Education

Education includes student-centered activities that promote curiosity, joy and academic improvement in math, literacy, civics, history and science. It also includes the development of critical thinking, project-based learning and social capital competencies that are key to student success. Key to the development of these skills is the out-of-school time community, which serves as a bridge between learners, families and educational institutions. In Allegheny County, 67,000 students would attend an out-of-school time program if one were available. And if performance gaps based on race, ethnicity or economic status were eliminated, up to $5 billion dollars in lifetime compensation and in-kind benefits could be directed to students and their families, annually.
In our education portfolio, we are interested in supporting the following:
Out-of-school time (OST)
The Foundation supports culturally-responsive, out-of-school time programs that promote academic achievement and whole-child development. Specifically, we seek to support:
- Activities that offer advanced skill development opportunities and/or certifications.
- Tutoring and homework assistance.
- Post-secondary planning and application support.
- Opportunities to build relationships between schools and families.
We are particularly interested in programs that work to maximize student learning time, reduce chronic absenteeism, offer evidence-based mental health supports and serve students with disabilities and experiencing housing insecurity.
Improving education quality
The Foundation supports the following to ensure every child receives in-school instruction in an environment that is safe and high-quality:
- Specific curricula improvements at high-need, low-performing schools (e.g.: new science, literacy, math, civics or history curricula).
- Responsive professional development for OST and school staff.
- Efforts to reform policies and practices that negatively impact students and their families.
NOTE: With limited resources, we find that we must create some parameters for our grantmaking. While we recognize their value, the following are not eligible for support at this time: Episodic programming, occurring less than three days per week (Grades K-5), or less than twice per week (Grades 6-12); or summer-only programs; leadership development or service-learning programs; and athletic programs, unless there is a clear case for alignment with the criteria for out-of-school time.
Application Deadlines
GRANT CYCLE | APPLICATION DEADLINE |
---|---|
Spring grant cycle | Feb. 3, 2025 by 5 p.m. (for funding decision by May 9.) |
Fall grant cycle | TBD |
Grant Guidelines
How to Apply for Grants

Jamillia Kamara Covington M.Ed.
More Grantmaking Supporting Basic Needs
The Pittsburgh Foundation also offers the following funding opportunities to eligible applicants.