Make a secure, simple online donation today to any of the funds listed below, or use the search box and filters to find a fund by name, county, fund type, or the cause you’d like to support. Thank you for caring for our community in this special way.
Nicholas and Donna Antonazzo Fund
To provide an endowment restricted to benefit equally the St. John Gaulbert Cathedral Johnstown, Greater Johnstown YMCA, Bishop McCort High School, and the Community Foundation. Created as part of the 100 Families Project.
Nicholas Enos Memorial Scholarship Fund
To provide a 4 year $1,000 scholarship for two seniors at Ligonier Valley High School who are good students, exhibit leadership, and display respect and kindness toward others regardless of age. Students must be involved in community activities, demonstrate athletic skills, and intend to pursue higher education. As of 2011, in addition to scholarships, additional proceeds donated to this fund can also be used to support community activities. Created as part of the 100 Families Project.
Norman & Theresa Salem Scholarship Endowment Fund
To honor Norman and Theresa Salem’s commitment to family, friends, and community by providing scholarships to assist Bishop McCort and/or Divine Mercy Catholic Academy students.
North Star Music Makers Fund
To promote the performance and enjoyment of music by the youth and adults of the North Star School District.
North Star School District Foundation Fund
To support any endeavor that enhances the North Star School District students, faculty and programs as determined by the North Star School District Foundation Committee.
Northern Cambria Public Library Fund
To enhance the programs and capabilities of the library to serve the community.
Nunzio S. and Flora D. Yocca Scholarship Fund
To provide scholarships for graduating students from Windber Area High School majoring in education, founded by their daughters and sons-in-law, Michael and Elizabeth Day and Joseph and Susan Rupe.
Ohio River Valley-Appalachia Collaborative Fund
To support efforts by nonprofit organizations engaged in environmental protection efforts and creating alternatives to petrochemical/shale expansion in the Ohio River Valley and Appalachia region.
Ohio River Valley Institute Fund
To provide support in the Upper Ohio Valley region to support the development of programming around four key issues: Energy and Climate, Economic Vitality, Strategic Communications, and Democracy reform.
Ohio River Valley Regional Climate Action Project Fund
To provide support for the Ohio River Valley through climate action work.
Old Westmont Neighbors Fund
To provide support for Old Westmont Neighbors, a group of concerned citizens working to improve the neighborhood they live in.
Open Waters for All Fund
To raise funding for the installation of adaptive kayak launchers at recreation areas. This uniquely designed equipment will permit kayakers with physical limitations to safely and easily enter and exit their kayaks, allowing everyone in our community to have access.
Operation Guardian Fund
To provide support for efforts that help police officers in a time of need and promote the field of law enforcement to youth.
Operation BeYoutiful Fund
To support all efforts and activities of Operation BeYoutiful, an organization that provides wigs to girls and women who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy or other medically-related hair loss conditions.
Oreo Foundation in Memory of Alexa Eplett Scholarship Fund
To honor the memory of Alexa Marie Eplett who lived her life thinking of and doing for others first. She touched so many lives through her acts of kindness, humor and unique outlook in life. “Just like the middle of an Oreo cookie, she was not only the middle child, but the sweet center of our family…hence the nickname Alexa was given of Oreo and the name of her foundation.” This scholarship is to be given to those students who best demonstrate Alexa’s passion to always pay it forward to others and who best exemplify her beautiful spirit. This fund may also support community endeavors or organizations that help others.
Ohio River Valley Participatory Fund
The Ohio River Valley Participatory Fund supports groups serving northern Appalachian communities that have been adversely impacted by the fossil fuel industry. This intermediary fund is deeply rooted in the region, housed at the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies, and guided by a Steering Committee of nonprofit leaders.
The Fund provides grants to nonprofit groups that are helping impacted communities address environmental, health, democracy, justice, movement-building, and economic development goals. Current grant offerings are focused on small to medium-sized groups working in eastern Ohio, Pennsylvania, or West Virginia.
General Operating Support Grants
These grants help support programs, projects, and capacity-building of organizations serving impacted communities in eastern Ohio, Pennsylvania, or West Virginia. The Fund is currently accepting applications between September 30, 2024 and November 1, 2024 for general operating support grants. Additional funding rounds may open in 2025; check here for updates.
Rapid Response Grants
Rapid response small grants help address emergency needs of organizations serving impacted communities in eastern Ohio, Pennsylvania, or West Virginia. Requests will be considered on a rolling basis.
View a list of previous grant recipients here.
Information Sessions
The Ohio River Valley Participatory Fund will hold two virtual information sessions for potential applicants. Each session will cover the same information about the Fund’s goals and current grant opportunities.
- Register here for the information session on Monday, October 7, 6-7 pm EDT
- Register here for the information session on Thursday, October 17, 12-1 pm EDT
Regional Leadership
As a participatory fund, grantmaking and governance are guided by regional leaders who help the Fund respond to the needs and priorities of impacted communities and regional coalitions. The 2024 Steering Committee includes Autumn Crowe, West Virginia Rivers Coalition; Bishop Marcia Dinkins, Black Appalachian Coalition; Gillian Graber, Protect PT; Michael Parker, Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services; and Shannon Smith, FracTracker Alliance.
Fund Supporters
The fund gratefully acknowledges its supporters, including The 11th Hour Project, the Argosy Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, the MacArthur Foundation, the McKnight Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and the Myles D. and J. Faye Sampson Family Foundation.
Questions?
If you have general questions about the Fund, about your organization’s eligibility, or if you need accommodations in order to apply, please contact orvpf@cfalleghenies.org.
If you need technical assistance with the grant application system, please contact ewood@cfalleghenies.org.
Support the ORVP Fund
The Ohio River Valley Participatory Fund gratefully accepts grants and donations through the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies.
Contributions support the Fund’s grantmaking to nonprofits serving impacted communities in northern Appalachia. Funder inquiries may be directed to orvpf@cfalleghenies.org. To make an online donation click HERE.
Otto and Carrie Scheib Memorial Fund
To provide support to charitable causes as advised by the donors. Upon the donors’ death, the fund will annually support the following non-profit organizations: First Lutheran Church, Salvation Army Johnstown Service Center, the Lutheran Home at Johnstown, Camp Sequanota, and the Rotary Foundation.
Our Mother of Sorrows Parish Fund
To support worthwhile projects at Our Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church and Parish.
P.J. Helsel Scholarship Fund
To award a $1,000 scholarship to each year’s Point Stadium Award winner.
Pat and Paul Detwiler Family Fund
To provide support for charitable causes as advised by the donors.
Pat and Paul Detwiler Family Scholarship Fund
To provide scholarship support for two scholarship awards per year. One scholarship/monetary gift will be given to a Bedford County Career and Technical Center (BCCTC) student. This may be a monetary gift or scholarship. The student can be from any of the sending schools to BCCTC. The second scholarship will be for a Bedford High School student who is continuing his/her education at a post high school/university. The recipient(s) must be entering the field of business or some type of entrepreneurial business start up.
Patricia V. Black Scholarship Fund
To provide scholarship support for senior students at Riverview High School in Allegheny County who have participated in the Key Club and have a strong history of volunteerism.
Patriot Park Foundation Fund
To support any endeavor that enhances and supports the development and maintenance of Patriot Park.
Paul and Catherine Mangarella Endowment Fund in Memory of Father Canice Welsh, O.S.B.
To financially assist members of St. Bernard Parish and/or parish family members who are in a direct line of descendants of those members and who reside within St. Bernard’s Parish.
Paul Carbaugh Memorial Award Fund
To provide a cash award to the top graduating Future Farmers of America (FTA) student from the Northern Bedford High County School. The award will be distributed according to the Foundation’s spending policy.
Paul D. Bennett and Doris Haselrig Scholarship Fund
To provide a scholarship annually to a minority student. In selecting a recipient of the scholarship, the following shall be considered: a minority student attending a four year college and the student must be a resident of Cambria County, PA. Created as part of the 100 Families Project.
Paul Keeney Scholarship Fund
To provide an annual scholarship of $1,000.00 each year to a graduating senior of Forest Hills High School. The student should intend to pursue a college level degree in education, engineering, science or mathematics and shall have demonstrated a willingness to help others. This scholarship is created in memory of a very well respected and honored educator Paul Keeney of the South Fork-Croyle (currently Forest Hills) School District.
Paul Monteleone Fund for Business and Financial Material Acquisitions for the Cambria County Library
To provide an endowment which will benefit the Cambria County David A. Glosser Library to purchase: business and financial periodicals, software, books, and related material. Created as part of the 100 Families Project.
Paul Urbain Memorial Scholarship Award Fund
To provide scholarship support for a graduating senior student in the Somerset Area School District who was a top performer in geometry and continued to excel in mathematics within their graduating class. The student must exhibit the character traits that Mr. Urbain admired in his students including honesty, integrity, and leadership among their peers.
Pauline H.L. Gordon Museum Fund
The purpose of this fund shall be to provide support for the creation and maintenance of the Pauline H.L. Gordon Museum at the Clara Barton House and Gardens.
PAWS House Inc. Fund
To raise the funds necessary to build a hands-on, no-kill pet sanctuary which will service Cambria and surrounding counties. The sanctuary in its completion will be an all-inclusive animal safe haven and resource center that the community can come to depend on for any and all pet related needs and service. Each animal that enters the facility will be loved and taken care of in a home like environment for the remainder of its life in the event that a new forever home cannot be found.
Penelec Fund for the Future of Greater Johnstown
To support charitable causes and economic development purposes in the Greater Johnstown area.
Penn’s Woods Youth Shooting Sports Foundation
To support the education, development and preservation of youth shooting sports in Somerset County.
Pennsylvania Envirothon Fund
To provide support for Pennsylvania Envirothon, Inc., which provides students with the knowledge and tools necessary to address the natural resource challenges facing today’s world.
Pennsylvania Green Business Initiative Fund
With the support of the Heinz Endowments, this fund was established to identify sustainable and green initiatives in Pennsylvania, to provide appropriate early funding or support due diligence, and then to assist in moving the projects forward.
Pennsylvania Partnership for the Arts Fund
To provide support for encouragement, assistance, and development of the arts within a six-county region, including Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fayette, Somerset, and Westmoreland.
People for Parks Fund
To establish a playground at The Green in Bedford Borough, assisting in fundraising, maintenance, and upkeep. As well as assisting in additional park/playground initiatives in and around Bedford Borough, to be used by visitors and residents in Bedford County.
Pete Duranko Scholarship Fund
To provide a scholarship to a graduating male and female from Bishop McCort High School of outstanding character and notable athletic achievement. Created as part of the 100 Families Project.
Peter G. Lazzeri Football Scholarship Fund
To support graduating seniors in the Armstrong School District, from the attendance areas of Shannock Valley, Dayton, and Elderton, pursuing education through an accredited post-secondary institution.
Philip A. Marcinek Scholarship Fund
To provide scholarships to seniors graduating from Windber High School.
Picking Family Trust Fund
To support the effort of organizations working to continue to make this community a great place to live and raise a family.
Richard and AnnMarie Pidutti Education and Environment Fund
To support educational and environmental organizations and projects.
Richard and AnnMarie Pidutti Immediate Needs Fund
To provide support for the needs of people in poverty, including programs and projects that provide immediate and direct assistance to people and programs and projects that assist people rising out of poverty.
Pine Grill Open FBO Somerset Volunteer Fire Department Fund
To benefit the Somerset Volunteer Fire Department and other Somerset County nonprofit organizations.
Pine Grill Open Scholarship Fund
To provide a golf scholarship to a deserving senior from Somerset High School and other community projects as requested by donor.