Twice each year, applications for funding are accepted. This most recent round was the most competitive yet; 99 applications were submitted requesting a total of $724,803 in funding. Of those, 89 of those programs received some type of support.
“In our recent strategic planning process, we received input from nearly 350 people from throughout the region. One of the primary goals identified for the Community Foundation was to secure more unrestricted funds to support even more projects than the ones identified here,” said Mike Kane, Foundation president.
“We are proud of the work local nonprofits do, and we appreciate the interest the community has in seeing us do more. And of course we are interested in working with more donors who see the value of this effort to our community.”
Grant awards vary, depending on the project. Typically, grants from the Unrestricted Fund are between $500 and $10,000. For this round, the largest grant that was made was $8,000 and it went to Catholic Charities, Inc., for the emergency delivery of fuel to families who are experiencing a current financial crisis.
“Most of the basic living needs that people take for granted every day – water, heat, light, food – our clients struggle with every day,” said Jean Johnstone, Catholic Charities Executive Director. “As the temperatures get colder and the cost of keeping warm rises, the requests for help in central Pennsylvania are beyond belief. This grant from the Community Foundation means that more people in Central Pennsylvania will have help this winter”
Additionally, Community Foundation funding will go to these organizations to support programs in following
categories:
Arts & Culture - $12,600 total
• Bedford Area Band Boosters
• Bedford County Arts Advisory Council
• The Pennsylvania Consort Society
• BottleWorks Ethnic Arts Center
• Cresson Lake Playhouse
• Johnstown Symphony Orchestra
• Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center
• Laurel Arts
• Meyersdale Drama/Music Boosters
Children & Youth - $19,000 total
• Bedford County Chamber of Commerce
• Goodwill Industries of the Conemaugh Valley
• Greater Johnstown Watershed Association
• Northern Cambria AYSO
• St. Benedict Parochial School
• Boys & Girls Club of Somerset County
• Camp PARC
• Somerset County 4-H
• New Day, Inc.
• Beginnings, Inc.
Community Development - $23,000 total
• Bedford County Agricultural Society
• Chalybeate Springs Ministry
• Rails to Trails of Bedford County
• Brownstown Borough Recreation Association
• Cresson Area Lions Club/Park Association
• Geistown Borough
• Inclined Plane
• Johnstown Business District Development Corporation
• Portage Area Joint Recreation Commission
• The Garden Club of Johnstown
• Young Professionals of the Alleghenies
• Conemaugh Township Supervisors, Somerset County
• Jenner Township/Boswell Lions Club Community Park
• Meyersdale Public Library
• Wings of Change, Inc.
• Stonycreek Quemahoning Initiative
Education - $7,400 total
• Hyndman Londonderry PTO
• The Learning Lamp
• Rockwood Area School District
• Somerset County Campus Foundation of the Allegany College of Maryland
Environmental Development - $5,200 total
• Cambria County Conservation and Recreation Authority
• Johnstown Regional Trail Network
Health & Human Services - $37,160 total
• Bedford County Rock & Ride for Charity
• Dauntless Fire Company
• Gallitzin Fire Company
• Mom’s House, Inc.
• Nanty Glo Volunteer Fire Company
• Portage Area Ambulance Association
• Portage Volunteer Fire Company
• Wilmore Volunteer Fire Company
• Behavioral Health Services of Somerset and Bedford
• Best of Friends
• Catholic Charities, Inc.
• Laurel Highlands Alzheimer’s Foundation
• Somerset Area Ministries
• Somerset Therapeutic Association for Riding
• The Church of the Brethren Home
• Salvation Army of Somerset
• YWCA of Greater Johnstown
• Somerset County Soroptimist’s Campaign Against Domestic Violence
Heritage - $13,400 total
• Bedford County Historical Society
• Bedford Joint Municipal Authority
• Juniata Woolen Mill
• Old Bedford Village
• Cambria County Historical Society
• Sandyvale Cemetery Association, Inc.
• Historical & Genealogical Society of Somerset County
• Meyersdale Area Historical Society
The funds that contribute to the Unrestricted Fund and enabled the awards to these projects were: Alan L. and Lana J. Miller Family Fund, Benjamin Bosler Fund, FPL Energy Meyersdale Wind Power Fund, Penelec Fund for the Future of Greater Johnstown, Community Initiatives Fund to benefit Lift Johnstown Projects, Robert Waters Charitable Trust, Somerset County Community Fund, Footprints Charitable Endowment Fund and the Earl and Jeanne Berkey Fund.
To view the Foundation’s 2012 strategic plan, please go to www.cfalleghenies.org.
Grant awards are considered by a Distribution Committee, based upon applications from charitable organizations. The application deadline for the next round of funding is Friday, Jan. 25.
The Community Foundation for the Alleghenies is a nonprofit public foundation. Through charitable giving of its donors, it builds professionally managed assets to support Cambria, Bedford and Somerset counties. The Foundation is overseen by an active volunteer board and committees, and complies with national standards established by the Council on Foundation, the philanthropic sector’s primary affiliate organization.
