The Community Foundation for the Alleghenies is proud to announce that recent grant awards from several of its funds have put more than a half million dollars into a broad array of area projects over the past few months.

“Often when we talk about our grantmaking, we mention several thousand dollars that went to this project or that project. But those dollars really add up. In just the past few months, on behalf of our donors, we’ve been able to put more than a half-million dollars back into the community to help 84 different projects move forward. We’re thrilled to be able to make that type of an impact,” said Mike Kane, Foundation president.

“We have learned that making these grants, no matter the size, are really important to nonprofits that are often operating on a shoestring. These grants allow them to meet their mission by introducing a new program or buying a new piece of equipment. They become better organizations because of this support, and our community becomes better because of their work,” Kane continued.

The grantmaking process is complex and competitive, with awards coming from a variety of Community Foundation funds:

• $181,799.31 has been awarded to 74 different programs from several Distribution Committee Funds, which award small grants based on applications from nonprofit organizations in Bedford, Cambria, Somerset, and Indiana counties. This is the most competitive grant application process within the Foundation. For its most recent application round, 107 projects were submitted requesting a total of $720,620 in funding.
• $98,650 has been awarded to 12 programs (some of which also received Distribution Committee funding) from the Community Initiatives Fund. This fund identifies projects through the Distribution Committee’s applications, as well as donor and advisory committee recommendations.
• $50,000 has been awarded to 5 nonprofit organizations for energy audits from the Penelec Sustainable Energy Fund. This fund reviews applications for energy efficiency projects at least quarterly.
• Over the past year, $200,000 has been awarded to the YMCA for its capital expansion and renovations from a combination of the three funds listed above (Distribution Committee Funds, Penelec Sustainable Energy Fund, and Community Initiatives Fund).

Specifically, the $530,449.31 in grant awards will go to the following organizations:

ARTS AND CULTURE TOTAL: $24,600.00
Arcadia Performing Arts $1,000.00
Bedford County Players $2,100.00
BOTTLE WORKS Ethnic Arts Center $2,500.00
Cambria County Historical Society $1,200.00
Johnstown Symphony Orchestra (Share the Music) $2,000.00
Johnstown Symphony Orchestra (Somerset Mother’s Day) $2,000.00
Laurel Arts $1,215.00
Meyersdale Drama/Musical Boosters $2,135.00
National Museum of the American Coverlet $500.00
Roxbury Bandshell Preservation Alliance $5,000.00
The Mountain Playhouse $2,000.00
The Pennsylvania Consort Society $1,200.00
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown (PPAC) $1,750.00

CHILDREN AND YOUTH TOTAL: $16,800.00
Caitlin’s Smiles $500.00
Easter Seals Society of Western PA (Children’s Speech/Language) $2,000.00
Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania $3,000.00
Laurel Highlands Council-Boy Scouts (Cambria County) $1,500.00
Laurel Highlands Council-Boy Scouts (Indiana County) $2,500.00
Laurel Highlands Council-Boy Scouts (Somerset County) $1,000.00
Laurel Highlands Council-Boy Scouts (Bedford County) $500.00
Lift Johnstown (FIRST LEGO League Competition) $1,800.00
Somerset Little Eagle Football Program $2,000.00
St. Francis University Upward Bound $2,000.00

COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOTAL: $298,839.00
Bedford Fire Department #1 $1,000.00
Bolivar Volunteer Fire Company $2,500.00
Burrell Township Library $3,000.00
Conemaugh Valley Conservancy $1,400.00
Discover Downtown Johnstown Partnership $2,020.00
Habitat for Humanity of Bedford/Cambria/Somerset $1,000.00
Homer-Center Park and Recreation $6,000.00
Jenner Township/Boswell Area Lions Club Park $1,000.00
Johnstown Business District Coalition $800.00
Meyersdale Area Historical Society $2,019.00
Meyersdale Public Library $3,000.00
Nanty Glo Volunteer Fire Co. $1,000.00
Portage Area Ambulance Association $1,000.00
Somerset County Rails to Trails Association $10,000.00
Young Men’s Volunteer Fire Company $1,500.00
Young Professionals of the Alleghenies $1,600.00
Lift Johnstown (Re-granting, Programs & Administration) $50,000.00
Lift Johnstown (Inclined Plane Zipline) $5,000.00
Entrepreneurial Alchemy $5,000.00
YMCA $200,000.00

EDUCATION TOTAL: $33,646.50
Bedford County Chamber Foundation $1,000.00
Bedford County Regional Education Foundation $1,500.00
Conemaugh Valley School District $5,000.00
Historical & Genealogical Society of Somerset County $2,000.00
Hyndman Londonderry PTO $1,000.00
Meyersdale Area School District $2,800.00
Rockwood Area School $2,346.50
The Learning Lamp $5,500.00
Coal Country Hang-Out Youth Center $12,500.00

ENVIRONMENTAL DEVELOPMENT TOTAL: $52,000.00
St. Francis University (Alleghenies Service Learning Scholar) $2,000.00
Clyde Volunteer Fire Company (Energy Audit) up to $10,000.00
Nanty Glo Volunteer Fire Company (Energy Audit) up to $10,000.00
Skills of Central PA (Energy Audit) up to $10,000.00
Turkeyfoot Valley Historical Society (Energy Audit) up to $10,000.00
YWCA (Energy Audit) up to $10,000.00

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TOTAL: $79,350.00
accessAbilities $5,000.00
Alternative Community Resource Program, $8,000.00
Beginnings, Inc. $4,200.00
Behavioral Health Services of Somerset/Bedford Counties $2,000.00
Catholic Charities $15,000.00
Easter Seals Society of Western PA (Hearing Aids for Underinsured) $750.00
Easter Seals Society of Western PA (Replacement Devices) $1,300.00
Family House $2,500.00
Hope Fire Company $2,000.00
Helping Hands $2,500.00
Kinport Assembly of God $4,500.00
Lifesteps $6,600.00
New Day $1,500.00
Somerset Area Ministries $8,000.00
Somerset Community Clinic $1,500.00
Tableland Services $1,000.00
The Christian Home of Johnstown $5,000.00
The Salvation Army Somerset Service Center $6,000.00
United Methodist Human Services $2,000.00

HERITAGE TOTAL: $15,550.00
Bedford County Historical Society $2,200.00
Lt. Col. Boyd D. “Buzz” Wagner Chapter 221 $2,500.00
Quecreek Mine Rescue Foundation $2,500.00
1901 Church $8,350.00

RELIGION TOTAL: $9,663.81
Chalybeate Springs Ministry Inc. $1,000.00
Homer City United Presbyterian $2,887.94
United Methodist Church of Strongstown $5,775.87

The application deadline for the next round of funding is Friday, January 30 2015. Applicants should note that, effective immediately, all grant applications must be submitted online. The online application can be found here.