The Daily Courier, May 10: Fayette EMS among foundation grant recipients
Herald-Standard, May 12: CFFC grants to help fund several local nonprofit projects
The Daily Courier, May 17: CFFC announces opportunity for Catalyst for Change Grant
The Daily Courier, May 24: CACTC students pursue their dreams
A Night to Remember
In addition to the special announcement of the $50,000 “Catalyst for Change Grant” opportunity, guests at the second annual Gala of Giving ~ Catalyst for Change enjoyed an evening with great company, food and drinks, music and dancing, a photo booth, and exclusive auction items. Guests accessed online bidding for the silent auction, which enabled them to keep an eye on their competition and make bids all at their fingertips.
Mike Clark, WTAE Anchor, was the emcee, and entertainment was provided by the Kendall Brothers, Joe Materkowski, Ed Balling, and Levi Graft. The afterparty in the Matterhorn Lounge also included a cigar bar by Stix – DiMarco’s Cigar Bar.
“Thank you to all of the sponsors, guests, and supporters who helped make this another successful event,” said Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director. “Our board of directors is excited to offer a grant of this size, as the first step in being a catalyst for change through the event’s proceeds,” continued Couser.
View all photos on CFFC’s Facebook!
Gala of Giving 2023 Sponsors
Presenting Sponsor: Fairchance Construction Company
Platinum Sponsors: First National Bank; Gabriel Family; Specialty Conduit and Manufacturing; Sprowls Insurance Group; Wells Fargo Advisors.
Gold Sponsors: The Braun Family; COE Distributing; The Ewing Family; Fayette Pipe Company; Ford Office Technologies; Gismondi Family Foundation; Joyce’s Jewelry; Mike Kelly Toyota; MountainCreek Properties; Neubauer’s Flowers & Market House; Pine Hollow Mechanical, Inc.; Stoney’s Brewing Company; Mr. & Mrs. Joshua & Maria Swimmer; WVU Health Sciences.
Silver Sponsors: Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania; Direct Results; Mr. and Mrs. Victor Fiano, Jr.; First Federal Savings & Loan Association of Greene County; Liberty Steel; Montgomery Medical; Janney Montgomery Scott, LLC – Uniontown Office; PNC Bank; SagePoint Financial; Somerset Trust Bank; United Bank; Gnagey Propane; Koval Building Supply.
Bronze Sponsors: Higinbotham Law Offices; Mid Penn Bank; Nickman’s Drug; Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus; Point Marion Veterinary Care; Radcliffe Law, LLC; Shallenberger Construction; Zodiac Management Services, Inc.
Patron Sponsors: Todd & Beth Casteel; Charlie & Renee Couser; Wealth Enhancement Group – Devan White.
Hospitality Sponsors: Stahls’; Chestnut Ridge Counseling Services, Inc.; Demco Excavating; EQT; Ford of Uniontown; Jonathan P. Krizner, DDS; Stix – DiMarco’s Cigar Bar; Universal Steel.
Donate to the Gala of Giving Fund
You can donate to the Gala of Giving Fund, at any time, with a check made payable to CFFC or through our online Pay Pal donation portal.
Contact our office at 724-437-8600 x1 if you have any questions.
The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) awarded $23,484 to nine local nonprofits for the spring 2023 grant cycle. CFFC hosted a grants presentation on May 9 to recognize the awarded organizations and provide an opportunity for them to speak about their work.
Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director, spoke about a shift in CFFC’s grantmaking. “This grant cycle, the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund was used to support capacity building for nonprofits. Oftentimes, donations and grants are earmarked for a specific purpose or program – they’re restricted. We wanted to provide funding for other costs, like staff training and office equipment, which are crucial to an organization’s ability to provide their services to the community. CFFC is aiming to support long-term sustainability,” explained Couser.
CFFC received a total of forty-one grant applications, with twenty-six of the requests for capacity building. The foundation has been making a focused effort to grow the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund, to increase the available funding for unrestricted grantmaking.
EQT Foundation has supported the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund with $30,000 since the fund’s creation. “It’s important for us to give back to the communities where EQT operates,” said Ellen Rossi, EQT Foundation President. “We trust the experience of the community foundation to direct funding in an impactful way, and we’re proud of our partnership in supporting Fayette County,” said Rossi.
In addition to five grant awards from the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund, four grants were made from field of interest funds, which focus on a specific category of community need.
Building a Stronger Fayette Fund: supporting capacity building – an investment in the effectiveness and future sustainability of a nonprofit. These awards are made with the combined funding from the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund; Fayette County Charities Endowment; Franklin K. and Jean Smith Family Fund; and Thompson Fund.
Burchinal Family Endowment Fund: supports charities that provide health and medical care for Fayette County residents.
Community Beautification Fund: supports landscape improvements (including but not limited to planting of trees, shrubs, and flowers) for community beautification projects.
Jack and Diane Hughes Family Fund: supports projects and programs in the areas of community gardens and/or science/environmental education.
Mary and John J. Depcrymski Memorial Fund: supports organizations that provide transportation for Fayette County senior citizens.
You can join CFFC in building a stronger Fayette through philanthropy! Browse our website to learn more about our work in the community, and use the “Donate Now” button to contribute to the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund.
Guests at the Community Foundation of Fayette County’s (CFFC) Gala of Giving – Catalyst for Change were the first to hear a special announcement about a $50,000 “Catalyst for Change Grant.” Gathered in the Exhibit Hall at Seven Springs Mountain Resort on April 29, CFFC announced this as the first grant that will be made from Gala of Giving proceeds. Letters of Inquiry (LOIs) for the $50,000 “Catalyst for Change Grant” are being accepted, starting May 1, through the foundation’s online grant system. The LOI deadline will be June 15, 2023.
The event’s mission is to strengthen Fayette County through financial support of initiatives and projects that will aim to improve our community. Fairchance Construction Company was the Presenting Sponsor for the 2023 Gala of Giving. “We know that Fayette County has a lot of potential to grow and strengthen, and there are a lot of ways to spark that change. CFFC’s board of directors is excited to see what projects are proposed from organizations who are doing the work in the community,” said Angela Braun, CFFC Board Chair.
CFFC is looking for a collaborative effort with two or more nonprofits on a project that will make a significant impact in Fayette County. Both organizations must be located in, or provide a significant benefit to Fayette County. One “Catalyst for Change Grant” in the amount of $50,000 will be awarded.
Once you create an application through CFFC’s online grant system, the applicant can invite the partnering organization(s) to “collaborate” on the submission.
The LOIs will be reviewed by CFFC’s Grantmaking Committee, and organizations will be notified if they are invited to submit a formal application. Organizations that are selected to submit an application will present their proposals to the CFFC Board of Directors for the final selection.
What is the Educate Fayette Scholarship Fund?
The Community Foundation of Fayette County’s board of directors has approved the creation of a new scholarship fund, the Educate Fayette Scholarship Fund, to provide funding towards local students’ higher education. This fund will serve as an alternative to donors creating a named scholarship fund.
The Educate Fayette Scholarship Fund will award scholarships to students pursuing higher education. Applicants must be a Fayette County resident and either a student with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, or a non-traditional student.
Donors to this fund will be recognized as Silver ($100 – $4,999), Gold ($5,000 – $14,999), and Platinum ($15,000 +) Sponsors. Check donations can be made payable to CFFC with Educate Fayette Scholarship Fund on the memo line. Online donations are being accepted through CFFC’s PayPal account.
Donations to the Fund Matched by Generous Donor
The public is invited to support the Educate Fayette Scholarship Fund. To strengthen the fund in its first year, a generous donor is matching donations. A dollar-for-dollar match will be provided, up to a maximum of $25,000, for contributions to the Educate Fayette Scholarship Fund through the end of 2023.
Check donations can be made payable to CFFC with Educate Fayette Scholarship Fund on the memo line. Online donations are being accepted through CFFC’s PayPal account.
CFFC is grateful for the opportunity to invest in the future of our community by supporting local students, with the help of generous donors.
Please contact Renee M. Couser, Executive Director, with any questions at 724-437-8600 x1.
The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) is hosting the second Gala of Giving – Catalyst for Change on Saturday, April 29, 2023 at Seven Springs Mountain Resort. The event’s mission is to strengthen Fayette County through financial support of initiatives and projects that will aim to improve our community.
Individual tickets are now on sale! Guests can enjoy a cocktail hour while they peruse the auction items, dinner with a brief program and open bar, live music, and an after-party. This year’s event will also feature a selfie booth from DigiGroup Entertainment. Online bidding is available for the silent auction, so guests can track their competition and make bids through an app.
Questions? Please contact Trish Desvarro, Gala of Giving Event Manager, at 724-557-0820.
Please note: The last day to purchase tickets is Monday, April 17.
