Harold L. Brake & Dolores K. Brake Legacy Fund Grant

The Harold L. Brake & Dolores K. Brake Legacy Fund is a charitable grant initiative administered by The Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC), a community foundation headquartered in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The fund was established through the estate of Harold L. Brake, a long-time resident of St. Thomas, and is named jointly for Harold and his wife, Dolores K. Brake. The couple was deeply committed to preserving rural quality of life and supporting the well-being of their local community. This legacy fund seeks to honor those values by directing annual support to nonprofit initiatives that align with their vision, particularly in areas of St. Thomas, Peters, and Hamilton Townships in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. The fund prioritizes support for nonprofit projects serving the three townships mentioned. Projects must directly serve these regions and align with the fund's mission of supporting local quality of life. Though some of the couple’s favorite organizations—such as the St. Thomas Sports Association, St. Thomas Cemetery Association, and Menno Haven—are mentioned in the origin of the fund, they are excluded from current eligibility for direct funding. Additional exclusions include the St. Thomas Ambulance Company and WellSpan Summit Foundation specifically for the Rhonda Brake Shreiner Women’s Center. Eligible applicants must be registered 501(c)(3) organizations or operate with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor. A further restriction applies in that organizations may not receive this grant for more than one of three consecutive years. The grant will offer up to $35,000 in funding, with expectations that the maximum award amount will increase beginning in 2026. Applicants are required to demonstrate strong alignment with the mission of the fund, a clear and measurable plan for project implementation, and budget diversification beyond the grant request. Additionally, the fund may cover no more than 50% of a project's total cost. Disallowed uses of the grant funds include advertising (unless clearly scoped), capital campaigns, direct lobbying, retroactive projects, religious activities, national umbrella organizations lacking a local presence, and the creation of new staff roles without sustainability plans. Applications open on July 1, 2025, and must be submitted by August 31, 2025. All materials must be submitted online. Applicants will be notified of their status by December 1, 2025. Funded projects may occur any time between January 1 and December 31, 2026. Proposals will be evaluated by the Harold L. Brake & Dolores K. Brake Legacy Fund Committee based on a 50-point rubric. Key criteria include alignment with the mission (20 points), clarity in roles and collaboration (5 points), funding plan and budget detail (5 points), measurability of success (10 points), and inclusion and equity practices (10 points). Draft application reviews are available up to two weeks prior to the deadline. Interested applicants may request a review by contacting the Community Investment Team via grants@tfec.org. The Foundation also provides tutorials and FAQs for support. General inquiries should be directed to the TFEC Community Investment Team at 717-236-5040. Specific contacts listed include Yamit Friedman (yfriedman@tfec.org) and Teresa Gonzalez (tgonzalez@tfec.org). The foundation’s office is located at 200 N. 3rd Street, 8th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17101.

Applicants may request a draft review by contacting TFEC up to 2 weeks before the deadline.