Fayette Gives Sponsorship: Help Us Stretch Each Dollar!

Become a Bonus Pool Sponsor!

Fayette Gives is a community-wide “day of giving” that the CFFC is hosting on November 12, 2020 at www.fayettegives.org. The Bonus Pool is an important aspect of Fayette Gives that will help build a stronger Fayette County.

What is the Fayette Gives Bonus Pool? The CFFC and a list of generous sponsors have donated money to the Bonus Pool, with a current total of $30,000. A prorated percentage of the Bonus Pool will add to each and every donation made during Fayette Gives. It will help incentivize donors and provide an extra boost for participating nonprofits by stretching each dollar.

How can you support the Bonus Pool? Help support ALL 30+ participating nonprofits by becoming a Bonus Pool Sponsor! Download the Fayette Gives Sponsorship Flyer and contact Renee Couser with questions at 724-437-8600 x1.

The CFFC Awards Over $200K in Post-Secondary Scholarships

The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) will award over $200,000 in post-secondary scholarships to over 100 students for the 2020-2021 school year. We extend our congratulations to the CFFC scholarship recipients!

Scholarship funds are created in honor or memory of a loved one, to support certain career paths or to simply give back to the community. The CFFC’s scholarship funds have a variety of criteria for students with academic achievement, community service, financial need, extracurricular participation, area of study or school preference.

Through the CFFC’s partnership with the Pennsylvania Access to Higher Education Program, qualifying students will have the opportunity to have their scholarship awards matched by the state.

“We’re grateful to our donors who support higher education through these scholarship funds,” said Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director. If you are interested in creating a charitable fund with the CFFC, please contact Renee M. Couser at 724-437-8600 x1.

View the 2020 Scholarship Awards video on the CFFC’s Facebook page!

Please visit our website (www.cffayettepa.org) and social media sites (@cffayettepa) to stay in touch and receive updates from the CFFC.

Virtual Bootcamp for Executive Directors

This series is beneficial for Executive Directors and Board Members of nonprofit organizations.

Virtual Bootcamp will be held via Zoom from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Each session will be facilitated by Wendy Burtner-Owens.  Wendy is a nonprofit manager and consultant. She has more than 25 years’ experience leading organizations through transition and building strong foundations for growth. Wendy has a wide range of experience across the nonprofit sector including human service agencies, health advocacy groups, corporate foundations, arts administration, and nonprofit sector support organizations. She is currently the CEO of Steeltown Entertainment Project and her own consulting firm. She is also a partner with the NEST Group. Wendy grew up in Butler PA, graduated from Chatham College and recently returned to Pittsburgh after 20 years in Virginia.

(1) July 30, 2020 – Nonprofit Management:  This workshop will highlight the unique attributes of running a nonprofit organization focusing on leadership and staff management, regulatory compliance and legal issues, and the basics of financial management.

(2) August 6, 2020 – Governance:  We will break down the myths, define best practices in nonprofit governance and discuss the unique aspects of nonprofit board relationship building and maintenance.

(3) August 13, 2020 – Fundraising and Outreach: The workshop will cover the basics of branding and marketing, fundraising planning and how those are interrelated.

(4) August 20, 2020 – Strategic Planning:  What is it?  And why should I do it?  We will cover the basics of strategic planning and the importance of having a clearly articulated plan that can be shared with employees, board, volunteers, donors, and other constituents.

(5) August 27, 2020 – E.D. Huddle: For Executive Directors only.  Executive Directors are in a unique situation. They have no real peer at work and have to manage up and down at the same time. They wear many hats and have to keep all the plates spinning. This last workshop will be all about you – we will reflect on the previous workshops and provide support for each other in our often difficult and confusing work leading nonprofit organizations.

To register, please complete this form and email to Rebecca Wardle at rebecca@cffayettepa.org, or fax to 724-438-3856. Anyone can register on a rolling basis, and Zoom links will be emailed in the morning before each session.

Census 2020 Mini-Grants

The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County and the Westmoreland County Complete Count Committee are partnering with regional organizations to implement a mini-grants program to support census-related activities in Armstrong, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

The fund will provide grants up to $2,000 to community-based organizations (nonprofits, schools or municipalities) that agree to advance the work of the 2020 Census with populations identified to be at risk of an undercount.

The application process is now open and will close on July 31st at 11:59 pm.

Click here for more information and to apply!

Eligible applicants must be one of the following:

  • An incorporated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating in one of the eligible counties
  • A school or educational institution operating in one of the eligible counties
  • A municipality in one of the eligible counties

In recognition of the extraordinary burden placed on nonprofits during this time, the application is brief and the funders will embrace creative ways your organization may be able to add census outreach into your existing activities.

For those that have previously received grant funding for your Census work, you are welcomed to apply again if you have exhausted your previously granted funds. 

Census 2020 Deadline: The deadline for completing the 2020 Census has been extended to October 31st, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit the Census 2020 website for more information.

Nonprofit Webinar for Fayette Gives

The purpose of the “5 Steps to a Successful Gives Day” webinar is to show participating nonprofits how grassroots marketing and social media strategy can raise funds and awareness by participating in Fayette Gives.

Jody Farrell, agency partner and creative director at Tungsten Creative Group, will share her knowledge and experience in how to plan for Fayette Gives, as well as presenting ideas on how to make your marketing efforts effective for this platform.

All registered participating nonprofits will receive an invitation to register for the webinar. A recording of the webinar will be emailed to all participants.

WEBINAR SIGNUP

CFFC Mask Initiative: New Request Form Link

Request Disposable Masks through the CFFC’s Mask Initiative

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) is donating disposable 3-ply face masks to First Response Organizations, Healthcare Organizations, Human Service Agencies, Churches and other nonprofit organizations located in or serving the residents of Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland Counties, PA.

Click here to submit a Mask Initiative Request Form!

Please note: The CFFC has switched grant application software. Please use the update Request Form link on our website to create a logon for the new Foundant software. Please call 724-437-8600 x2 with any questions.

Mask Initiative News Releases:
The CFFC Receives a Grant from The Heinz Endowments to Support the Front Line Mask Initiative
The CFFC Receives a Grant from the Snee-Reinhardt Charitable Foundation