Above: The Pittsburgh Foundation's new office, located at 912 Fort Duquesne Blvd. in downtown Pittsburgh.
Above: A rendering of the highwall signage on The Pittsburgh Foundation's new office, located at 912 Fort Duquesne Blvd. in downtown Pittsburgh.

"Our goal is to offer a welcoming headquarters where our stakeholders can gather and develop hopes and dreams for this unique and distinctive region we call home. Here, we will work together to create new strategies, programs, funds and solutions for the region’s greatest equity gaps and most pressing challenges."

-Lisa Schroeder, President & CEO, The Pittsburgh Foundation        


Keys to Our Move

Inside and outside office renderings of new office space at 912 Fort Duquesne Blvd.


Pittsburgh is evolving. Its community foundation is, too. While The Pittsburgh Foundation utilizes philanthropy as a strategy to improve our community, its new, welcoming space emphasizes catalyzing partnerships with stakeholders and welcoming new audiences to further collective impact.

Embodying community. Over half the square footage is dedicated to meeting areas and bringing together donors, leaders, organizations, activists, grantees and more people in our community, reflecting our region's collaborative nature. The role of a community foundation is to facilitate change, and working in a space that encourages community will inspire others to commit to creating it. 

Recommitting to Downtown Pittsburgh. In a new headquarters within the Central Business District, The Pittsburgh Foundation is recommitting to Pittsburgh's core as part of the effort to revitalize Downtown. It's an investment beyond grantmaking in Downtown's future. 

Read the news release

An entire floor of new headquarters is dedicated to convening new and familiar stakeholders: donors, grantees, community leaders, government officials and more. The foundation committed $75,000 to acquiring artwork from local artists to showcase in the space. Wellness rooms, event spaces, flex spaces and a rooftop deck balance focus, interaction, natural collaboration and reminders of community.

Answers to some questions we've gotten:
 
Why is The Pittsburgh Foundation moving?

For 80 years, The Pittsburgh Foundation has paired philanthropy with partnership. We know that persistent societal problems require more than the work of any single institution. While our work has been impactful for decades, since the COVID-19 pandemic we have committed to using all our resources to catalyzing partnerships that will create a vibrant, equitable and just Pittsburgh that supports everyone.

This has been a journey, and it has led us to create a place where we can live out this commitment; where we can eschew formality and celebrate inclusivity by bringing people together for learning, interacting and gathering.

Our new space is designed to nurture cross-sector relationships and catalyze partnerships between donors, community organizations, government, business, policy analysts and researchers.

How does your move change how you operate?

We will remain a foundation that is for the community, by the community. We are leaning into operating as a convener. Embodying this way of working is more of an evolution of the Foundation than a drastic change in behavior. We have always catalyzed partnerships, but we must expand and emphasize these partnerships to include more stakeholders. Together, we can have a wider and deeper impact in our region.

For our donors. Our customer service and stewardship will stay the same. Donors will have opportunities to engage with our community and align with stakeholders on issues of which they care deeply.

For our grantees. Our support for you will stay the same. Grantees will have more opportunities to convene in our space and engage stakeholders to constructively solve issues plaguing our region.

For our partners. For leaders in government, business, community, civic and academic communities: our doors are open to you, and we hope you physically join us in our office to continue to collaborate on solutions for our community.

You highlight the new space as a place to gather and convene. What does this look like?

The new office space is constructed to bring donors, leaders, organizers, activists, grantees and more people together to advance solutions to problems. Our role as a community foundation is to facilitate change, and working in a space that encourages community will inspire others to commit to creating change. The new Partnerships team is developing new strategies to evolve the organization's approach to bringing people together.

What are your goals after you move into your new office?

Our goal is to offer an open-door headquarters where we can welcome hopes and dreams for this unique and distinctive region we call home and where we can work collectively to create new strategies, programs, funds and solutions for the region’s greatest equity gaps and most pressing challenges.

How does the move advance the Foundation’s mission and commitment to the Pittsburgh region community?

Progress on our mission requires an emphasis and prioritization of convening and catalyzing partnerships. We will bring together partners in the spirit of collaboration and transparency, two of our core values, to solve significant challenges in our region.

 

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