Furchak Ferko Grants Program

The Furchak Ferko Grants program is an initiative designed to address critical community gaps that impact women and families in Erie County, Pennsylvania. The program is made possible by a legacy donation from Margaret Furchak Ferko and is now operated under the auspices of The Erie Women’s Fund. The overarching goal of this grant is to support projects that enhance transportation, healthcare, workforce training and education, housing, childcare, and food security for local women and children. Each year, the program allocates approximately $30,000 in grant awards. The exact amount of funding available may vary annually. The funding can be used for initiatives that directly target and alleviate the challenges faced by local women and families within the identified project categories. The grant specifically invites proposals that fill gaps in transportation, health services, workforce education and training, housing stability, childcare availability, and access to nutritious food and healthcare. Eligible applicants must be nonprofit organizations that hold a valid 501(c)(3) designation and are based in Erie County. The program explicitly excludes applications from for-profit entities, sectarian religious activities, projects focused solely on fundraising or hospitality. This ensures that the grant funding is directed toward community-impact projects aligned with the mission of The Erie Women’s Fund and the original intent of the legacy donor. Applicants must access the application through The Erie Community Foundation’s online grants portal, GoApply. No prior approval or pre-application meetings are required to apply, making the process accessible to a broad range of eligible nonprofit organizations. Notifications regarding grant decisions are sent before the December Grant Reception, where grantees are invited to attend and celebrate with The Erie Women’s Fund. The evaluation of proposals centers on their potential to address documented community gaps and to positively impact women and families in the region. The program’s Frequently Asked Questions clarify that projects directly serving these target groups will be prioritized. Additionally, applicants who have previously received an Erie Women’s Fund Major Grant or other funding from The Erie Community Foundation are still eligible to apply, and multi-year funding applications are allowed. The program does not specify an open date for the application period, but it does indicate that selected applicants will be notified prior to the December Grant Reception. The application closing date and detailed timeline are not explicitly provided in the source materials. For further inquiries, applicants can contact The Erie Women’s Fund at 459 West 6th Street, Erie, PA 16507, by phone at 814-454-0843. No email contact is provided in the source information.