Foundation announces grants to groups
Community Foundation of Fayette County chairman Charles B. Cluss said 13 community-based organizations serving Fayette County were recently awarded $32,000 in grants for community improvement activities. Grants totaled nearly $100,000 for the year 2001, Cluss noted, and the budget for 2002 will be similar. Grants covered a wide array of activities in the county including; children and youth services, community and neighborhood improvements, education, arts and culture, historical preservation, and health and human services.
During 2001, the foundation funded a total of 34 project support grants and one systemic change award. The systemic award went to the Fayette County Community Action Agency for youth dental education and services. The Community Foundation’s goal for future years is to fund one systemic program annually that will impact Fayette County residents with a positive change in their lives.
The foundation invests and manages contributions from individuals and groups through two professional fund managers, while assisting the donors with flexible, cost-saving and tax-beneficial ways of giving to the charities of their choice.
Donor-advised funds are a popular way to get more individuals involved in grant-making. Someone establishes or donates to a fund already established at the foundation, receives a charitable tax deduction immediately and then recommends which charities should benefit. By using the foundation’s services, “you can make a difference in your community”, Cluss said.
The Community Foundation is accepting letters of interest for systemic change awards for 2002 and the deadline for project support grants for the fall 2001 is Sept. 1.
For more information about establishing a fund and/or grant making programs at the Community Foundation of Fayette County, contact the office at 65 W. Main St., Uniontown.
Here’s a list of the 2002 spring grant awards:
n??Preservation Pennsylvania.
– Fayette County Children and Youth Services.
– City Mission-Living Stones, Inc.
– Wesley Health Center.
– Greater Uniontown Heritage Consortium, Inc.
– Franklin Township Board of Supervisors-Smock Center.
– Smock Little League.
– Wharton Township Recreation Park.
– Uniontown Fire Department.
– Bullskin Township Seniors.
– Communities in Schools-Fayette Forward.
– Hatfield Elementary School-PTO.
– Emery Lewis Pratt-Post 586, World War I Memorial.