The Community Foundation for the Alleghenies is pleased to announce more than $225,000 in funding for its Spring 2024 grant recipients, plus $100,000 each to be awarded to the Bedford County Endowments and the Somerset County Endowments. This marks the first time in CFA’s 34 years that its Board of Directors has issued such a gift to its county endowments.
CFA staff and board members, along with advisory committee members, announced the gifts at two separate events this week. On Wednesday, May 15, at the Somerset Historical Center, CFA staff recognized the 14 projects from that county that received grants through the organization’s Spring 2024 grant round. The Somerset County Endowments also accepted their gift from the CFA board.
“This support is being made available through a board decision to use its own funds to boost philanthropy in Bedford and Somerset counties. This is the first time ever that the board has made such a directive and constitutes remarkable commitment on its part in support of the work and aspirations of the advisory committees and donors in each county,” said Mike Kane, CFA president and executive director.
“The Somerset Advisory Committee is very pleased that $49,920 is being awarded to Somerset County nonprofits for the Spring 2024 grant round. These grants help local nonprofits spend more time doing what they do best, providing important services to our communities,” said Lladel Lichty, Somerset County Endowments Director. “We are especially proud that the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies’ Board of Directors continues to show confidence in our work, as we announce their match investment of $100,000 into the Somerset County Community Fund Endowment. We are leveraging this match to help us raise even more funds that are specific to Somerset County projects.”
In Bedford County, the announcement was held on Thursday, May 16, at the Everett Free Library. Eleven nonprofit organizations were recognized for receiving a total of $42,800 in funding through CFA’s Spring 2024 grant round.
“The Bedford County Endowment Committee and Advisory Committee are very excited to be able to announce the CFA Board of Directors’ $100,000 allocation to the Bedford County Community Fund. We are hitting the ground right now with a match campaign so that we can provide even more grant monies to Bedford County nonprofit organizations that work so hard to make things better for our Bedford County friends,” said Dina McGee, Bedford County Endowments Director. “We say ‘Give where you live; give where you love.’ I know that when presented with a challenge, Bedford County will step up and contribute to this fund so that we can continue to award grants into perpetuity for our county.”
In addition to the grants awarded in Bedford and Somerset counties, 34 projects in Cambria County and 8 multi-county projects were also awarded funding totaling $111,000 and $22,500 respectively. Across the three counties, projects to support emergency services, such as volunteer fire departments and ambulance services, received a combined $41,000; projects to support libraries received a combined $24,000; projects to support parks, trails, and greenspaces received a combined $22,450; and projects to support basic human needs, such as food distributions and alleviation of poverty, received a combined $22,000.
Click here for a complete list of the grants awarded in the Spring 2024 grant round.
To donate to the Bedford County Community Fund, click here. To donate to the Somerset County Community Fund, click here.
