Lead Employers
The Pittsburgh Foundation
Note from Grant Oliphant, President and CEO
The consequences of domestic violence go far beyond the terrible emotional and physical toll of its victims, including the impact on families, friends, neighbors and co-workers.
The Pittsburgh Foundation supports STANDING FIRM in its efforts to combat domestic abuse one workplace at a time and we invite area employers to join us in this bold grassroots education effort to address what has become known as 'the quiet crisis' of domestic abuse.
Together we can make a difference. Together we can build a better community.
Grant Oliphant
President and CEO
The Pittsburgh Foundation
Established in 1945, The Pittsburgh Foundation is one of the nation’s oldest and is the 15th largest of more than 700 community foundations across the United States. Since it was formed, The Pittsburgh Foundation has awarded more than $600 million in grants to charitable organizations in Pittsburgh, and throughout the U.S.
The Foundation’s first fund was created in 1945 by Chester and Vivian Lehman. Chester Lehman was a member of the founding family of the Blaw-Knox Company, and a supporter of the Boy Scouts movement.
Our MissionThe Pittsburgh Foundation works to improve the quality of life in the Pittsburgh region by evaluating and addressing community issues, promoting responsible philanthropy and connecting donors to the critical needs of the community.
GrantmakingThe Foundation and its supporting organizations awarded grants of approximately $33.7 million in 2009, addressing many critical issues in our community.
Grantmaking benefits a broad spectrum of community life within Pittsburgh, across the United States, and internationally. Approximately 50 percent of the Foundation’s grantmaking is from unrestricted funds.
Its five Target Areas of Impact introduced nearly seven years previously, were replaced by integrating the key issues of environment, economics, and social equity into its three new funding guideline categories:
- Self Sufficient Individuals and Families,
- Healthy Communities, and
- A Vibrant Democracy.
The first includes education, affordable housing, public transportation, healthy children and adults and job development. Healthy Communities covers ecological issues, the creation of safe communities, cultural and racial diversity, creative arts and the encouragement of excellence in civic design. A Vibrant Democracy includes civic engagement and the research and dissemination of information around critical community issues, designed to inform and shape public policy.
Additional areas are included for grantmaking through the Foundation’s donor-advised, designated, fields of interest, scholarship, medical research and responsiveness funds.
The Pittsburgh Foundation is also the vehicle for Supporting Organizations which most closely mirror the operations of private foundations. Supporting organizations are specially designed to target the philanthropic goals of individuals or groups of donors creating funds of $2 million or more.
Our Community FoundationAs a community foundation, The Pittsburgh Foundation is a tax-exempt public charity serving people who share a common goal – to improve the quality of life for all citizens. The Foundation makes it possible for a wide range of donors to create permanent, named endowment funds to provide lasting support for charitable organizations.
Unlike a private foundation, which is established by an individual family, community foundations invest and manage a pool of permanent endowment funds established by individuals, families, businesses and organizations. Each fund exists in perpetuity to provide an ever increasing endowment for grant making.
