The Pittsburgh Foundation awards $7.9 million to regional nonprofits
PITTSBURGH, Pa., May 29, 2026 — The Pittsburgh Foundation awarded 124 grants totaling $7.9 million from its spring grant cycle to a wide range of Pittsburgh-area nonprofits. Organizations providing basic needs services to Pittsburgh communities received 49% of the grants and underscored the continued demand for essential services and community supports amid federal funding cuts to these areas. The Foundation dispersed the remainder of grantmaking across its other priority areas: equity and social justice, environmental action, arts and culture, and economic mobility.
The Foundation defines basic needs services as resources focused on improving food access, housing, child care, physical and mental health care, education and employment opportunities. Federal changes and budget cuts to benefits programs like Medicaid and SNAP have reduced funding received by local organizations that provide daily basic needs services to members of many communities.
The Foundation’s spring cycle portfolio reflects prioritizing support for organizations historically facing barriers to accessing and securing meaningful philanthropic resources. It also focuses on increasing multi-year and general operating support grants to nonprofit organizations and supporting small- to medium-size nonprofits. In this spring cycle:
- 29% of grants provide multi-year support, giving nonprofit partners longer-term stability to meet community needs.
- 53% of grants provide general operating support, giving nonprofit partners flexible funding to sustain their work and respond to changing economic and need conditions.
- 42% of grants support organizations with budgets under $600,000. These organizations are often overlooked for grantmaking by traditional philanthropy but are essential to their constituents, as these smaller nonprofits are often started by and run by people who live in and serve their communities.
“Our Spring grantmaking cycle reflects what we are hearing and seeing across our region: nonprofits need steady, reliable support to respond to the uncertainty created by changes in state, federal and philanthropic funding,” said Michelle McMurray, vice president of programs and community engagement. “By prioritizing flexible operating support, multi-year investments and small- to medium-size organizations, we are helping those closest to the community by increasing the resources they need to keep showing up for people every day.”
Since the launch of The Pittsburgh Foundation's strategic plan in 2023, it has awarded 884 grants totaling $61 million through its grantmaking programs that award grants to organizations aligned with its five core focus areas: basic needs, equity and social justice, environmental action, arts and culture, and economic mobility.
Sampling of Spring Cycle Grantees
Shepherd Wellness Community – Basic Needs
One of the organizations providing basic needs to the Pittsburgh population is Shepherd Wellness Community, which supports people living with HIV/AIDS through a suite of services, including providing meals, peer counseling, health education and social programming that reduces isolation and improves physical and emotional wellbeing. The organization faces a structural budget gap from a 25% reduction of government funding for Ryan White HIV/AIDS services, a source of regular support.
“There is still stigma living with HIV/AIDS,” said Richard Krug, executive director of Shepherd Wellness Community. “Many people are condemned, rejected and treated like pariahs. We’re a holistic health provider that focuses on taking care of the body, mind and spirit. Without support like this, people living with HIV/AIDS become easily forgotten. We’ve built a community and a family here. In some cases, we’re the only family they have.”
The Pittsburgh Foundation awarded the organization a two-year, $80,000 grant for general operating support, which will sustain core programming for people living with HIV/AIDS.
PA Youth Vote – Equity & Social Justice
Angelique Hinton, executive director of PA Youth Vote, found a passion for increasing civic participation in young people when she worked in politics for several years before 2020. During that time, she saw how voters became disenchanted with the electoral system and their elected leaders when their community concerns were rarely addressed. Hinton began programming civic engagement and get-out-the-vote events to educate communities on the importance of voting, attending local government meetings and organizing. From this work, she saw an increase in civic participation and belief of the democratic system, especially in young people.
“We’ve seen throughout history that young people have driven us to change, but today, civics classes don’t exist in underserved school districts to educate students about engaging in elections, advocating for issues and organizing,” Hinton said. “We’re partnering with teachers and school districts and hosting our own events to explain to young people how their involvement in democracy is imperative to their present and future selves. We’re showing them that at all levels of your life opportunities exist to confidently and proactively use your voice so people in power hear you and respond to you.”
PA Youth Vote received a two-year, $150,000 grant to support its nonpartisan efforts to strengthen youth voice, leadership and power in Allegheny County through training programs and civics education.
Greenwood Plan – Economic Mobility
The Greenwood Plan is on a mission to transform Pittsburgh’s economic landscape by serving entrepreneurs and neighborhoods historically overlooked and underrepresented in the local economy.
"We advance economic justice by bridging people and knowledge networks, redirecting resources and supporting the unique needs of historically underrepresented businesses," said Khamil Bailey, executive director of the Greenwood Plan.
Bailey emphasized the importance of building systems that benefit everyone, noting that individual success is more stable when it is rooted in shared opportunity and community-wide progress. "A rising tide lifts all boats. Until we all have the ability and access to growth opportunities, it's only a matter of time before our own joy, comfort and security are in jeopardy. This work is deeply personal to me because I live, work and play alongside the people I aim to serve."
Greenwood Plan has acquired and activated a vacant Downtown building, served more than 250 businesses and hosted several community events serving business owners and nonprofits. The organization received a one-year, $150,000 grant for general operating support, which Bailey said will be used for capacity building to support current staff and prepare for the future addition of permanent staff.
For reference: Download the full list of The Pittsburgh Foundation’s 2026 spring cycle grantees.
About The Pittsburgh Foundation
The Pittsburgh Foundation works to improve the quality of life in the Pittsburgh region by evaluating and addressing community issues through partnerships, promoting responsible philanthropy and connecting donors to critical needs. In its commitment to creating a vibrant, equitable and just Pittsburgh region where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and fulfill their potential, the Foundation administered grants totaling $71.6 million in 2025.
CONTACT:
Matt Minczeski
Sr. Director of Communications and Marketing
minczeskim@pghfdn.org
724-554-7993