Pennsylvania Private Grants

The UpPrize Social Innovation Challenge, powered by Innovation Works and funded by the BNY Mellon Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania, is an annual competition designed to foster entrepreneurship with a lasting community impact in Southwestern Pennsylvania. This initiative creates cross-sector partnerships to tackle pressing community problems, aligning with a broader mission to promote social innovation through investment, grants, and educational assistance. Since its inception in 2015, the UpPrize Challenge has allocated over $3.1 million to local nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and other participants, demonstrating a commitment to empowering community-driven solutions. The primary beneficiaries of this challenge are nonprofits, businesses, and individuals who are based in and whose startup's impact is within one of the following Pennsylvania counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, or Westmoreland. The program specifically targets those who are 18 years or older and have not received $50,000 or more in previous UpPrize cycles. The core impact goal is to launch or expand startups that leverage technology to address social inequities, thereby creating a meaningful and lasting community impact in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The program's priorities and focus areas revolve around technology-driven solutions to social inequities. This is evidenced by the prize structure, which offers combined prize monies and accelerator assistance to the top three finalists to facilitate the launch or expansion of such startups. The challenge encourages innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly in areas that can demonstrate tangible benefits to the community through the application of new technologies and creative problem-solving. Expected outcomes include the successful launch or expansion of promising startups, leading to measurable improvements in social equity within the targeted counties. The challenge's structure, which awards significant prize money ($125,000 for first place, $100,000 for second, and $75,000 for third), incentivizes the development of impactful solutions. These investments are intended to translate into direct community benefits, fostering a more equitable and innovative environment in Southwestern Pennsylvania through the practical application of entrepreneurial endeavors.

This program provides financial support to grassroots watershed organizations in Western Pennsylvania for projects focused on water quality monitoring, habitat restoration, and community outreach to protect and restore local watersheds.

The van Ameringen Foundation focuses on improving mental health services, particularly for those with limited financial means, within New York City and Philadelphia, and through national advocacy. Its mission is to increase accessibility to mental health services, offer preventive and early-intervention strategies, and advocate for systemic change. The foundation offers both general support and project-specific grants, aligning its funding directly with its core mission of fostering a more equitable and effective mental healthcare system for underserved populations. The primary beneficiaries of these grants are individuals and communities confronting significant mental illness, particularly those with limited financial means and opportunities. This includes people needing direct services like case management, counseling, psychotherapy, and psychiatric care, as well as those who benefit from systemic changes in law, public policy, and public perception. The impact goals are to enhance the mental health safety net, improve access to services, and create lasting, positive changes in mental healthcare delivery and perceptions. The foundation's priorities and focuses are clearly delineated into two main categories: Direct Service Grants and Non-Direct Service Grants. Direct Service Grants support programs that provide immediate and tangible assistance to individuals, such as housing, jobs, and various forms of mental health treatment. Non-Direct Service Grants encompass advocacy efforts to change policies, media/dissemination projects to share best practices and research, and training initiatives for mental health providers, advocates, and community members. The foundation explicitly does not fund programs for intellectual or physical disabilities, direct grants to individuals, endowment campaigns, capital projects, annual fundraising drives, or international activities. Expected outcomes include increased accessibility of mental health services, successful implementation of preventive and early-intervention strategies, and significant systemic changes with local or national impact. Measurable results could include the number of individuals served, improvements in patient outcomes, policy changes enacted, increased public awareness, and the number of mental health professionals trained. The foundation encourages innovative and practical proposals that demonstrate a clear path to achieving these outcomes. The foundation's strategic priorities are centered on fostering innovation and practical solutions within the mental health sector. Its theory of change posits that by investing in direct services, advocating for policy reforms, disseminating knowledge, and building capacity through training, it can effectively address disparities in mental healthcare access and quality. This multi-pronged approach aims to create both immediate relief for individuals and long-term structural improvements in the mental health landscape, primarily within its specified geographic areas and at a national advocacy level.

This funding opportunity supports organizations in Greater Philadelphia that provide engaging arts education programs for young people aged 5 to 18, fostering creativity and personal growth through partnerships with skilled teaching artists.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations that provide career development programs for Black youth aged 14-24 in designated NBA markets.

Access Microfund is a reimbursement program offered by the Arts Council, providing up to $500 to support arts and culture organizations, collaboratives, and artists in Pennsylvania. The fund aims to assist in providing accommodations for patrons and artists with disabilities, including American Sign Language interpretation, audio description, captioning, and materials in alternative formats. Looking for one-time assistance in making your arts event more accessible? The Arts Council’s Access Microfund is a reimbursement program that provides up to $500 to help arts and culture organizations, collaboratives and artists provide accommodations to patrons and artists with disabilities, such as American Sign Language interpretation, audio description, captioning, or materials in alternative formats. No deadline. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. APPLY If you have questions about eligibility, please email Mia Hooper, director of development and grantmaking, or call 412-391-2060 ext. 222. Funding for Access Microfund comes from the National Endowments for the Arts. Claire leading an accessibility workshop Claire leading an accessibility workshop Eligibility Nonprofit arts organizations, artist collaboratives, and independent artists serving or working in the nine counties of southwestern Pennsylvania (Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Lawrence, Indiana, Washington, and Westmoreland) are eligible to apply. The Access Microfund is meant for those that are providing arts programming to the public. Funding through the Access Microfund is not intended to support accessibility accommodations for an organization's full series of scheduled programs. Instead, the fund is for an accommodation outside your scheduled accommodated programs or if you are planning a one-time public program and need additional accessibility assistance. Examples of eligible accommodations American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation of one performance Audio description of a single museum tour Development of a Braille program Interpretation, captioning, or other accommodations for an artist or patron with a disability Ineligible accommodations Series of regularly scheduled ASL interpreted performances Audio description of tours and performances that have already happened Adding a wheelchair ramp Ongoing accommodations for employees or volunteers with disabilities A group of individuals gather for a picture at the LEAD Conference in Pittsburgh. There are seventeen smiling people, and one service dog. LEAD Conference Pittsburgh Application Process Applications can be submitted at any time and support will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. The Arts Council will make every effort to review your needs as quickly as we can, making decisions and seeking input from representatives of the disability community when appropriate. You must submit following information in your application: Organization or collaborative name and contact information The type of accommodation you would like to provide or are seeking reimbursement for, the approximate cost of that service, and how you determined the cost of the accommodation The date you wish to offer the accommodation Why you want to provide the accommodation In exchange for a reimbursement through the Access Microfund, you must: Provide your accommodation policy or agree to create an accommodation policy no later than two months after receiving funding; and Either provide some matching funds or agree to create a line item in your next budget to cover future programmatic accommodations. National Endowment for the Arts Statement of Equitable Funding The Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council continues to support diverse and vulnerable populations, understanding that we should always inform our work through a lens of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion. The Arts Council does not discriminate against applicants based on gender identity, race, religion, color, age, national origin, disability or sexual orientation.

The Upper Bucks Community Fund of the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation offers grants ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in the Palisades, Pennridge, and Quakertown School Districts of Upper Bucks County, Pennsylvania, supporting programs in visual, performing, and industrial arts, agricultural education, conservation of rural life, science, and technology.

This funding opportunity provides $5,000 to small arts organizations in specific Pennsylvania counties to support their administrative and program-related expenses.

This funding opportunity provides $5,000 to small arts organizations in Pennsylvania with annual revenues between $10,000 and $200,000, allowing them to address various administrative and programmatic needs to better serve their communities.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations that improve the quality of life for residents in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, focusing on areas such as arts, education, health, and community development.

This funding opportunity supports organizations working to restore and sustain forests and freshwater habitats in Central Appalachia, benefiting native wildlife and engaging local communities in conservation efforts.

This funding program provides financial support to music organizations for capital projects that improve their facilities, technology, and equipment, excluding general operating expenses and non-music-related activities.

This funding initiative provides financial support to small, nonprofit music organizations in the Philadelphia area that are either newly established or facing challenges due to reduced public funding, helping them build capacity and ensure sustainability.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, to improve their facilities and infrastructure in order to better serve the behavioral health and human service needs of children, young adults, and families.

This funding opportunity supports licensed dairy processors and brands in the Northeast to initiate or expand co-packing arrangements, scale production, and enhance their product offerings.

This funding opportunity supports Greater Philadelphia nonprofit organizations that provide arts education programs in photography, architectural drawing, or writing for youth aged 11 to 18.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations, local governments, and public schools in selected states to implement sustainability initiatives, workforce development, and community resilience programs that enhance the quality of life and economic vitality in their communities.

This funding opportunity supports a variety of impactful projects in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, focusing on human services, environmental initiatives, human rights, early childhood development, and the arts.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations and government entities in Philadelphia to provide free, high-quality out-of-school learning programs for children aged 3 to 8 in underserved neighborhoods.