The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) celebrates its 20th anniversary today! November 15th is also “National Philanthropy Day” and takes place during “Community Foundation Week,” which is annually held November 12th-18th.
The CFFC’s mission to “help define charitable needs, connect donors with causes that matter to them, support nonprofit organizations and invest charitable assets to make the community a better place to live” has been at the focus of the CFFC’s work since it was founded on November 15, 1999. The group of Fayette County leaders who founded the CFFC include John Buchanan, Charles Cluss, Lee Frankhouser, Albert Skomra, Lynda Waggoner, Robert Eberly Sr., and three of the region’s largest private foundations –the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, the Richard King Mellon Foundation and the McCune Foundation.
The CFFC has grown since its founding and now holds over 180 funds and has nearly $18 million in assets. Thanks to our hundreds of generous donors, more than $8,343,000 has been distributed to non-profit organizations and awarded to local students for post-secondary education and for Pre-K and K-12 tuition assistance.
Along with awarding funding, the CFFC also takes pride in encouraging others to be philanthropic. The Fayette Philanthropy Project fundraising competition was launched to encourage community members to get involved with philanthropy and play an active role in supporting causes they care about in Fayette County. Additionally, the CFFC serves as a leader in the non-profit sector by connecting organizations with resources and providing workshops to help strengthen organizations’ sustainability.
Fayette Philanthropy participants who fundraised to support or create a charitable fund at the CFFC
The CFFC received National Accreditation from the Council on Foundations in 2009 and was re-accredited in 2014. Also in 2009, the CFFC received recognition as “Outstanding Foundation in Western Pennsylvania” by the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
The CFFC is happy to serve Fayette County, PA and we thank everyone who has supported us and made it possible to fulfill our mission. Particularly at the culmination of our 20th anniversary, National Philanthropy Day and Community Foundation Week, the CFFC hopes to raise awareness of our role in the community and encourage others to work with us to build a stronger Fayette County. We look forward to many more years of making a difference in our community through philanthropy!
If you have any questions about the CFFC, please contact Renee M. Couser, Executive Director, at the CFFC office at 724-437-8600.
2019 CFFC Board of Directors: (standing) James Foutz, CPA, Treasurer; James D. Ewing, Jr., Vice Chairman; John A. Sunyecz, M.D., Past Chairman; Ronald Sheba, Ed.D.; Clifford Callahan, CPA; Edward Capuzzi, Jr.; (seated) Beth Casteel, Secretary; Daniel Gearing, Chairman; Joy G. Huston; (absent from photo) Terry Burden; John Cellurale; David Hughes; John LaCarte; William Radcliffe, Esq.; Philip Rishel
