Foundation-Directed Grants
Use the drop-down boxes below to search the listing of discretionary grants awarded through our application process. The Foundation awards grants in these strategic focus areas: Self-Sufficient Individuals and Families, Healthy Communities, Vibrant Democracy and Community Projects.
Click to learn more about how to apply for grants.
| Grantee | Purpose | Year | Amount Sort ascending |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Pittsburgh Promise | for the scholarship program. | 2017 | $875,000 |
| The Pittsburgh Promise | for the scholarship program. | 2016 | $875,000 |
| The Pittsburgh Promise | towards program and scholarship costs for the 2021-2022 year. | 2021 | $750,000 |
| The Pittsburgh Promise | for the scholarship program. | 2018 | $750,000 |
| The Pittsburgh Promise | to support The Pittsburgh Promise Scholarship Program. | 2015 | $750,000 |
| The Pittsburgh Promise | to support The Pittsburgh Promise Scholarship Program. | 2014 | $750,000 |
| The Pittsburgh Promise | to support The Pittsburgh Promise Scholarship Program. | 2013 | $750,000 |
| The Pittsburgh Promise | Towards program and scholarship costs for the 2022-2023 year. | 2022 | $500,000 |
| ACTION-Housing, Inc. | to develop a low-barrier, year-round shelter including transitional housing, a day program, a health clinic and wrap-around services for those experiencing homelessness. | 2021 | $500,000 |
| The Pittsburgh Promise | for the scholarship program. | 2020 | $500,000 |
| The Pittsburgh Promise | for the scholarship program. | 2019 | $500,000 |
| The Forbes Funds | For 2023 operating support. | 2022 | $400,000 |
| The Forbes Funds | for 2021 operating support. | 2020 | $400,000 |
| The Forbes Funds | for 2020 operating support. | 2019 | $400,000 |
| The Forbes Funds | for 2019 operating support. | 2018 | $400,000 |
| The Forbes Funds | for 2018 operating support. | 2017 | $400,000 |
| The Forbes Funds | for 2017 operating support. | 2016 | $400,000 |
| The Forbes Funds | for 2016 operating support. | 2015 | $400,000 |
| The Forbes Funds | for 2014 operating support. | 2013 | $400,000 |
| The Pittsburgh Foundation | for matching funds for the 2019 Critical Needs Alert. | 2019 | $375,000 |
| University of Pittsburgh | to support research to identify sound policy and practice improvements in meeting the needs of informal caregivers who provide healthcare for senior populations. | 2016 | $350,000 |
| The Forbes Funds | for 2015 operating support. | 2014 | $350,000 |
| Pennsylvania State University | for a 2022 Kaufman New Initiative research grant titled, "Nanoscale optical heating for the generation of high entropy nanomaterials," by Dr. Benjamin Lear (PI) and Dr. Raymond Schaak (co-investigator). | 2022 | $300,000 |
| University of Pittsburgh | for a 2022 Kaufman New Initiative research grant titled, "Quantum Qubit and Architecture CO-Design for High-fidelity Quantum Computing," by Dr. Alex Jones (PI) and Dr. Michael Hatridge (co-investigator). | 2022 | $300,000 |
| Corporation of Haverford College | for a 2022 Kaufman New Initiative research grant titled, "Dark Matter and the First Galaxies," by Dr. Daniel Grin (PI) and Dr. Adam Lidz (co-investigator). | 2022 | $300,000 |
| University of Pittsburgh | for a 2022 Kaufman New Initiative research grant titled, "Translation regulation of TMG-capped mRNAs - an evolutionary remnant of trans-splicing?," by Dr. Andrea Berman (PI) and Dr. Judith Yanowitz (co-investigator). | 2022 | $300,000 |
| University of Pennsylvania | for a 2020 Kaufman New Initiative research grant titled, “Neuronal circuits for auditory-olfactory integration” by Dr. Maria Geffen (PI) and Dr. Jay Gottfried (co-investigator). | 2020 | $300,000 |
| Lehigh University | for a 2020 Kaufman New Initiative research grant titled, “Full Sail Ahead: How do Cells Sense and Decode Flow?” by Dr. Aurelia Honerkamp-Smith (PI) and Dr. Damien Thevenin (co-investigator). | 2020 | $300,000 |
| Pennsylvania State University | for a 2020 Kaufman New Initiative research grant titled, “Magnetizing Light: from X-Ray Astronomy to Silicon Photonics” by Dr. Mikael Rechtsman (PI) and Dr. Randall McEntaffer (co-investigator). | 2020 | $300,000 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | for a 2020 Kaufman New Initiative research grant titled, “Physicochemical communication between active droplets” by Dr. Aditya Khair (PI) and Dr. Lauren Zarzar (co-investigator). | 2020 | $300,000 |
| Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh | to support increased understanding of the importance of the First Amendment in civic life through enhanced library programs, services and resources. | 2019 | $300,000 |
| TPF Special Assets Fund | for Lenfest Institute for Journalism to support the joint activities of Spotlight PA and PA Post, nonprofit journalism initiatives in Pennsylvania. | 2018 | $300,000 |
| Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf | to support the expansion of the Children's Center at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf, providing early education programs to deaf and hard of hearing children, birth to seven years of age. | 2018 | $300,000 |
| University of Pennsylvania | for a 2016 Kaufman New Initiative research grant titled, “Single-cell dissection of social behavior in ant brains" by Dr. Roberto Bonasio (PI) and Dr. Arjun Raj (Co-Investigator). | 2016 | $300,000 |
| Pennsylvania State University | for a 2016 Kaufman New Initiative research grant titled, “Discovery and Characterization of Novel RNA Switch Chemistry and Biology via RNA Structure-seq” by Dr. Paul Babitzke (PI), Dr. Sarah M. Assmann (Co-Investigator), and Dr. Philip C. Bevilacqua (Co-Investigator). | 2016 | $300,000 |
| University of Pittsburgh | for a 2016 Kaufman New Initiative research grant titled, “Trapped Diamond Nanocrystals for Precision Gravitational Measurements and Tests of Quantum Gravity” by Dr. Brian D'Urso (PI) and Dr. Gurudev Dutt (Co-Investigator). | 2016 | $300,000 |
| University of Pittsburgh | for a 2016 Kaufman New Initiative research grant titled, “Genetic Programming of a Neuroprotective Pathway in Fly Models of Neurodegeneration” by Dr. Elias Aizenman (PI) and Dr. Michael Palladino (Co-Investigator). | 2016 | $300,000 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | for a 2015 Kaufman New Initiative research grant entitled, "Mind-altering bugs": Dissecting the gut-microbiome-brain connection using a multidisciplinary approach in Drosophila melanogaster" by Dr. Brooke McCartney (PI), Dr. N. Luisa Hiller (Co-Investigator), and Dr. Jonathan Minden (Co-Investigator). | 2015 | $300,000 |
| University of Pennsylvania | for a 2015 Kaufman New Initiative research grant entitled, "New Approach to Dark Matter" by Dr. Justin Khoury (PI) and Dr. Tom Lubensky (Co-Investigator). | 2015 | $300,000 |
| University of Pennsylvania | for a 2015 Kaufman New Initiative research grant entitled, "Mechanical signaling in early hearts: Theory & Experiment" by Dr. Andrea Liu (PI), Dr. Benjamin L. Prosser (Co-Investigator), and Dr. Dennis E. Discher (Co-Investigator). | 2015 | $300,000 |
| University of Pennsylvania | for a 2014 Kaufman New Initiative research grant entitled, "Living Photonic Devices: Self-assembly from Proteins as Patchy Colloids" by Dr. Alison Sweeney (PI) and Dr. Randall Kamien (Co-PI). | 2014 | $300,000 |
| Pennsylvania State University | for a 2014 Kaufman New Initiative research grant entitled, "Autonomous Interacting Microrobotic Systems" by Dr. Ayusman Sen (PI) and Dr. Anna C. Balazs (Co-PI) of the University of Pittsburgh. | 2014 | $300,000 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | for a 2014 Kaufman New Initiative research grant entitled, "Neural Circuitry of the Mammalian Neocortex" by Dr. Alison Barth (PI) and Dr. Marcel Bruchez (Co-PI). | 2014 | $300,000 |
| University of Pittsburgh | for a 2014 Kaufman New Initiative research grant entitled, "Expanding the Genetic Code of Zebrafish" by Dr. Alexander Deiters (PI) and Dr. Michael Tsang (Co-PI). | 2014 | $300,000 |
| Eastern Area Adult Services | for the Home Delivered Meal Program. | 2013 | $252,133 |
| PublicSource Inc. | for operating support. | 2021 | $250,000 |
| PublicSource Inc. | for operating support. | 2020 | $250,000 |
| PublicSource Inc. | for operating support. | 2019 | $250,000 |
| Macedonia Family and Community Enrichment Center, Inc. | for the expansion of programming to include Senior Services in the Hill District. | 2019 | $250,000 |
| PublicSource | for a one-year operating support grant. | 2018 | $250,000 |