EIGHTY FOUR, Pa. – The Washington County Community Foundation (WCCF) is pleased to announce that it has awarded a total of $410,000 in capacity-building grants, ranging from $5,000 to $50,000, to 31 charities in Washington County. The grants were issued from a variety of component funds of the WCCF.
The Mon Valley Alliance Foundation received $50,000 to purchase a former Community Bank branch building in downtown Monongahela. The building appraised at $280,000 and will serve as both the home of the Mon Valley Alliance and corresponding Mon Valley Alliance Foundation which were formerly located in Allegheny County. The facility will also house the Mon Valley Business Resource Center, which will be a hub for business development, training, support services, and incubation for new and growing businesses in the Mon Valley region.
“This project represents our Foundation’s entry into funding economic development projects,” remarked Betsie Trew, President & CEO of the Washington County Community Foundation. “To mark this new funding area for our Foundation, our goal was to identify an economic development project that would be transformational to both the nonprofit receiving the grant as well as to the community that would ultimately benefit from the grant. We could not have selected a better economic development project than the Mon Valley Alliance’s Business Resource Center to meet this goal.”
Another economic development grant of $10,000 was awarded to Washington & Jefferson College for its Ignite Incubator, a mixed-use business incubator located in downtown Washington. In the area of community improvement, the Montour Trail Council received $15,000 for the Montour-Panhandle Connector Restoration Project in McDonald, Leadership Washington County received $10,000 for improvements to its financial processes, North Franklin Township received $5,000 for the Lincoln Hill Community Park Improvement Project, and the United Way of Washington County received $5,000 to purchase technology.
Three charities received support in the education area, including $20,000 granted to the Village of FPC, an award-winning early childhood education center located in California. This grant will be used to help create a new business manager position. Kleine Klasse Schule received $10,000 to improve its financial processes, and the LeMoyne Community Center received $5,000 to initiate a drug and alcohol prevention program for its students.
Equipment grants totaling $15,000 were awarded in the area of animal welfare, $10,000 to the Washington Area Humane Society and $5,000 to Low Cost Spay Neuter Washington County. In the conservation area, the Washington County Watershed Alliance received $10,000 for strategic planning.
A total of $45,000 was awarded in the area of health and fitness, including a $15,000 grant to TRPIL (Transitional Paths to Independent Living) for mobile technology needed in its home transition program. A $15,000 grant was awarded to Children’s Hospital for its new pediatric care facility in the Washington Hospital. Your Child’s Place, which serves children with complex medical needs, was awarded $10,000 to purchase medical equipment. And the Marianna Outdoorsmen Association received $5,000 to finalize the installation of an ADA-compliant fishing pier on Daniels Run Creek.
Three grants were awarded to faith-based organizations including $15,000 to the Bethlehem Lutheran Church for facility improvements to its Marianna Christian Outreach building and $15,000 to Resurrection Power for a new staff position. The Washington City Mission received $10,000 for an assessment to determine if a new women’s shelter is needed in the community.
A total of $75,000 was awarded in the area of human needs, including $25,000 to ARC Human Services for renovation of its new facility in Canonsburg. Mon Valley Youth and Teen Association, located in Donora, will use its $20,000 grant for facility improvements. Blueprints will use its $10,000 grant to conduct a marketing campaign for its foster parent program, and Harmony Life Center will use its $10,000 grant to improve its financial processes. Genesis of Pittsburgh, which provides services to local pregnant women and young families in its facility in downtown Washington, will use its $10,000 for a website upgrade.
Seven charities shared in the $95,000 that was awarded in the area of arts and culture. For facility upgrades, Little Lake Theatre in Canonsburg received $40,000, the Historical Society of Western PA/Meadowcroft received $15,000 and Peters Creek Historical Society received $5,000. National Duncan Glass received $10,000 for consultant fees related to a new educational facility, and the Washington Symphonic Orchestra received $5,000 for technology. To pursue museum accreditation for its two facilities in Washington, the Bradford House Historical Association received $10,000. And a first-time grant of $10,000 was awarded to the George Washington Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution for its Revolutionary Soldier Memorial Sign project in cemeteries throughout Washington County.
“We are thrilled to award a total of $410,000 to enable local charities to increase their capacity to meet their charitable missions,” remarked James H. McCune, WCCF Chairman of the Board. “Our generous donors have enabled us to make these very meaningful grants that undoubtedly will have a tremendous impact in our community. A concerted effort was made to support projects located throughout our service area and in each of our funding areas.”
Cumulatively, the WCCF has awarded over $25 million in grants since it began operating in December 1995. It is the largest publicly-supported grant making foundation headquartered in Washington County. For more information please visit the Foundation’s website at www.wccf.net or call 724-222-6330.