In The News

The Ford Foundation panel at the United National Climate Action Summit discussed about how Pittsburgh is advancing sustainable development goals. This story quotes panelist Lisa Schroeder: "We’re thrilled that community foundations such as ours, with their deep roots in the regions they serve and broad reach across interest groups, are being recognized as leaders in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals at the local level,” said Schroeder.

The “Advancing Black Arts in Pittsburgh Symposium 2019: There is Black Art in the Future” was held Thursday and Friday at the new Museum Lab space on the North Side. The event was co-hosted by The Heinz Endowments and The Pittsburgh Foundation and led by an advisory committee formed by Shaunda McDill and Celeste Smith, the arts and culture program officers at the foundations.

Homelessness is a complex issue that a variety of agencies, nonprofits and advocates have been working to address for decades, using a wide range of approaches that include prevention, rapid rehousing and a focus on each individual’s needs … “In a lot of ways, homelessness in particular is the final disaster in what is often a series of events and causes,” said Jeanne Pearlman, senior vice president for program and policy at the Pittsburgh Foundation, which has so far this year directed about $8 million toward initiatives directly or indirectly aimed at ending and preventing homelessness.

Despite that perceived uptick, city and county data show Downtown crime has remained steady for three years and is on pace to be lower in 2019 than 2018. Similarly, countywide point-in-time counts show homelessness has declined during the last three years, and the county’s street outreach teams are on track this year to serve either the same or slightly fewer people than in 2018.

Pittsburgh native Mac Miller, born Malcolm McCormick, died a year ago this month. A fund set up in his name at The Pittsburgh Foundation has already started its grantmaking aimed at children in the arts and those dealing with substance abuse issues.

Remembering Mac Miller through vigils, memorials and more. Zach DiMartini, a fan from Shaler is organizing a vigil at Blue Slide Park in Squirrel Hill on Friday, Sept 6, 2019. 

The Charles E. Kaufman Foundation, a supporting organization of the Pittsburgh Foundation, has awarded grants totaling $1.8 million in support of cutting-edge scientific research at Pennsylvania universities. Through its New Recipients focus area, the foundation awarded grants of $150,000 over two years to scientists making the transition to academia.  

After Owen died, the Sewickley family started the Owen Galluzzo Memorial Fund, housed through The Pittsburgh Foundation, meant to enrich the lives of medically fragile kids. The memorial fund contributes to two organizations that were an integral part of Owen’s life: the Arizona-based Beads of Courage, which provides children with beads for milestones in their medical journey, and Massachusetts-based Team Impact, which pairs children with serious illnesses with college sports teams.  

Innovative and interdisciplinary scientific research by early-career and established scientists at Pennsylvania universities has received a major boost by way of $1.8 million in new funding from The Charles E. Kaufman Foundation, a supporting organization of The Pittsburgh Foundation. Out of $1.8 million awarded to Pennsylvania universities by the Charles E. Kaufman Foundation, Bucknell professor Greg Pask received a two-year $150,00 grant for research on chemical communication in social insects.

Following the death of billionaire Henry L. Hillman in 2017, his namesake foundation received an infusion of $700 million and hinted that it wanted to raise its profile after decades operating under the quiet philanthropist who preferred to keep his donations private. Now the Henry L. Hillman Foundation is taking the first step toward engaging the community in its grantmaking — in a very public way. (Editor's note: 12 judges have been already been selected to assess proposals including Michael Yonas, our Foundation's director of research and special initiatives.)