Women Who Care grant money available for nonprofits

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Photo: CenClear received a 2023 grant from Women Who Care for their reading-literacy project for low-income children. Does your group have a project that is in need of funding? All nonprofit organizations in Elk County are eligible to apply.

WWC grant money available for nonprofits

If your Elk County organization has been looking for a way to fund a new project or enhance an existing program, consider applying for a Women Who Care grant. Women Who Care (WWC), a project of the Elk County Community Foundation (ECCF), is pleased to announce that grant applications for the 2024 granting cycle are now available, with a submission deadline of August 15, 2024. WWC will award approximately $45,000 in grants at their October annual meeting.

All nonprofit organizations, municipalities, schools and churches that benefit the public in Elk County are eligible to apply for grant funding. Awards may be considered for start-up funds, new projects or to enhance well-established programs.

The grant application is available on the ECCF website at www.elkcountyfoundation.org. The maximum grant award is $5,000. The grant application process is simple. If an organization needs guidance in completing the application, they can call the Community Foundation at 814-834-2125 for assistance.

Since its first granting year in 2010, WWC has awarded over $391,000 in grants. Women Who Care brings women from diverse backgrounds together to combine their charitable donations to strengthen the Elk County community through the power of collective giving.

The Elk County Community Foundation, an affiliate of the Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies, is dedicated to improving the lives of people in our geographic area by working with philanthropic donors to help them meet their charitable goals.

Paying It Forward: former student establishes scholarship to honor Coach Mastrogiacomo

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Photo: The Coach Ted Mastrogiacomo Memorial Scholarship Fund, a newly established fund at the Elk County Community Foundation, awarded its first scholarship this year. Tiffany Boschert, ECCF Executive Director, presented the scholarship to SMAHS student Dean Rakieski.

Paying It Forward: former student establishes scholarship to honor Coach Mastrogiacomo

St. Marys: The Coach Ted Mastrogiacomo Memorial Scholarship Fund was recently created at the Elk County Community Foundation (ECCF) by a former student of Coach Mastrogiacomo, a well-loved principal and coach at St. Marys Area High School in the 1960’s.

Dr. John Lyons, who established the scholarship fund, said Coach Mastrogiacomo saved his life and many other students. Coach was a mentor and role model to John, challenging him to be the best he could be as he moved through his high school years. John said he would never have become a successful doctor of radiology without the Coach’s support. The influence of a teacher or coach goes beyond teaching the skills of a particular sport or class and extends to personal development and life skills. They are often a trusted source of advice for important life decisions.

Coach Mastrogiacomo was a high school and college football player, a WW II veteran, and a father to five. At SMAHS he was a history teacher, founder of the track and field team, and head football coach, in addition to his career as principal and mentor to hundreds of students. This scholarship is for a SMAHS senior who just needs a hand up and some encouragement to continue their education to follow their career path to success. The student can be pursuing an education of any kind, including any 2-year or 4-year degree, certificate, or licensed program.

The Coach Ted Mastrogiacomo Memorial Scholarship Fund is accepting donations of any size to help increase its impact on today’s students. Donations can be made online at www.elkcountyfoundation.org or by contacting the Foundation.

The Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies is the parent company of the Elk County Community Foundation and the McKean County Community Foundation. Funds established by charitable donors support our communities through the awarding of grants and scholarships. For more information, please contact the Community Foundation at 814-834-2125.

Grant Opportunities available now at Elk County Community Foundation

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Photo: In 2023, the Johnsonburg Senior Center needed new basement doors to replace the old doors that were in very poor condition. With $3,000 in grant awards from the Johnsonburg Area Endowment Fund they were able to install new weather efficient, safe entry doors for their facility that is utilized by many seniors from the Johnsonburg area.

Grant opportunities are available at the Elk County Community Foundation

St. Marys, PA: Grant opportunities are currently available from three of the open grant funds held at the Elk County Community Foundation (ECCF).

The Johnsonburg Area Endowment Fund is now accepting applications for the current granting cycle. The deadline to apply is June 30, 2024. Grants are awarded through an open, competitive grant process open to any 501c3 organization, school, municipality, or organized religion that benefits the residents of the Johnsonburg Area School District. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.

The Harrison and Muriel Dauer Stackpole Fund and the Elk County Development Fund welcome grant applications for worthy projects that provide services for the residents of our communities. Their goal is to support causes and projects that improve the quality of life in Elk County. The deadline to apply for this round of grant funding is July 15, 2024.

Applicants can access information on the funds, instructions on how to apply, and the grant application on the Elk County Community Foundation website at www.elkcountyfoundation.org. If you have questions about the application process, whether or not your organization qualifies, or would like to speak to someone about your project, please call the Foundation office at 814-834-2125.

The Elk County Community Foundation provides administrative and investment management services that make it easy for donors to accomplish their charitable wishes, while improving the quality of life in our communities. The Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies is the parent company of the Elk County Community Foundation and the McKean County Community Foundation.

Elk Co Humane Society creates agency fund at ECCF

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Photo: Bob Ordiway, Jeff Marzella, and Tom Wagner, Elk County Community Foundation Board Officers accept a check for $5,000 from Elk County Humane Society representatives Marge Wegemer and Elizabeth Erich. The check represents an initial investment to establish an Agency Endowment Fund in the name of the Elk County Humane Society at the Community Foundation.

Elk County Humane Society creates agency fund at Community Foundation

St. Marys: The Elk County Humane Society recently established its own fund at the Elk County Community Foundation (ECCF). The Elk County Humane Society Agency Endowment Fund will serve to protect their charitable dollars for the future of their work and mission. A portion of the fund is made available to them annually while the remaining assets are retained in the fund to provide for growth over time.

Through this type of fund, the Humane Society will build endowment guaranteed to receive prudent stewardship, while providing a lasting source of income. Nonprofit agencies that build an endowment fund with the ECCF benefit from reduced overhead and administrative costs, with the Foundation managing all gift processing, record keeping, tax reporting, administrative services, and audits, along with professional investment management.

This endowment fund is open-ended so once it was established other donors may contribute to the fund. An agency endowment is a perfect vehicle to accept charitable bequests and donations from area residents. Donations to help build this fund can be made to the Elk County Humane Society Agency Endowment Fund in care of the Elk County Community Foundation. A check can be mailed to ECCF, or a donation can be made online at www.elkcountyfoundation.org by clicking on the Donate Now button.

The Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies is the parent company of the Elk County Community Foundation and the McKean County Community Foundation. Our affiliate Foundations are making an impact in the Northern Alleghenies by providing the administrative and investment management services that make it easy for donors to establish funds that accomplish their charitable wishes. For more information contact the Foundation at 1- 844-238-2289.

Bob Esch welcomes Jim Evans as CFNA Board President

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Bob Esch welcomes Jim Evans as CFNA Board President

Photo: Bob Esch, outgoing Board President of the Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies (CFNA), welcomes Dr. Jim Evans, on right, to the Board President position for the 2024-2026 term of office. CFNA is the parent company of the Elk County Community Foundation and the McKean County Community Foundation.

St. Marys, PA: The Board of Trustees of the Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies (CFNA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Jim Evans to the position of Board President. Bob Esch, outgoing President, welcomed Evans as the new President at the February meeting of CFNA.

Mr. Esch spearheaded the establishment of the McKean County Community Foundation (MCCF), working with area business and civic leaders to explore the establishment of a community foundation in the McKean County area. As a result, MCCF was established in 2017. The Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies, a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt organization, became the parent company of both the McKean County Community Foundation and the Elk County Community Foundation, which was established in 2000. Esch will remain on the Board of Trustees, continuing to inspire philanthropy and contribute to the growth of our communities.

Dr. Jim Evans is a philanthropic advocate for the McKean County area. Dr. Evans retired from Pitt Bradford in 2018 as the longest-serving administrator in the college’s 54-year history and the longest-serving chief student affairs officer in the history of the University of Pittsburgh. He has made an impact at the university and throughout the community through service to many organizations including United Way, Futures Rehabilitation Center, the Guidance Center, Bradford Ecumenical Home, the Friendship Table, and Bradford Rotary Club, as well as the McKean County Community Foundation. His expertise in community leadership will provide expert guidance to the CFNA Board of Trustees.

The Community Foundation of the Northern Alleghenies is the parent company of the Elk County Community Foundation and the McKean County Community Foundation. With a shared vision to inspire philanthropy and strengthen our unique communities, our affiliate Foundations are making an impact in the Northern Alleghenies by providing the administrative and investment management services that make it easy for donors to establish funds that accomplish their charitable wishes. For more information contact the Foundation at 1- 844-238-2289.