadline; contact Community Investment Team for assistance.