PITTSBURGH, PA, January 7, 2026 — Opportunity Fund is excited to welcome Ian-Julian Williams as Program Officer/Arts. Williams will guide the foundation’s arts grantmaking strategy with emphasis on its three priorities of arts funding: nurturing conditions that free artists to push boundaries in their creative practices, resourcing organizations to function as thriving culture houses, and activating people to develop passionate habits of art-going.

At a time when artistic freedom faces mounting threats and arts funding appears to be on the decline, the creation of the Program Officer/Arts role and Williams’s appointment signals Opportunity Fund’s deepening commitment to the arts, protecting creative autonomy, and supporting arts organizations on their own terms.

“Ian’s hire is a tremendous boon for Pittsburgh’s artists and arts organizations,” said Jake Goodman, Executive Director of Opportunity Fund. “Arts are a core part of Opportunity Fund’s mission and, while they have always been a priority, we have never before had a team member whose focus is entirely dedicated to the arts. Ian is a fundamentally curious person whose practice is to seek out the wisdom of artists and arts leaders. At this particular moment in our city’s cultural life, an advocate with this kind of perspective matters enormously.”

A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University’s John Wells MFA Directing Program, Williams returns to Pittsburgh energized to engage with the local arts community.

“I am so excited to join Opportunity Fund and build on the strong relationships its team has developed with artists and arts organizations over the past decade,” said Williams. “What drew me to Opportunity Fund is its fierce commitment to equity, artistic freedom, and care for its grant partners. These values matter deeply to me. I am especially excited to return to a place that nurtured my own artmaking and where I built lasting friendships. I cannot wait to reconnect with and meet more of the artists who call Pittsburgh home.”

Said Alisha Wormsley, artist and Board Member of Opportunity Fund, “Ian brings a rare combination of national context, lived experience as an artist, and a strong dedication to protecting art that challenges us. His arrival at Opportunity Fund feels both timely and necessary. Artists and arts organizations are navigating real uncertainty, and Ian understands that the most meaningful support is rooted in trust, care, and presence. We are thrilled to welcome him back to Pittsburgh.”

Media Contact:
Jake Goodman, Executive Director, jgoodman@theopportunityfund.org, 412-362-1300

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2025 has been a pivotal year for Opportunity Fund, for Pittsburgh, and for the nation at large. This year challenged us to grow as a philanthropic organization and as individuals.

We celebrated our ten-year anniversary, honoring ten years of working alongside brilliant grant partners and fellow foundations supporting the arts and social and economic justice – ten years of getting to know so many of you so well. Truly, it is the best part of our jobs. To date, Opportunity Fund has distributed a total of $20,382,786, 93% of which specifically benefits the Greater Pittsburgh region.

In February we gathered with many of you in recognition of this milestone to party and dream together. That night we understood that the challenges ahead would be formidable. However, few of us anticipated how aggressive the attacks would be and how rapidly our lives would change as a result. This was a year of political upheaval and immediate assaults on our institutions, our values, and our most historically oppressed communities. So encompassing were the broadsides that perhaps some of us realized for the first time how vulnerable we all are. Yes, we experience these harms differently. Yes, there are groups among us facing greater and more pressing threats than others. Yes, we are in this together. And if we are all in this together, what is possible?

An answer to this question glimmered into presence as we focused on our collective dreams and grounded them into our purpose. Via an official Resolution, our Board directed the staff to disburse the foundation’s resources to advance our mission and guiding values, “which will include without curb or restraint the support of social justice, racial justice, arts and artists, and the other progressive causes set forth in” our founding legal document.

With the confidence of this directive in mind, Opportunity Fund awarded 147 grants in 2025, totaling $2,624,489. Over 80% of these grants flexibly support our partners’ general operations. 37% supported the arts, and 55% supported grant partners with BIPOC leadership. 

Rooted in our core mission, we met this year’s crises by evolving. We leaned on our modus operandi: try something. After a year of board-engaged learning, Opportunity Fund began investing our assets in a new way, making two Program Related Investments (PRIs) totaling $1.75 million to support values-aligned, predominantly BIPOC entrepreneurs. Any effort to grow the endowment must work to advance our mission, not push against it.

The board set aside $330k from the annual budget to respond to urgent needs as they arose. These funds went to support The Collaborative for Immigrant Impact, critical food access during the government shutdown, and a pooled emergency response fund that will launch next year.

As we advanced the Respite for Black Womxn Initiative, we stepped into the roles of grantwriters and fundraisers, experiencing the other side of the funding dynamic with our partners. Members of our team took on vital care work while navigating the very structures whose impacts we are working to address. They faced the gaps in our country’s healthcare, criminal justice, and mental health crisis response systems, as so many Pittsburgh families do every day.

No doubt about it, 2025 was rough. Looking forward, we feel, somewhat unexpectedly, energized and hopeful. In 2026 we will officially launch the Respite for Black Womxn initiative. We will renew our focus on the arts, with an exciting announcement to come early in the year. We will delve deeper into our Program Related Investments (PRIs). As ever, we will continue our shift towards trust-based philanthropy.

Friends, we are grateful to be in relationship with you. You continually show us what our work is meant to be, and how we can use the foundation’s resources more powerfully. We have a lot to do in 2026 and we are eager to get started.

But first, let’s rest.

Jake Goodman

Executive Director

“Our guiding values have always included social justice, racial justice, queer liberation, and valuing of the arts and artists,” said Jake Goodman, Opportunity Fund’s Executive Director. “While the current political moment features a federal government that employs intimidation tactics to scare people with resources away from directing them to specific populations and issues, we will not be deterred by political threats. As this cohort of grant partners exemplifies, we will move forward as we always have.

At a time when immigrants and refugees are being targeted and terrorized, the cycle’s largest grant ($150,000) joins other regional funders to pool support for the Collaborative for Immigrant Impact, a coalition of 18 organizations, to fuel a rapid, collective response to address the immediate impacts of policy changes on immigrant and refugee families in southwestern Pennsylvania.  

Opportunity Fund allocated 45% of the cycle’s grant funds to arts organizations, continuing its long-time support of free expression and experimental creation. “We fund the arts for the same reasons that authoritarian leaders fear and suppress them: because we know their power,” said Goodman.

Opportunity Fund aspires to nurture reciprocal relationships with its partners that are built on trust. The majority of grants that Opportunity Fund awards provide unrestricted general operating support, which empower partners to use the grant funds as they best see fit to carry out their missions. This cycle, 75% of awarded funds offer general operating support. We continue to honor our commitment to offer transparency in our racial and demographic grantmaking data: 31% of this grant cycle’s funding went to Black-led organizations, 25% to Asian or Latino/a/e-led organizations or teams with multiracial leadership, and 44% to white-led.

A complete list of awarded grants can be found below.

Opportunity Fund continues to seek ways to streamline and innovate its grantmaking process and timeline. This cycle, the foundation made nearly half (45%) of the grant award decisions at the preliminary application stage of the process. In addition, for the first time members of the Opportunity Fund Board of Directors and community members worked together on grant panels to make final funding recommendations.

Since Opportunity Fund’s inception in 2015, the foundation has awarded 1,301 grants totaling nearly $19.5 million. Grant cycles take place two times per year. The deadline to submit an online Letter of Inquiry (LOI) to be considered for a grant for the next cycle is January 15, 2026. Opportunity Fund encourages organizations focused on the arts and/or social and economic justice to reach out or submit an online LOI by the deadline. Full information about applying for grants is available in the “For Applicants” area of this website.

Grant Partner List:

ABFE | A Philanthropic Partnership for Black Communities ($10,000) to support ABFE’s Racial Equity Advancement & Defense Initiative (READI), which equips funders and nonprofits to navigate legal and political threats to racial justice, strengthen coordination, and advance race-explicit strategies that uphold equity and opportunity for Black communities and communities of color. ABFE promotes effective and responsive philanthropy in Black communities.

Abolitionist Law Center (ALC) ($60,000 over three years) to provide flexible, multi-year, general operating funds to to support the organization’s challenges to harmful and unjust institutional policies and practices, including in Allegheny County’s courts and jail. ALC is a movement lawyering and organizing project that defends human rights and challenges incarceration and other state and structural violence.

ACTION-Housing ($20,000) to provide flexible, general operating funds as the organization modernizes its internal systems and organizational structure. Action-Housing empowers people to build more secure and self-sufficient lives through the provision of decent, affordable housing, essential support services, asset building programs, and educational and employment opportunities.

Aleph Institute ($7,500) to support the distribution of fresh, kosher food to help struggling families over the holiday seasons. The Aleph Institute is a Jewish humanitarian organization that offers a multitude of services to men and women confined in carceral systems and their families, focused on the premise “no one alone, no one forgotten.”

Alliance for Refugee Youth Support and Education (ARYSE) ($40,000 over two years) to provide flexible, multi-year, general operating support. ARYSE supports immigrant and refugee youth in accessing the resources they need to feel confident, engaged, and celebrated. Through advocacy and out-of-school-time programming that focuses on building skills and a sense of community, ARYSE affirms youths’ identities and works alongside them to achieve their vision for their futures.

Alumni Theater Company (ATC) ($30,000 over two years) to provide flexible, multi-year, general operating support during the company’s 17th and 18th seasons. ATC creates bold theatrical work that gives a fresh voice to the experience of young Black artists and highlights their rich contribution to our community at large.

Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) ($45,000 over three years) to provide flexible, multi-year support for AIUSA’s Crisis Campaign. Funding supports AIUSA in its crucial resistance to the Trump Administration’s impact on human rights in the United States and triggers rapid movement-wide advocacy and campaigning as threats arise. AIUSA works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth, and dignity are denied.

Artists Image Resource (AIR) ($12,500) to support the creation and exhibition of new print-related work with the 13 artists of the #notwhitecollective. AIR integrates the creation of fine art prints with learning programs that explore the role of the artist and the importance of creative expression.

Attack Theatre ($12,500) to provide flexible, general operating support during the company’s 30th Anniversary season. Attack Theatre explores artistic expression in its commitment to remain curious in the investigation of new ideas; to artistically collaborate through deliberate, interdisciplinary partnerships; and to connect with local and global communities to provide accessible, creative learning opportunities.

August Wilson House ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. The August Wilson House promotes the literary and social legacy of August Wilson through the restoration of his boyhood home in Pittsburgh’s Hill District neighborhood. It fosters and promotes greater appreciation for and understanding of African-American literature, the performing arts and the literary and social legacy of August Wilson.

Balafon West African Dance Ensemble ($30,000 over two years) to provide  flexible, multi-year, general operating support. Balafon creates enriching opportunities to experience the joy and spirit of traditional West African dance, uniquely celebrating the cultural contributions of women. Inspired by the belief that dance uplifts lives, Balafon is dedicated to passing on a vibrant legacy that upholds the core values of community, creativity, liberation, excellence and heritage.

Beltzhoover Consensus Group (BCG) ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support as the organization creates a Real Estate Project Manager position to assist its real estate efforts. BCG develops new construction and rehab for resale of mixed use quality housing, and provides other resources needed to sustain healthy prosperous lifestyles for residents of Pittsburgh’s Beltzhoover neighborhood.

Bhutanese Community Association of Pittsburgh (BCAP) ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. BCAP ensures a high quality of life for all members of the Bhutanese community in Allegheny County and in the surrounding Westmoreland and Washington counties, and supports their integration into American society through culturally-informed services and activities.

Bike Pittsburgh ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. The funds will bolster advocacy and mobility justice efforts focused on community organizing that elevates resident voice and power. BikePGH is transforming our streets to make biking and walking commonplace for all Pittsburghers in order to improve our quality of life and reduce the harmful effects of car dependence in our communities.

Black Action Network Committee (BANC) ($15,000) to support and expand Thinking Above the Line, a filmed conversation series and quarterly luncheons that convene Black artists, entrepreneurs, organizers, and residents in Beaver County to address racism, mental health, and economic justice‚ while providing paid, real-world media and project roles for BANC’s youth cohort.

The Braddock Inclusion Project ($12,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. for equitable access to nutritious fresh produce to communities in and around Braddock. The Braddock Inclusion Project addresses poverty, economic exclusion, systematic oppression & erasure-related issues impacting their residents.

Care for All ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. As Wisconsin’s only nonprofit, independent abortion clinic, Care for All fills a critical gap in quality abortion care and other reproductive and sexual health services for people of all needs and backgrounds, regardless of ability to pay.

Casa San Jose ($60,000 over three years) to provide flexible, multi-year, general operating support. Casa San Jose advocates with and for the Latino community to provide assistance to stabilize families through social, emotional, and financial support.

Casa San Jose ($20,000) acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the work of Block Chronicles’ Pittsburgh – Latinx Artist Residency (P-LAR). P-LAR is a 6-month program that provides stipends, mentorship, and community engagement opportunities for two advanced-career Latinx artists in Allegheny County.  Block Chronicles connects humanity through stories that educate, heal, and inspire.

Casa San Jose ($20,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the work of Guerrero Glass and its glassblowing school. Guerrero Glass provides a safe space for BIPOC youth from marginalized communities to express themselves, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation – empowering them to create meaningful art that inspires social change.

Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) ($20,000) to provide flexible, general operating support for CEO Pittsburgh. CEO provides immediate, effective, and comprehensive employment services exclusively to people recently released from incarceration.

Center of Life ($40,000 over two years) to provide flexible, multi-year, general operating support as the organization undergoes a major capital campaign project to construct a permanent headquarters on Hazelwood Green, where it will be, at present, the only civic organization building permanent infrastructure. Center of Life provides families and youth with the life-skills, education, training, and resources necessary to be strong and to make their communities strong.

Chatham Baroque ($12,500) to provide flexible, general operating support during the 2025/2026 season. Chatham Baroque connects diverse audiences to the passion and depth of the music of the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque, and Early Classical periods through performing and presenting vivid and compelling programs and educational experiences.

City of Asylum Pittsburgh ($20,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Funding will support the organization’s artist sanctuary and annual catalogue of 120+ free literary, arts, and humanities programming that amplify global voices, foster cross-cultural understanding, and ensure equitable access to the arts. City of Asylum builds a just community by protecting and celebrating freedom of creative expression.

City of Bridges Community Land Trust ($20,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Funding will enable the organization to expand and build strategies to redress the intersections of housing, economic and racial justice. City of Bridges CLT builds community ownership that preserves permanent affordability, empowers individuals, and ensures responsible growth and stewardship.

Contemporary Craft ($20,000) to support the organization’s expansion into its new Timmons Studios, as part of its Imagine More Campaign. This expansion doubles Contemporary Craft’s footprint and enables significant growth in educational and community programming. Contemporary Craft engages the public in creative experiences through contemporary craft.

Creative Citizen Studios ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Creative Citizen Studios provides artists with disabilities educational art classes and workshops, and provides participants with the ability to exhibit and sell their artwork to the public.

Disability Lead ($15,000) to support disabled leadership in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Disability Lead elevates and connects a network of leaders with disabilities who shift power, transform systems, and redefine leadership.

The Embodiment Institute (TEI) ($5,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. TEI supports Black-Led Movement Work by creating training and healing spaces for community movement leaders to learn about politicized healing and embodiment. TEI changes the conversation, practice and politics of healing through strategic training and interventions at interpersonal, organizational, cultural and environmental scales.

Focus On Renewal ($17,500) to provide flexible, general operating support. Funding will primarily support their Community Resource Center and the relaunch of programming at their Father Ryan Arts Center. Focus on Renewal supports the people in the Sto-Rox community through programs for all, aimed toward the development and sustainability of a healthy mind, body and spirit.

Fractured Atlas ($15,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support Julia Production to produce Shakespeare’s R&J, a cross-cultural reinterpretation of Joe Calarco’s adaptation of Romeo and Juliet at City Theatre Company in May 2026. Developed by a BIPOC- and immigrant-led collective of early-career artists, the production reclaims a canonical text through the lens of diverse lived experiences and centers voices too often excluded from classical theater.

Fractured Atlas ($5,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the work of Pittsburgh Fringe Festival. Funds will provide scholarship opportunities to offset production and travel costs for local and traveling fringe artists, as well as support executive team members by providing a stipend rather than solely operating on a volunteer basis. The Pittsburgh Fringe Festival supports adventurous and exploratory performing artists by showcasing their artistic expression in an inclusive environment to equally adventurous audiences.

The Genesis Collective ($15,000) to provide flexible general operating support. The Genesis Collective supports artists and their work, increases the public’s access to art and creativity, and entrenches art in and around community development in Beaver County, Pennsylvania.

Guardians Of Sound & The Hip Hop Orchestra ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Funds will support the organization in providing ongoing, year-long music lessons and a summer music camp, serving primarily Black youth. Guardians of Sound and its Hip Hop Orchestra enrich life and lives through music.

HEALING BY DEZIGNS ($10,000) to provide support for the Holistic Fashion Therapy program. HEALING BY DEZIGNS empowers and transforms the lives of Black men and women who are grappling with remnants of trauma after abuse.

Hill Dance Academy Theatre (HDAT) ($30,000 over two years) to provide flexible, multi-year, general operating support. HDAT provides professional-level training in Black dance traditions, history, culture and aesthetics that engages and empowers students to pursue careers in Black dance.

Industrial Arts Workshop (IAW) ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. IAW works to advance, inspire, and educate high school students through weld training and the creation of art.

JACK Quartet ($6,000) to support the audio and video recording of Pittsburgh-based composer Mathew Rosenblum’s work “Upon Vermilion Wheels” by JACK Quartet and pianist Conor Hanick. JACK Quartet champions new string quartet music and the transformative experiences that it creates.

JADA House International ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support.  JADA House uplifts and empower generations of people by building strong programs that strengthen communities. JADA House supports families and creates spaces for healing, empowerment, and growth, particularly in Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood community, with an emphasis on addressing the unique needs of Black and Brown communities.

Jeremiah’s Place ($35,000 over two years) to provide flexible, multi-year, general operating support. The organization provides judgment-free, 24/7 emergency childcare services for children ages 0-6, provided at no cost to families and caregivers. Jeremiah’s Place protects children and strengthens families by providing a safe haven of respite, health, renewal, and support for children when their families are experiencing a critical need for childcare.

Kelly Strayhorn Theater ($7,500), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support Jesse Factor’s 2025-2026 season. The creative team of Jesse Factor is committed to presenting innovative performance work exploring queer narratives and cultural fusions.

Macedonia Family and Community Enrichment Center (FACE) ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Funding will enable Macedonia FACE to continue to provide its essential safety net services to elders and families experiencing hardship. FACE encourages the development of healthy families and is committed to living out its mission by addressing the disparities that impact African American families and other vulnerable populations in the community.

The Midwife Center ($35,000 over two years) to provide flexible, multi-year, general operating support. Funding will increase access to reproductive healthcare, especially for low-income, uninsured, and underinsured people in the Pittsburgh region. The Midwife Center promotes wellness by providing exceptional, client-centered primary gynecological, pregnancy and birthing care in southwestern Pennsylvania’s only independent birth center.

Mon Valley Initiative (MVI) ($15,000) to support their Workforce Development and Financial Coaching Program. MVI works to increase the income levels and economic independence of local residents by delivering effective career development services, income supports and financial coaching, targeted to the unemployed and under-employed in the Mon Valley region.

National Council of Jewish Women Pittsburgh (NCJW) ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. NCJW Pittsburgh exists to drive enduring systems change in our community with regard to economic equity, inclusive democracy, and reproductive justice. Inspired by the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam (healing the world), NCJW Pittsburgh promotes increased equity through the empowerment of women.

Neighborhood Funders Group (NFG) ($15,000) to support the Amplify Fund, the grantmaking arm of the Neighborhood Funders Group. The Amplify Fund is a pooled, placed-based fund that channels resources to build power, equity in its priority places, including Western Pennsylvania. Neighborhood Funders Group organizes philanthropy so that Black, Indigenous, and people of color communities and low-income communities thrive.

New Sun Rising ($10,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support Glitterbox Theater. Glitterbox is a space where outsiders, dreamers, and artists can build community and create vibrant culture. Since 2017, Glitterbox Theater has provided a platform for amateur and DIY theater, with a focus on community accessibility. They host a wide variety of events including plays, concerts, dance parties, drag shows, burlesque, educational workshops, poetry readings, stand up, film screenings, and craft markets.

New Sun Rising ($45,000 over three years), acting as fiscal sponsor, to provide flexible, multi-year, general operating support for Pittonkatonk. Pittonkatonk is a free, outdoor, grassroots music festival held in Pittsburgh’s Schenley Park and is committed to providing a non-commercial, intergenerational space for celebration, learning, and activism, powered by solar and biodiesel energy, and deeply rooted in Pittsburgh’s immigrant, working-class, and creative communities. Pittonkatonk empowers people through music in diverse practices to engage the world around them and advance fair and just relations between people and society.

New Sun Rising ($10,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the work of Tabitha’s Daughters as they continue pursuing health justice and food justice for African American women in Pittsburgh. Tabitha’s Daughters seeks empowerment, healing, and transformation of women’s lives (mind, body, & humanity) through the communal practice of sisterly fellowship, including the studying and sharing of life stories.

PEACOCK Consulting ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support to expand the SAIL Project, a community-driven initiative that fosters leadership and advocacy among Pennsylvania’s disabled community. Designed by and for individuals with disabilities, SAIL offers training and support to empower Pennsylvanians with disabilities as effective change agents.

Pennsylvania Community Health Worker Collaborative (PACHW) ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. PACHW unites and empowers Pennsylvania’s community health workers through active collaboration, education, advocacy, and support. The collaborative champions the development of a strong professional identity through leadership in statewide advocacy and policy change to impact the communities they serve.

Prime Stage Theatre ($7,500) to provide flexible, general operating support for the company’s 29th season. Prime State entertains, inspires, and enriches audiences through professional theatre experiences by bringing classic and contemporary literature and history to life through the transformative process of live theatre.

Producer Hub ($15,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the operations and Pittsburgh-based work of DNAWORKS, dedicated to dialogue, democracy, healing, and justice through the arts. DNAWORKS centers Global Majority and LGBTQQ2SPIAA+ voices and experiences to create more complex representations of identity, culture, class, and heritage through theatre, dance, film, writing, and art installation.

Proud Haven ($15,000) to support QMNTY QHEST, a peer-led, collaborative initiative that centers trans and nonbinary youth leadership through housing stability, arts-based healing, and skill-building for economic independence. Proud Haven provides safe shelter for LGBTQIA+ youth experiencing homelessness in Pittsburgh, and emotional support and resources to help LGBTQIA+ youth develop the skills needed to live independently.

Rainbow Serpent ($60,000 over three years) to provide flexible, multi-year, general operating support. Rainbow Serpent advances Black LGBTQ culture through multimedia art, emerging technologies, innovative healing protocols and traditional African cosmologies. Rainbow Serpent believes that the unique gifts of Black LGBTQ people can heal the world.

RealTime Arts ($30,000 over two years) to provide flexible, multi-year, general operating support. Funds will support RealTime Arts to develop bold, community-inspired, original theater works that tell real stories of real people, and to support the launch of a new business plan that will enhance the company’s financial independence, sustainability, and national reach. RealTime connects human beings through unique theatrical experiences.

Reimagine Reentry ($15,000) to provide flexible general operating support. Reimagine Reentry is a reentry program for men and women returning home from incarceration to Allegheny County. Reimagine Reentry walks alongside returning citizens to address the unique challenges of reentering the community through a strengths-based approach.

Resonance Works ($25,000 over two years) to provide multi-year, flexible, general operating support for the 2025/26 and 2026/27 seasons. Resonance Works is a multi-modal performing arts company in Pittsburgh that presents socially relevant performances of new and traditional classical music repertoire and to foster authentic artistic collaborations and community partnerships.

Riverlife ($10,000) to support the 2026 Shore Thing Performing Arts Series aboard its new Shore Thing mobile programming barge. Docked at Allegheny Landing at Pittsburgh’s North Shore, Shore Thing will host free, public performing arts programming. Riverlife creates, activates, and celebrates Pittsburgh’s riverfronts, connecting people through exceptional places and experiences.

Rivers of Steel Heritage Corporation ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support during the organization’s capital campaign to fully activate the Carrie Blast Furnaces National Historic Landmark as the focal point of industrial craft within the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area. Rivers of Steel strengthens the economic and cultural fabric of western Pennsylvania by fostering dynamic initiatives and transformative experiences.

Shana Simmons Dance ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support that will allow the organization to expand its innovative approach to contemporary dance, blending different styles, and using dance as a medium for social and cultural exploration. Shana Simmons Dance seeks advancement of quality dance performance and increased engagement with audiences and the community through financially accessible interactive and immersive productions.

Silver Eye Center for Photography ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. ​​Silver Eye promotes the power of contemporary photography as a fine art medium by creating original exhibitions, unique educational programming, and a space for artists to learn, create, and connect through our digital lab and education center, The Lab @ Silver Eye. 

Social Good Fund ($20,000 over two years), acting as fiscal sponsor, to provide flexible, multi-year, general operating support for the work of PeoplesHub. PeoplesHub is an online popular education school for activists based in the US. Led by and for disabled organizers and allies, PeoplesHub offers public and private trainings, communities of practice, and peer support that are grounded in solidarity economy and disability justice principles. 

Squonk Opera ($45,000 over three years) to provide flexible, multi-year, general operating support. Funding will support the creation of “The Joy Machine,” an immersive outdoor spectacle, and the community-centered “Squonk in the Neighborhood” program of free STEAM workshops, art installations, and performances across Pittsburgh. Squonk inspires diverse audiences to explore their creativity and common humanity, to invigorate live performance and develop young and non-traditional audiences with music, multimedia spectacle, and humor, and to embrace the unique culture of our home in Western Pennsylvania and the world.

Team G.R.O.W. ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Team G.R.O.W. (Great Resources Of Wisdom) supports low-income families/homes owners in Pittsburgh’s Hill District/Uptown community to become educated on how to keep up on repairs to their homes, so they may maintain housing for their families.

Theatre Communications Group (TCG) ($10,000) to support fieldwide theatre knowledge-building, advocacy, and collective action. TCG’s fieldwide services advocate for and advance freedom of speech and expression for the theatre ecology. TCG strengthens, nurtures, and promotes the professional nonprofit theatre, including and beyond their membership of over 750 theatres and affiliates plus 10,000 individuals nationwide. 

Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestras (TRYPO) ($10,000) to support the 2025-26 season of the Youth Chamber Connection program, which provides chamber music education and performance opportunities for beginner, intermediate, and advanced music students in the Greater Pittsburgh metropolitan area. TRYPO creates a dynamic, inclusive community where young people are inspired to pursue a lifelong passion for music.

Touchstone Center for Crafts ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Touchstone Center for Crafts advances excellence in arts and craft by educating and encouraging individuals to develop technical skills, good design, and innovative artistic expression. Touchstone offers classes, exhibitions, lectures, demonstrations, and other creative, educational programming throughout the year for people of all ages and levels of expertise.

Trade Institute of Pittsburgh (TIP) ($20,000 over two years) to provide flexible, multi-year, general operating support during a time when the organization will launch a three-year strategic plan that will implement physical expansion and potential replication. TIP empowers men and women with significant barriers to employment through skill building and career opportunities.

World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh ($20,000 over two years) to provide flexible, multi-year, general operating support. The World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh supports learning about the world across generations so that we can build a more globally minded and globally connected Pittsburgh that is equitable and just for all.

YWCA Greater Pittsburgh ($10,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the Black and White Reunion as it hosts the 28th annual Pittsburgh Racial Justice Summit (PRJS). Founded in 1996, the Black and White Reunion brings together organizations and individuals to dismantle the systems that uphold racism and to be in solidarity in the struggle for human equity. The yearly PRJS brings diverse communities together to develop alliances for justice and to eliminate human oppression.

DISCRETIONARY GRANTS

The Field ($5,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support Pete-Flo Enterprises’ Rooted and Rested, a liberatory rest and coaching residency that provides BIPOC arts and culture leaders, especially Black women, with time, space, and support to heal from burnout and restore their leadership power through rest, community care, and transformative coaching.

Nonprofit Partners ($150,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the Collaborative for Immigrant Impact to fuel a rapid, collective response to address the immediate impacts of policy changes on immigrant and refugee families, preserving the region’s capacity to support them on the long journey of building a new life here. The Collaborative includes AJAPO, AIU, Arise, ARYSE, Ansar, BCAP, Casa San Jose, CIAC, Hello Neighbor, Holy Family Institute, JFCS, Justice at Work, Latino Community Center, Literacy Pittsburgh, Open Field, PHDC, PIRC, and SHIM.

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Opportunity Fund aspires to nurture reciprocal relationships with its partners that are built on trust. The majority of all grants that Opportunity Fund awards provide unrestricted general operating support, which empower partners to use grant funds as they best see fit to meet their goals. This cycle, 89% of all the grant funds offer general operating support. 40% of the funding went to Black-led organizations, 44% to white-led, and 16% to Asian or Latino/a/e-led organizations or teams with multiracial leadership.

A complete list of awarded grants can be found below.

Given the current political and economic climate, Opportunity Fund took extraordinary steps to streamline its grantmaking process and timeline.  This cycle, the foundation made far more funding decisions at the preliminary “Letter of Inquiry” stage of the process and shortened its full application. These actions reduced the amount of time applicants needed to spend writing grant proposals before receiving a definitive answer. Grant partners received their funds up to two months earlier than usual during this time of widespread uncertainty.

Opportunity Fund is also offering ways for partners with active grants to receive early payments for multi-year grants and/or to transition any program-related grant into a flexible, general operating support grant. 

Since Opportunity Fund’s inception in 2015, the foundation has awarded 1,261 grants totaling nearly $18.7 million. Grant cycles take place two times per year. The deadline to submit an online Letter of Inquiry (LOI) to be considered for a grant for the next cycle is July 15, 2025. Opportunity Fund encourages organizations focused on the arts and/or social and economic justice to reach out or submit an online LOI by the deadline. 

Full information about applying for grants is available in “For Applicants”. 

Grant Partner List:

Acculturation for Justice, Access, and Peace Outreach (AJAPO) ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. AJAPO provides a continuum of care which empowers refugees and immigrants in Allegheny County to become self-sufficient and integrated into the Greater Pittsburgh Community and Allegheny County.

Afro-American Music Institute, Inc. ($10,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the work of The UHIMWE Alliance in 2025, including the 13th annual Bayard Rustin Festival. UHIMWE offers safe environments for social, cultural, and artistic opportunities that promote and advocate wellness, education, and positive visibility for same gender-loving men.

Allegheny County Bar Foundation ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support for the Bar Foundation’s Pro Bono Center. The Center provides free legal services to individuals and families with very low incomes, addressing critical issues like barriers to employment opportunities, housing, healthy family structures, and immigration status. The Allegheny County Bar Foundation is a driving force in promoting justice for all and works to improve the community with charitable, educational, and pro bono legal services. 

Alliance for Global Justice ($20,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the work of the Bukit Bail Fund of Pittsburgh. Bukit Bail Fund is an abolitionist collective working to free individuals incarcerated folks at Allegheny County Jail and support those impacted by the criminal legal system. Bukit Bail Fund works to get people released as quickly as possible and call for an end to cash bail in Pittsburgh and everywhere.

Autism Connection of PA ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Funds will support organizational capacity to provide access to help via web page, email, social media, phone, and texting services for anyone needing autism support, information, or advocacy. Autism Connection of PA is a lifeline and hub for families and autistic adults, providing support, information, and advocacy.

barebones productions ($45,000 over three years) to provide flexible, general operating support over three seasons. barebones productions is a Pittsburgh-based theater company that facilitates the growth of local theater artists through the production of challenging, entertaining, thought-provoking plays and that attracts new, young audiences by employing minimal production.

Black Liberation Autonomous Collective (BLAC) ($45,000 over three years) to provide flexible, general operating support. Funds will support BLAC to distribute gender-affirming care kits through its Bawdy Remedies Initiative for local transgender and gender-nonconforming siblings. BLAC builds a community network of gender-expansive youth and allies, serves as a platform for its siblings to construct the change they want to see, and provides for our people’s needs through mutual aid and advocacy efforts.

Black Liberation Autonomous Collective ($15,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the work of Black Youth Organizing Coalition (BYOC). Through mutual support and shared resources, BYOC centers the voices of Black youth in Pittsburgh while fostering a decentralized, youth-led movement that redefines what liberation looks like in our communities.

Bricolage Production Company ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Bricolage is a company led by artists that expands the boundaries of theater to create transformative experiences. Bricolage embraces ‘what’s at hand’ to cultivate collaborative environments that promote wonder and possibility.

Cave Canem ($10,000) to support the 2025 Cave Canem Retreat and its public programs in Greensburg and Pittsburgh, PA. Cave Canem develops audiences for Black voices that have worked and are working in the craft of poetry.

Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support during the 2025-2026 season. The Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh provides its community with exceptional performances, community enrichment, and related programming by a world-class ensemble. 

Children’s Windows to Africa / Darisha La Watoto Kwa Africa (CWTA) ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Funds will support summer cultural programs and the organization’s expansion to serve all Beverly Jewel Wall Lovelace sites located in Housing Authority communities. CWTA provides children with a deep connection to their African heritage to help them internalize positive communal values and self-identity. Its vision is that all children of African descent will know their value and worth, and that those providing care will be equipped to provide African-centered education.

Civically ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Civically is a nonprofit social enterprise that focuses on community development by promoting civic and social literacy to instill self-reliance while addressing the immediate needs of the economically under-resourced in the Pittsburgh East End region. 

Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+) ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. CERF+ provides disaster, emergency relief, and readiness grants as well as support and educational resources to strengthen preparedness, advocating for the thrive-ability of craft artists and craft as an art form. CERF+ serves craft artists in tribal communities and across the United States and territories.

Disability Pride PA ($6,500), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the work of Access Mob Pittsburgh with flexible, operating support. Access Mob Pittsburgh is a disability-led organization that brings the entire Pittsburgh community together to promote social advancement through positive change. 

Doctors Without Borders / Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) ($30,000 over three years) to provide flexible, general operating support. MSF is an international medical humanitarian organization that provides impartial medical relief to the victims of war, disease, and natural or man-made disaster, without regard to race, religion, or political affiliation. MSF reaches people without other access to medical care and humanitarian aid, filling gaps and meeting the urgent needs of especially vulnerable people.

Education Law Center – PA (ELC) ($10,000) to support the Education Helpline in Pittsburgh, which provides direct legal services and advocacy to help families address educational barriers experienced by their children and exercise their rights. ELC prioritizes support for children and families most impacted by social injustice, including Black and Brown families, multilingual families, children with disabilities, youth in the juvenile justice and foster care systems, LGBTQ+ youth, and others. ELC ensures access to a quality public education for all children in Pennsylvania.

Faith United Methodist Church ($12,500) to support Roots of Faith in its ongoing efforts to alleviate poverty and improve the quality of life for residents of Sharpsburg and nearby communities. Roots of Faith brings people together by providing a continuum of services designed to improve our resident’s social, physical, mental, financial, and spiritual well-being.

Flamenco Pittsburgh ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Funds will support the development of the organization’s administrative infrastructure, marketing/PR capabilities, and equipment resources as it produces its first season as a 501(c)(3) organization. Founded in 2002, Flamenco Pittsburgh creates awareness and appreciation for flamenco music, song, and dance through classes, performances, and education outreach in Western Pennsylvania, Western New York, and Eastern Ohio.

Fractured Atlas ($2,700), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the work of New Product Company’s production of Rejection, a theatrical adaptation of Tony Tulathimutte’s hit novel. New Product Company is a Pittsburgh-based avant-garde theatre company investigating the tension between IRL and URL, producing multimedia performances examining internet culture and the digital world. 

Garden Home Ministries ($10,000) to provide flexible, operating support for the Sunflower House, a certified recovery home for any woman sexually exploited through substance use coercion. The Sunflower House is a haven for survivors who have broken free from trafficking through sheer force of will. While residing within the Sunflower House, women experience a supportive peer community and access to trauma informed care, life skills education, creative wellness, and direct connections to relevant program support. 

The Global Switchboard ($15,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the work of the Pittsburgh Human Rights City Alliance. Funds will support a leadership and strategic planning retreat, as well as travel for a delegation of local organizers to the United Nations in Geneva for the Universal Periodic Review of the United States’ human rights record in November 2025. Pittsburgh Human Rights City Alliance is a grassroots network dedicated to advancing and protecting human rights in our region.

Grounded Strategies ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Grounded Strategies improves the social, economic, and environmental health of distressed and transitional communities by building capacity to reclaim vacant and underutilized land.

Handmade Arcade ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Funds will support expanding programs and services for makers and artists, including a market booth scholarship program for makers from historically marginalized backgrounds, a maker affinity cohort, a maker mentorship program, and an evergreen online maker directory. Handmade Arcade empowers makers of all ages by providing them with professional development and connections to customers.

Harambee Ujima Black Arts and Culture Association ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Harambee Ujima works to re-establish cultural unification, dialogue and communications among people in this area that are of Afrikan descent. Funds will support events that support the process of Afrikans reclaiming pride and dignity, including Harambee Ujima’s Black Arts Festival in 2025.

Health GAP (Global Access Project) ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Health GAP is a network of AIDS and human rights activists, people living with HIV, and public health advocates campaigning against policies that deny access to lifesaving HIV treatments. Health GAP holds local, national, and global duty bearers accountable for ensuring access to quality and accessible HIV treatment and prevention, reproductive healthcare, and other essential medical technologies.

Hebrew Free Loan Association of Pittsburgh (HFLA) ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support as the organization strives to professionalize operations and honor its 138-year legacy of providing life changing microloans – especially to those who often face barriers, including  women, people of color, immigrants, refugees, Jewish people and people of other religious minorities. The HFLA of Pittsburgh supports financial stability and advances opportunities for people in our region by providing interest-free loans.

Honest Works of Art ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support to aid the continued elevation of BIPOC art and artists. Honest Work creates inclusive, high-quality art exhibitions that showcase the work of BIPOC artists as and promote art sales.

Human Services Center Mon Valley (HSCMV) ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating funds to support programs that help Mon Valley residents build pathways out of poverty. Programs like the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, the Emerging Leaders Program, Supports for Success, and HSCMV’s food pantry provide critical safety net resources and training opportunities to help clients towards achieving economic independence. HSCMV exists to improve the quality of life for children, adults, and families in the Mon Valley area. 

Instituto Cimarrón ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support to promote programming, research, and education that centers the artistic and cultural works of marginalized communities of color. One flagship program, The Afro-Latinx Song & Opera Project, addresses the exclusion of Afro-Latinx composers and performers from the classical music canon. Instituto Cimarrón harnesses the transformative power of artistic expression and cultural research to empower communities, celebrate our distinct heritages, and foster a society where culture is synonymous with freedom. 

Ìyá Pittsburgh Project ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. The team of midwives, doulas, social workers, and program leads provides equitable perinatal and reproductive care. Beyond reducing perinatal mortality, Ìyá Pittsburgh provides funding for BIPOC, queer, and transgender people to access perinatal care, education, and training. Ìyá Pittsburgh Project envisions a world where opportunity, safety, options, and dignity are the perinatal experience, not limited by socio-economic status, race, or gender.

Jazz Workshop, Inc. ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Funds will support live musical performances, interactive assemblies at schools and other community organizations, teaching music, big band clinics, and the “Jazz Workshop, Inc. Town Hall Concert Series” which highlights and records the legacy of musical artists from Pittsburgh. The Jazz Workshop teaches music and preserves jazz as an art form, while nurturing the artistry, legacy, and well-being of jazz enthusiasts.   

Jewish Assistance Fund ($20,000 over two years) to provide flexible, general operating support. The Jewish Assistance Fund provides immediate financial assistance, with no repayment, to Jewish people in western Pennsylvania who have limited resources and are in need of emergency support for food, clothing, housing, utilities, transportation and medical necessities.

Jewish Family and Community Services of Pittsburgh (JFCS) ($20,000) to expand culturally-competent immigration legal services to individuals resettling in western Pennsylvania who are most at risk. Funding will support JFCS to build on the infrastructure it has created in the region to rapidly adapt immigration legal services in response to new needs and demands created by the dramatic and far-reaching policy and funding changes created on the federal level. JFCS supports people through life’s changes and challenges. 

Kelly Strayhorn Theater ($14,289), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support Greater Good Productions’ development of The Adventures of Pussy Jones in Pittsburgh and at the Women in Theatre Festival in New York City in June of 2025.  The play explores the theme of “The Politics of Femininity” through a storyline involving AI, literary figures, and novelist Edith Wharton. Greater Good Productions devises ensemble-driven theater productions, using physical theater techniques and a years-long developmental period, to make an essential and important contribution to the performing arts.

Kelly Strayhorn Theater ($15,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the work of East of Liberty toward the Pittsburgh For Grenfell June 14th Project, a day-long advocacy event bringing the Grenfell Tower survivors and leaders to Pittsburgh to educate Pittsburgh on the city’s connection to the second most tragic event in the United Kingdom’s history: The Grenfell Tower fire. East of Liberty creates social justice documentaries and video installations that challenge how communities and cities are led by centering and protecting those impacted by harm and displacement.

Latino Community Center (LCC) ($20,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Funds will support LCC to bolster security measures, provide staff training on responding to potential threats of violence, and equip the team to navigate shifting immigration policies, ensuring culturally responsive, trauma-informed services for Latine families in Allegheny County. LCC provides Latine children, youth, and families the tools and opportunities needed to reach their full potential through educational programming, family support, and community building.

Legacy Arts Project ($30,000 over two years) to provide flexible, general operating support. Legacy Arts Project preserves the history and traditions of African art as represented throughout the Diaspora through performance, education, and interaction.

Literacy Council of Southwestern PA (LCSWPA) ($10,000) to support adult literacy and family resettlement services across southwestern Pennsylvania. LCSWPA empowers adults and families with literacy skills that enable them to lead successful, fulfilled lives as members of our communities.

MAYA Organization ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support for the administrative functions that undergird MAYA’s programs and services, as well as its systems change work in the area of maternal health. MAYA empowers BIPOC and marginalized birthing people and birthworkers, and creates positive change in the systems that impact them.

Mothers of Incarcerated Sons (MIS) ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. MIS’s efforts are designed to build community power, defray the costs of reentering society for returning citizens, foster a better community, and create a more reflective democracy. MIS endeavors to amplify the voices of the Invisible Prisoners and serve the needs of incarcerated individuals and others adversely affected by the incarceration of their loved ones.

Mystic Mamas ($2,500) to provide flexible, general operating support. Located in the Allentown neighborhood on Pittsburgh’s Southside, Mystic Mamas promotes the holistic well-being of women by building communities that share resources, knowledge, and opportunities in the interests of agricultural accessibility, economic advancement, creative expression, mental health awareness and international mobility in an overall interest of dismantling patriarchal systems.

New Sun Rising ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support during the organization’s 20th anniversary year.  Funds will be used to strengthen grassroots projects and advocate for social, environmental, and economic justice at a time where these core values are under threat. New Sun Rising collaborates with communities to build capacity, access funding, and embrace data-informed approaches towards their own vibrant future.

New Sun Rising ($10,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support Anthropology of Motherhood’s first annual Deaf & Disabled Arts Exhibit in Pittsburgh. Anthropology of Motherhood fosters an inclusive and supportive environment that uplifts artists and caregivers by celebrating the intersection of art, caregiving, and cultural engagement. Through innovative exhibitions, meaningful programs, and collaborative opportunities, Anthropology of Motherhood champions Deaf and disability arts, maternal feminism, and caregiving narratives. 

New Sun Rising ($10,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to provide flexible, general operating support for the third season of Gallery Closed’s exhibition program. Located in Pittsburgh’s Troy Hill neighborhood, Gallery Closed is a unique art space whose exhibits are designed for and viewable only from the street through two windows. Gallery Closed exhibits site-specific artwork that is deeply integrated into the day-to-day life of an urban neighborhood. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Gallery Closed produces intellectually stimulating, site-specific artworks primarily aimed toward the general passing public. 

New Sun Rising ($10,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the work of The Birthing Hut. The Birthing Hut is a birth worker ecosystem designed to empower Black birth workers through culturally centered training, employment, and mentorship, creating lasting impact within the community. The Birthing Hut establishes a communal scope of practice and elevates the standard of practice within the birth worker profession.

Open Hand Ministries ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support as it builds community, teaches financial wellness, rehabs vacant properties, and matches mortgage-prepared families with homes for purchase. Open Hand Ministries exists to provide paths to financial wellness (including a way to build equity through affordable homeownership) to low- to middle-income families who want to remain in their neighborhoods and be financially secure. 

Patients for Affordable Drugs (P4AD) ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. P4AD fights for and defends bold systems-level change to the drug pricing system so that everyone in the US has access to the medication they need at prices they can afford; prioritizing Black, Brown and historically underserved people who are disproportionately harmed by high drug prices. 

PERSAD Center ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Persad Center improves the mental health well-being of the LGBTQ+ community and people affected by HIV/AIDS. Through counseling, prevention, outreach, training & advocacy, Persad builds stronger, safer and healthier communities.

The Pittsburgh Contingency ($15,000), acting as fiscal sponsor to support the work of The Wellness Collective and its merger with Rise and Thrive Development. The Wellness Collective empowers communities from Metro Detroit to Southwest PA through mutual aid, trauma-informed care, and prosocial programming that addresses housing insecurity, resource access, and economic stability. Rooted in care and collective power, The Wellness Collective reimagines what is possible when people—not systems—are at the center, strengthening communities where everyone has the chance to thrive.

Pittsburgh Glass Center ($20,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Pittsburgh Glass Center cultivates an inclusive and welcoming environment that encourages everyone, from the casually curious to the master artist, to learn, create, and be inspired by glass. The Glass Center promotes glass art creation and appreciation.

Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company (PPTCO) ($40,000 over two years) to provide flexible, general operating support over two seasons of plays and audience development initiatives. Rooted in the African American community, PPTCO promotes local playwrights and the stories they tell, and uses the stage to explore the histories and intersectionalities of Pittsburgh’s communities. PPTCO encourages new playwriting, directing, acting, and designing, especially among people who may not have the opportunity to see their work produced. 

Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support for the company’s 2025 production of “MacBeth”. Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks provides free and accessible Shakespeare and classical theatre to the residents of Pittsburgh in public parks and outdoor spaces. 

POISE Foundation ($45,000 over three years), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the work of The YVAC Power Fund. Funds will support the growth of Black youth-led organizing in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County as YVAC focuses on building the next generation of leaders, activists, and artists. The YVAC Power Fund defends, resources, and uplifts Black youth in the face of systems designed to harm.

Prototype PGH ($10,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the work of The Auto(nomous) Body Shop. Funding supports the reproductive freedom, sexual health, and bodily autonomy of folks by mobile distribution of free informational resources and practical supplies. The Auto(nomous) Body Shop empowers individuals to be the go-to support resource/friend for sexual & reproductive health, abortion care, and harm reduction within their communities and friend networks.

Radiant Hall ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Radiant Hall empowers artists to sustain thriving studio practices by creating and preserving access to space, shared resources, programs, and a supportive community of peers.

Shiftworks Community + Public Arts ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Shiftworks Community + Public Arts envisions a region in which the creative practices of artists are fully engaged to collaboratively shape the public realm and catalyze community-led change. Shiftworks builds capacity for this work through civically engaged public art, artist resources, public programming, and technical assistance. 

Texture Contemporary Ballet ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support during the 2025-2026 season of dance programming. Texture Contemporary Ballet inspires an appreciation of dance through dynamic and captivating performances, creative choreography, shared passion, and exceptional dance training.

Women of Visions ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Women of Visions promotes the arts, culture, and history of women of African descent by helping each other to excel as artists and to grow professionally through exhibitions, community collaboration, educational programming, and other progressive opportunities.

Xliberator Network Inc. ($10,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support The Future Is Black’s “Creative Fellowship” business accelerator program. Over eight months, the Creative Fellowship will empower 20 creatives and craftspeople via 12 sessions and platforming opportunities designed to enhance participants’ visibility while equipping them with the administrative and business skills necessary to transition from emerging artists to advancing artists.

Zellous Hope Project ($10,000), to provide general operating support. Zellous Hope Project provides a bridge over the holes on the road to living better by working together with existing organizations to create the change we all want to see in the lives of the people they serve. This grant is shared in honor of Ms. Denise Zellous, may her memory be for a blessing.

DISCRETIONARY GRANTS
City of Asylum Pittsburgh ($5,000) to support the Bridges – City of Asylum Pittsburgh Creative Summit from May 21-23, 2025, organized in collaboration with ICORN, the International Cities of Refuge Network. The Summit brings together colleagues and artists, experts, and partner organizations from across the U.S. and European network to gather for panels, one-on-one conversations, plenaries, working sessions, cultural events, and peer-to-peer exchanges.

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I want to talk about the time we’re living in right now. It’s just February. Our country has elected a president whose administration is actively expanding its power, authoritarian in nature, dismantling so very much, wreaking devastation left and right.  We’ve all been touched by it – some of us more than others. “And then they came for me” has never felt so resonant in my lifetime.

At Opportunity Fund we are asking: What do we do? What can we do? And with whom?

Here’s what I’m thinking:

We need to take this time seriously, try to see it for what it is, even as it evolves.

We need to move money quickly. Our board member, Alisha Wormsley says, “Get it out the door!”

Our theory of change is: try something. We have to try something. And keep on trying. Change the rule book, see what sticks. There’s. Nothing. To. Wait. For.

When we do change our own rule book, we have to be honest and transparent about what it is we are trying to do, and be open to seeing how it affects what others are trying to do, both positively and negatively, and calibrate.

The goal is not to earn trust. It’s to extend trust. I do not believe that anyone is ever capable of knowing all the answers, and certainly not now.  Just try something.

I think that grieving is going to play a big role in many of our doings. This is a time for planting seeds. The soil may be tilled for new things to grow, but we cannot forget that the soil is being overturned and not so we can all enjoy a meal together when it’s over. This is not collective liberation, it is wreckage. And the wreckage involves human lives and dreams.

We fund the arts for the same reasons that authoritarian leaders fear and suppress them: because we know their power. The creation and experience of art forms the most fundamental building blocks of culture that humans can access – and it is something that authoritarian leaders cannot ultimately control – even when they do try to make themselves Chairman of the Arts.

So, as we enter this season of planting or, more in tune with our theme, of dreaming, we will be grieving for all that has been and will be lost.

If philanthropy is all made up, as I first heard from Michelle McMurray of The Pittsburgh Foundation, what place does dreaming have in our planning and doing—now, in these times? At Opportunity Fund, we see dreams not as pie in the sky childsplay, but rather as the beautiful and important vision we each hold pieces of, for our collective future.

Dreaming is an essential part of the work that will lift us up out of these times.

Opportunity Fund is one cog in a wheel trying to make community dreams happen. This room, all of us together, is a wheel. Let’s turn.

PITTSBURGH, PA, November 20, 2024 — Opportunity Fund announces grantmaking support in the total amount of $1,380,500 in the second half of 2024. The foundation reviewed 176 requests for funding, requesting nearly $3.2 million. This cycle, 70 full applications were reviewed by one of the following: an arts community panel, a social & economic justice community panel, or Opportunity Fund’s Board of Directors.

Opportunity Fund’s aspiration is to nurture reciprocal relationships with its partners and community members. Part of this is providing general operating support which is funding that is unrestricted and allows organizations to use it as they best see fit to meet their goals. The majority of this cycle’s grant funding, 72%, provides unrestricted general operating support. Black-led organizations make up 43% of this cycle’s total grant partners, 29% are white-led, and 19% have Asian, Latino/a/e, or multiracial leadership teams. A complete list of awarded grants can be found below.

Since Opportunity Fund’s inception in 2015, the foundation has awarded 1,196 grants totaling nearly $17.5 million. Grant cycles take place two times per year. The deadline to submit an online Letter of Inquiry to be considered for a grant for the next cycle is January 15, 2025. Opportunity Fund encourages organizations focused on the arts and/or social and economic justice to reach out or submit an online Letter of Inquiry by the deadline. 

Full information about applying for grants is available in the “For Applicants” area of the foundation’s website. 

Grant Partner List:

412 JUSTICE ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. 412 JUSTICE is a multiracial, intergenerational, multi-issue organization that advocates for economic, environmental, and educational justice. They build deep trust and collaboration with impacted people and use their voice to promote strong, healthy communities, and corporate accountability through the redistribution of  wealth, power, and resources.

Abolitionist Law Center ($30,000 over two years), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the work of the Prisoner Justice Campaign (PJC) in its efforts to assist  prisoners in solitary confinement and those experiencing human and civil rights violations. With the help of whistleblowers, jailhouse activists, and prison litigators, Prisoner Justice Campaign exposes the human rights violations happening in our jails, state prisons, and immigration detention.

The Allignment Chapter Corporation ($7,500) to provide flexible, general operating support. The Allignment Chapter decreases mental illness and child neglect in low income communities, provides same-day emergency support to low income mothers in need, and offers a free, financially fit literacy program for mothers. The Allignment Chapter helps bridge the gap between low income and middle class mothers.

Amani Christian Community Development Corporation ($10,000) to support the Amani Labor Free Repair Program to provide much-needed home repairs for low-income homeowners in Pittsburgh’s Hill District Neighborhood. Amani facilitates healthy and safe communities by creating programs that educate community residents and nurtures youth, encourages community and economic development, and promotes a livable quality of life.

Autism Urban Connections ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Autism Urban Connections provides education, support, advocacy, and empowerment, with an emphasis on self-care to families of those diagnosed with autism, with priority placed in African American, minority, and economically disadvantaged communities.

Ayúdate Incorporated ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Ayúdate increases accessibility of mental health resources in Spanish to the under-served Hispanic population in Western Pennsylvania and beyond with a virtual community of bilingual and culturally competent therapists.

Bethel-Trinity Community Development Corporation (BTCDC) ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support after the organization came to an agreement with the Pittsburgh Arena Real Estate Redevelopment LP and the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation. Funding will support BTCDC as it embarks upon a pre-development process to evaluate options to develop existing real estate assets and/or on a development site in Pittsburgh’s Hill District. BTCDC addresses systemic challenges in Black communities by promoting business ownership, homeownership, financial literacy, and improving generational education.

Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation ($15,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the work of the Steel City Housing Cooperative Initiative (SCHCI) as it builds a platform to expand housing cooperatives in Pittsburgh to address affordable housing needs. Funds will enable SCHCI to hire a consultant to support development of the organizing committee, convene with stakeholders in the housing ecosystem, and develop a strategic plan to launch more demonstration projects.

Braddock Carnegie Library ($10,000) to provide capital support for the final phase of renovations at Andrew Carnegie’s first library in the U.S. The Braddock Carnegie Library provides reliable access to resources that engage compassionate and creative neighbors.

Brew House Arts ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support and to support the Fiberart International 2025. Brew House Arts provides space and support for people to connect and expand their relationship with the arts.

Bridge to The Mountains ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Bridge to the Mountains builds connections with and supports individuals experiencing homelessness. The organization exists to come alongside and accompany individuals living life on the street.

Bunker Projects ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. In May 2024, 700 individual donors helped Bunker Projects become building owners and achieve a permanent future in Pittsburgh’s Garfield neighborhood. Funds will support the organization’s mortgage payments. Bunker Projects is an artist residency and experimental gallery that serves as a platform for emerging artists to develop their practice and create new works for exhibition. Bunker provides a unique environment for artists to advance their careers and build community among peers.

Cafe Momentum Pittsburgh ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support across four key areas: workforce development, case management, counseling, and education serving Pittsburgh’s justice-involved youth. Café Momentum is an award-winning restaurant and culinary training facility that aims to transform young lives by equipping Pittsburgh’s justice-involved youth with life skills, education, and employment opportunities to help them achieve their full potential.

Casa San Jose ($20,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support Guerrero Glass, a glassblowing school in McKeesport that provides a safe space for BIPOC youth from marginalized communities to express themselves, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. 

Catapult Greater Pittsburgh ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Catapult engages in connecting families to emergency resources, peer to peer support, wealth building, trauma informed financial counseling and policy advocacy to ensure that communities can meaningfully achieve economic justice and lead dignified and equitable lives.

Chatham Baroque ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support during the 2024/2025 Season. Chatham Baroque connects diverse audiences to the passion and depth of the music of the Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque, and Early Classical periods through performing and presenting vivid and compelling programs and educational experiences. 

Christian Immigration Advocacy Center (CIAC) ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Funding will support the hiring of additional legal representatives with emphasis on candidates from other countries. CIAC is a legal aid organization that displays the love of Christ by serving immigrants and refugees of limited means with immigration-related legal help.

City Theatre Company ($30,000 over two years) to provide flexible, general operating support during the company’s 50th Anniversary and 51st seasons. City Theatre Company provides an artistic home for the development and production of contemporary plays that engage and challenge a diverse audience.

Construction Junction ($25,000 over two years), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support The Pillow Project’s 2025 & 2026 seasons and a part-time development professional. Entering its 20th season, the Pillow Project is a performance-based arts organization creating original and diverse mixed-media performances and happenings. 

CORNINGWORKS ($45,000 over three years) to provide flexible, general operating support. Funding will support infrastructure, research, and development to produce six performance seasons of programming over the course of three years. CORNINGWORKS is dedicated to creating provocative dance theater addressing issues of relevance to our society 

Crop and Kettle ($10,000) to support advancements in the Pre-Apprenticeship Program. Funding will support updating curricula, schedules, and other program materials and technologies in order to meet the advanced compliance requirements for the organization’s state-registered pre-apprenticeship programs. Crop and Kettle is a non-profit social enterprise that utilizes the food system to provide job training and social development to members of our community who are eager to overcome their current obstacles to employment.

CrownKeepers ($15,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support The Garfield PGH. Funds will support the transformation of a multi-family home built in Pittsburgh’s historic Hill District into a safe, comfortable, and luxurious short-term housing solution for Black artists and arts workers who are visiting Pittsburgh.

Dreams of Hope (DOH) ($52,500 over three years) to provide flexible, general operating support. DOH advances a forever commitment to the positive development and freedom of LGBTQIA+ youth by providing opportunities, platforms, and resources to help them achieve their goals and succeed in life.Through the power of the arts, DOH provides the region’s LGBTQIA+ youth with a welcoming environment to grow in confidence, express themselves, and develop as leaders.  

Filipino American Association of Pittsburgh ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support to sustain their year-long cultural dance program. The Filipino American Association of Pittsburgh preserves, promotes, and perpetuates the Filipino heritage among members and the general public through cultural, charitable, and educational activities.

Glassport Community Development Corporation ($8,000) to support the Glassport Gateway Mosaic, a public art display constructed in partnership with the Pittsburgh Glass Center and residents of Glassport. The mosaic will connect Glassport’s history and future, and is intended to catalyze increased connections to art and public space. The Glassport CDC organizes, directs, and coordinates the economic revitalization and redevelopment of the business districts and public spaces of Glassport, PA.

Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council (GPAC) ($15,000), in partnership with the Kelly Strayhorn Theater (KST), to support the preliminary work of creating the Allegheny County Cultural Plan or cultural investment strategy guide for Pittsburgh and Allegheny County.  GPAC and KST will engage Yancey Consulting to advance this initiative. GPAC builds a more resourced, connected, and informed arts sector, empowering artists and arts organizations throughout Southwestern PA. 

Hill Dance Academy Theatre (HDAT) ($12,500) to provide flexible, general operating support. HDAT trains and develops professional level dancers centering Black dance traditions, history, culture, knowledge, contributions, and aesthetics that engages and empowers students to pursue concert dance careers to sustain Black dance.

Hill District Consensus Group (HDCG) ($30,000 over three years) to provide flexible, general operating support. HDCG creates effective pathways to help intergenerational residents overcome economic, social, and housing challenges. Through grassroots efforts, HDCG is building a community of hope and solidarity where all residents can have a voice in the matters that are affecting their lives. 

Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh ($45,000 over three years) to support the health & human service needs of thousands of low-income families, vulnerable individuals, and seniors across the region. Specifically, funding will support AgeWell Pittsburgh and the Squirrel Hill Food Pantry. Jewish Federation cultivates resources, connects people, and collaborates across the community to live and fulfill Jewish values.

Justice at Work ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Justice at Work supports low-wage workers as they pursue economic and social justice through the provision of legal services, education, and advocacy.

Kamratōn ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support during the 2024-2025 chamber music season. The season includes a new work by Anna Elder and Emily Cook alongside works inspired by Appalachian Folk Music, the annual series, She Scores, celebrating women composers, and the new opera, WE CROSSED THE RIVER, by composer Eric Moe and librettist Angie Cruz which details stories from children’s detention camps at the US border. Both She Scores and the opera will tour to New York City. Kamratōn challenges the boundaries of music performance, expands the contemporary chamber music repertoire, and celebrates the role of women as leaders in the arts.

Kelly Strayhorn Theater ($20,000 over two years), acting as fiscal sponsor to support slowdanger. Funds will support the two year research, development, and Pittsburgh premiere of STORY BALLET, slowdanger’s new multidisciplinary performance work that explores mental health’s intersections with societal stereotypes and how they shape our perceptions. slowdanger brings audiences closer to their own bodies through performance, immersive experiences, and open-level workshops, cultivating kinesthetic and somatic empathy through creating community in transformational embodied experiences. 

Kente Arts Alliance ($40,000 over two years) to provide flexible, general operating support. Funds will support two seasons of programming and the ongoing implementation of the organization’s executive succession plan. Kente Arts Alliance is an African American arts organization that presents high-quality art of the African Diaspora. Kente aims to present art with a purpose by presenting programs that entertain, inform, and uplift the residents of underserved communities. 

The Larimer Consensus Group ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. The Larimer Consensus Group focuses on enhancing the lives of predominantly African-American, low-income residents through strategic initiatives in affordable housing, economic development, environmental responsibility, social well-being, and public safety, all in adherence to the Larimer Vision to Action Plan.

Lighthouse Arts ($5,000) to support Basement Sessions and the Brilliant Corners lecture/listening series. Lighthouse Arts differentiates itself from other jazz organizations by focusing on the artist and the audience. Lighthouse Arts acknowledges, celebrates, documents, and supports those individuals who creatively represent jazz and enhance the listener’s appreciation of past and current artists performing a wide range of styles.

Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild ($60,000) to provide flexible, general operating support for three MCG Jazz concert seasons. MCG Jazz preserves, presents, and promotes jazz, stimulating intercultural understanding, appreciation, and enhancement of the quality of life for its community.

Michiyaya Dance Company ($7,500) to support the company’s newest multimedia dance work, ‘road to the sky,’ which reflects on the process, challenges, and intentionality of becoming queer parents. ‘road to the sky’ will premiere in Pittsburgh in Winter 2025. MICHIYAYA is a queer-led dance company that pushes boundaries and centers the divine feminine by creating space for multidisciplinary performances and programming.

More Unity Inc ($10,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the work of The African Healing Garden. The African Healing Garden, the realized vision of longtime Larimer resident, Ms. Betty Lane, exists to be a peaceful space where the community can experience serenity, engage in social and spiritual interaction, gain knowledge, and continue to evolve. 

Mwanakuche Farm ($30,000 over two years) to provide flexible, general operating support. Mwanakuche Farm educates and provides a reliable, healthy, culturally appropriate, and in-demand food source for immigrant communities, which is integrated into American society while maintaining its unique cultural heritage and identity.

The Neighborhood Resilience Project ($7,500) to support the transformation and healing of communities in the Mon Valley through micro-community interventions. Rooted in the Gospel and teachings of the Orthodox Church, inspired by the Civil Rights Movement, the Neighborhood Resilience Project supports the transformation of neighborhoods from trauma-affected communities to resilient healing and healthy communities through trauma-informed community development. 

New Sun Rising ($10,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to provide flexible general operating support for Pittonkatonk. Pittonkatonk’s annual May Day Celebration serves as a platform for local performers and social justice groups from the region to come together and showcase their talents alongside international performers from the African diaspora and Latin America. Pittonkatonk empowers people through music in diverse practices to engage the world around them and advance fair and just relations between people and society.

New Sun Rising ($15,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the work of Artist Talk Mental Health‘s Therapeutic Spaces. Flexible funds support staff salaries and build stability while the organization delivers its three programs: Black Therapy 101, Therapeutic Spaces, and the Performance Series. Artist Talk creates safe spaces for artists to learn and grow in their professional artistry while developing skills and acquiring tools to maintain and take care of their mental health.

North Side Christian Health Center (NSCHC) ($15,000) to provide flexible general operating support and to advance the work of the board-directed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee. A Federally Qualified Health Center, NSCHC provides whole-person primary health care to underserved persons on the Northside and surrounding neighborhoods, and envisions a community where people of all backgrounds are actively engaged in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Pennsylvania Innocence Project ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Funds will build the capacity of the Pittsburgh office, enhance reentry support for freed and exonerated people, and help the organization to leverage available resources. The Pennsylvania Innocence Project exonerates those convicted of crimes they did not commit, prevents innocent people from being prosecuted and convicted, and helps those wrongfully convicted transition to freedom.

The Pittsburgh Camerata ($7,500) to provide flexible, general operating support. The Pittsburgh Camerata is a professional vocal ensemble committed to presenting imaginative and inspiring choral programs.

Pittsburgh International Classic Theatre (PICT) ($6,500) to provide flexible, general operating support during the 2024-2025 season, in which PICT will bring two international playwrights to Pittsburgh for two U.S. Premieres: “Miss Julie” adapted by Amy Ng, and “First Lady” by Sedef Ecer. PICT engages with, entertains, and serves the Pittsburgh community by examining current social issues through the lens of classic text.

Pittsburgh Public Media’s WZUM ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. WZUM, also known as “the Pittsburgh Jazz Channel,” increases and sustains the public’s appreciation for past and present jazz performers, and creates a sustainable future for the next generation of jazz creators and community through public media. 

Pittsburgh Scholar House ($60,000 over three years) to support the Wayfinders Housing Program, a residential housing program with holistic programming with the goal of fostering two-generational enrichment through workshops and family development based on the Self-Sufficiency Matrix and protective factors. The Pittsburgh Scholar House partners with highly-motivated single parents to create a better quality of life for themselves and their children by providing equitable access to higher education opportunities, social capital development, and early learning access to ignite a positive cycle of generational prosperity.

Pittsburgh United ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Pittsburgh United is a coalition of community, labor, faith, and environmental organizations committed to advancing the vision of a community and economy that works for all people. 

Pittsburghers for Public Transit (PPT) ($60,000 over three years) to provide flexible, general operating support. PPT is a grassroots union of transit riders, workers and neighbors who, together, organize for an expanded, affordable and accessible public transit system that meets all needs, with no communities left behind.

Producer Hub Inc. ($15,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to provide flexible, general operating support for DNAWORKS. DNAWORKS promotes social justice, racial equity, community healing, and liberation through its award-winning programming and performances, promoting dialogue-based social justice action and community building, with arts, educational, and community organizations in 39 states and 18 countries. The organization believes that art = ritual = healing = community and that this philosophy and practice lead to a more peaceful world.

The Public Interest Law Center ($15,000) to support work to protect every Pennsylvanian citizen’s right to vote and ensure their vote counts including, challenging barriers to mail-in voting. The Public Interest Law Center uses high-impact legal strategies to advance the civil, social, and economic rights of communities in the Philadelphia region facing discrimination, inequality, and poverty.

Quantum Theatre ($60,000 over three years) to provide flexible, general operating support. Funds will support three seasons of artistic and educational programming. Quantum Theatre is a company of progressive, professional artists dedicated to producing intimate and sophisticated theatrical experiences in uncommon settings, exploring universal themes of truth, beauty, and human relationships in unexpected ways.

Rainbow Serpent ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Rainbow Serpent advances Black LGBTQ culture through multimedia art, emerging technologies, innovative healing protocols, and traditional African cosmologies. The organization promotes and celebrates the diversity and richness of Black LGBTQ culture while advancing healing and empowerment within the community. Rainbow Serpent’s largest aim is to create a new radiant reality, one as resplendent and diverse as the Rainbow and as fertile and enduring as the Serpent.

RealTime Arts ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. RealTime Arts creates unique theatrical works that celebrate real people and real places—works that emphasize the interconnectedness of all human beings. As a community-fueled theater company, RealTime’s projects are co-created by a diverse constellation of individuals with knowledge and experience reaching well beyond the arts, united by the story we’re telling together.

Reimagine Reentry ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Reimagine Reentry is a reentry program for men and women returning home from incarceration to Allegheny County. Utilizing a strengths-based approach, Reimagine Reentry provides opportunities, reduces barriers, and supports returning citizens and works to highlight and harness those characteristics to empower positive change for each individual and their community.

Resonance Works ($20,000) to provide flexible, general operating support for the 2024-25 season. Resonance Works empowers artists and inspires audiences with genre-defying, impactful productions that utilize a mix of evocative new pieces, underperformed masterworks, and timeless classics, challenging traditional assumptions about classical music, engaging audiences, sparking conversations, and creating community through shared experiences. 

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Pittsburgh and Morgantown (RMHC) ($5,000) to support the creation and distribution of multilingual literature for the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile to better serve diverse communities and ensure equitable access to healthcare resources. RMHC Pittsburgh and Morgantown provides a way for families to stay close to their children receiving medical care, and is committed to helping the families lead happier, healthier and more productive lives.

SEE CLEAR ($15,000) to provide capital support for the completion of the first floor of SEE CLEAR’s new center for creativity, innovation, and economic empowerment in McKeesport. SEE CLEAR empowers economically disadvantaged youth and adults by helping them to reach their true potential while serving as a catalyst for economic growth and change in the community.

Shared Interest ($30,000 over three years) to provide flexible, general operating support for an organization that works to close the financing gap for Black women entrepreneurs. Shared Interest mobilizes the resources for Southern Africa’s economically disenfranchised communities to sustain themselves and build equitable nations.

Tech 25 ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support for the organization, as well as support of the Carrick Community Pavilion. Tech 25 provides youth and adults with career opportunities in the event production and broadcast industry through classes, workshops, and hands-on mentoring. The work promotes diversity in the entertainment and event technology industry through providing entry into jobs that pay a living wage and lead to fulfilling careers.

Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestras (TRYPO) ($10,000) to support the 2024-25 10th Anniversary season of the Youth Chamber Connection program, which provides chamber music education and performance opportunities for beginner, intermediate, and advanced music students in the Greater Pittsburgh metropolitan area. TRYPO creates a dynamic, inclusive community where young people are inspired to pursue a lifelong passion for music.

Touchstone Center for Crafts ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Touchstone Center for Crafts advances excellence in the arts and crafts by educating and encouraging individuals to develop technical skills, good design, and innovative expression.  Touchstone Center for Crafts offers classes, exhibitions, lectures, demonstrations, and other creative, educational programming throughout the year for people of all ages and levels of expertise.

True T Pittsburgh ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. True T PGH celebrates queer people of color through creative art, community wellness, and social activism. The organization provides holistic wrap-around services to improve the quality of life for the communities served, and operates a community studio and health services through their space in the Uptown neighborhood that promotes wellness through art and entertainment.

Union Project ($30,000 over two years) to provide flexible, general operating support. Union Project uses the arts to bridge gaps between communities. It is a dynamic arts enterprise, and events center – a community hub and common ground for Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods and residents. 

University of Pittsburgh ($15,000) to bolster the work of The P.R.I.D.E. Program (Positive Racial Identity Development in Early Education). The P.R.I.D.E. Program is a division in the Office of Child Development with the goal of supporting the positive racial identity development of young Black children. P.R.I.D.E. support the important adults in children’s lives by providing them with knowledge, skills, and resources to enable them to help children understand race, themselves, their history, and their culture. P.R.I.D.E. also helps parents, teachers, and the broader community learn from the research and from hands-on practice, ways in which to help children make sense of race and other differences, and better understand the ways children are impacted by race and racism in America.

Western Pennsylvania Fund for Choice ($60,000 over three years) to provide flexible, general operating support. The Western Pennsylvania Fund for Choice ensures that money is not a barrier to accessing abortion care. They provide financial assistance to people throughout Central and Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia seeking abortion care at Allegheny Reproductive Health Center, Pittsburgh’s independent clinic.

Willissae’s Agency for Vision and Empowerment (WAVE) ($10,000) to support the Residential Readiness and Eviction Prevention Program. This program fosters housing stabilization and rental readiness for low to moderate-income families with the aim of preventing persistent homelessness and avoiding common pitfalls that lead to rental payment delinquency or other lease infractions resulting in eviction. WAVE creates housing and economic stability for at-risk individuals in low-income communities through personal empowerment, skill set development, problem solving and wealth building. 

Za’kiyah House ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Funds will support the staff, administrative, and development costs of the organization’s residential, referral, and outreach services. Za’kiyah House reduces homelessness, recidivism, and addiction. 

Discretionary Grants

ABFE (A Philanthropic Partnership for Black Communities) ($5,000) to support the Racial Equity Advancement and Defense Initiative (READI) in partnership with racial equity partners. This initiative includes the development of a resource bank, aimed to equip the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors with essential tools for navigating legal frameworks while passionately advocating for racial justice. ABFE leads transformative initiatives that promote equity, justice, and empowerment, especially in today’s challenging social and political climate. 

Chamber Music Pittsburgh ($10,000) to support the hiring of an accountant as CMP’s new executive director focuses on organizational stewardship. Chamber Music Pittsburgh presents world-class chamber music ensembles and soloists, promising emerging artists, and innovative programs; and fosters an appreciation for chamber music in the Pittsburgh community by offering educational programs and experiences.

Community Partners ($5,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support The Revolutionary Love Project’s Revolutionary Love Project Bus Tour. Founded and led by Valarie Kaur, a Sikh American civil rights leader, The Revolutionary Love Project reclaims love as a force for justice and social change and gives people tools to be brave with their grief, harness their rage, return to wonder, reimagine our institutions, and fight for our humanity from a place of love. 

The Embodiment Institute (TEI) ($5,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. To support Black-Led Movement Work, TEI changes the conversation, practice and politics of healing through strategic training and interventions at interpersonal, organizational, cultural, and environmental scales.

Hill Dance Academy Theatre ($5,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support “A Black Bead Story”. Funds will enable Black wombyn artists from New Orleans working in the realm of female Afro-Atlantic world masquerades to host a panel for the 2025 screening of designer and dancer Celeta Hickman’s short films at the August Wilson House.

New Sun Rising ($5,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support “Be Gay [Do Crime]: The End of Pride Spectacular,” an annual performance to mark the end of Pride Month at the Mr. Smalls venue. Be Gay [Do Crime] creates safe, fun spaces for 18+ queer collegiate youth within the city of Pittsburgh.

New Sun Rising ($5,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support for the #notwhite collective. The #notwhite collective is a group of 13 women artists who use non-individualistic, multi-disciplinary art to make their stories visible as they relate, connect, and belong to the Global Majority. Collective members use their arts practice singularly and collectively to excavate histories, expose realities, and exorcise oppression.

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PITTSBURGH, PA, May 21, 2024 — Opportunity Fund announces grantmaking support in the total amount of $867,750 through 60 grants in the first half of 2024. The foundation reviewed 153 requests for funding, requesting over $2.48 million. This cycle, each of the 70 full applications were reviewed by one of the following: an arts community panel, a social & economic justice community panel, or the Opportunity Fund’s Board of Directors.

Opportunity Fund’s aspiration is to nurture reciprocal relationships with its partners and community members. Trust is key to building strong relationships and, in turn, being in community. General operating support is a type of funding that is unrestricted and allows organizations to use it as they best see fit to meet their goals. The majority of this cycle’s grant funding, 82%, provides unrestricted general operating support. Black-led organizations make up 29% of this cycle’s total grant partners, 47% are white-led, and 24% have Asian or multiracial leadership teams. A complete list of awarded grants can be found below.

Since Opportunity Fund’s inception in 2015, the foundation has awarded 1,118 grants totaling over $16 million. Grant cycles take place two times per year. The deadline to submit an online Letter of Inquiry to be considered for a grant for the next cycle is July 15, 2024. Opportunity Fund encourages organizations focused on the arts and/or social and economic justice to reach out or submit an online Letter of Inquiry by the deadline. Full information about applying for grants is available in the “For Applicants” area of the foundation’s website.

Grant Partner List:

A Peace of Mind ($12,500) to provide flexible, general operating support. Funding will help subsidize tuition for children experiencing poverty within the 12-hour early learning center located in Wilkinsburg. A Peace of Mind provides quality caring services to a community of people with the goal of establishing a vision of peace, wholeness, and enhancements to their overall quality of life by remaining connected and embedded in the community. 

Abiding Missions ($5,000) to support the Community Music Program which provides piano lessons for youth and instruction for a multi-generational community choir. Abiding Missions serves as a base for community development, leading projects grounded in the practices of restorative justice, empowering lives, and strengthening neighborhoods.

ACTION-Housing ($10,000), acting as fiscal sponsor to support the Strength in Numbers‘ (SIN) arts programming within the McKeesport Downtown Housing Low Barrier Shelter. Funds will help establish a dedicated arts space, an arts curriculum, arts instructors, and supplies. SIN strengthens the ability of folx experiencing displacement and hardship to access services such that individuals they serve can get a “hand-up” toward greater stability, and move toward thriving rather than just surviving.

Afro-American Music Institute ($15,000), acting as fiscal sponsor to support The UHIMWE Alliance. The UHIMEWE Alliance works to weave and interweave same gender loving men and brothers of color together as community in the greater Pittsburgh region. UHIMWE works to create a more positive future for themselves and  their communities.

Alia Musica Pittsburgh ($10,000), acting as fiscal sponsor to support the work of Afro Yaqui Music Collective, including a revolutionary jazz opera written for mariachi orchestra and a book-plus-video on the Haitian Revolution and early jazz. Afro Yaqui Music Collective is a postcolonial big band committed to a decolonized music and theater practice—to sounding a world where many worlds fit.

ArtUp ($10,000) to support When the Butterflies Would Visit, a first convening of five ecological artists, matched with five U.S. BIPOC inaugural fellows on Indigenous land around ecology, equity, art, and reciprocity. This venture doubles as ground work towards the next Sites of Passage, an exchange between Indigenous artists living inside the made up perimeters of the United States. ArtUp builds global interchanges for the migration of ideas across political and cultural boundaries.

ARYSE ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. ARYSE is a student-centered organization that supports immigrant and refugee youth in becoming engaged, confident, and celebrated members of our community. 

Assemble ($7,500) to support the Unblurred and Crafternoon Artist Residency program in which local artists have the opportunity to present their work and share their skills with youth. Assemble envisions a diverse community that creates, connects, and learns through the experience of art and technology.

barebones productions ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support during the company’s 2024 season. barebones productions promote the growth of local theater artists through the production of challenging, entertaining, thought-provoking plays and to attract new, young audiences by employing minimal production elements for maximum impact.

Bhutanese Community Association of Pittsburgh (BCAP) ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. BCAP ensures a high quality of life for all members of the Bhutanese community in Allegheny County and in the surrounding Westmoreland and Washington counties, and supports their integration into American society through culturally-informed services and activities. It also supports members of other refugee and immigrant communities in the south hills neighborhoods of Pittsburgh. 

Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation ($10,000), acting as fiscal sponsor to support Pedantic Arts Residency. Pedantic is an opportunity for exchange and inspiration for creatives who practice visual art, curating, and writing. Pedantic helps to strengthen, unite, and enrich Pittsburgh’s arts community by welcoming national and international creatives for a month-long residency, during which they are woven into the cultural fabric of the city.

Carnegie Mellon University ($7,750) to support the 10th installment of TQ LIVE! at the Carnegie Museum of Art. TQ Live! presents a queer evening of dazzling performance, dance, poetry, comedy, resplendent fantasies, music, and more.

City of Bridges Community Land Trust ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. The organization works to redress the intersections of housing, economic, and racial justice. City of Bridges builds community ownership that preserves permanent affordability, empowers individuals, and ensures responsible growth and stewardship.

Community Forge ($10,000), acting as fiscal sponsor to support the work of Locally Served in providing free, holistic, legal representation to individuals with disabilities involved  in the child welfare or criminal legal system in Allegheny County. Locally Served defends the rights of families and people with disabilities  and includes wraparound social work and client advocacy support. 

Community Human Services Corporation (CHS) ($15,000) to support the renovation of a new Community & Social Center located at Wood Street Commons (WSC) and operated by CHS. WSC is a 259-room, single room occupancy facility spanning 10 floors of supportive housing. Safe, affordable housing and nutritious food are fundamental human rights, and CHS strives to make them accessible to all in Pittsburgh and surrounding areas.

Contemporary Craft ($57,500 over three years) to provide flexible, general operating support, inclusive of exhibitions, educational and community engagement programming, artist programs, residencies, and more. Contemporary Craft engages the public in creative experiences through contemporary craft by forging connections between creativity, making, and daily life. Contemporary Craft presents the best national and international, contemporary art in craft media, and showcases important techniques, concepts, and artists in the field.

Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+) ($7,500) to provide flexible, general operating support. CERF+ provides disaster and emergency relief and readiness grants as well as educational resources, advocating for the thrive-ability of craft artists and craft as an art form. Drawing upon their roots as a mutual aid organization founded by craft artists in 1985, they are guided by the principles of generosity, inclusion, and care as they serve craft artists in tribal communities and across the United States and territories.

Crafting the Future (CTF) ($17,500) to support its Pittsburgh-based residency and scholarship programs for BIPOC artists, in partnership with The Pittsburgh Glass Center, Touchstone Center for Crafts, and Bridgeway Capital’s Creative Business Accelerator (ORIGINS). CTF works to increase access to creative enrichment by connecting BIPOC artists with opportunities that will help them thrive.

D-Composed ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. D-Composed is a Chicago-based chamber music collective that uplifts and empowers society by providing a platform for the music of Black composers by increasing access and exposure to Black creativity, culture, and life through thoughtful programming, events, and content.

Faith United Methodist Church – Roots of Faith (ROF)($12,500) to provide flexible, general operating support for ROF’s ongoing efforts to alleviate poverty and improve quality of life for residents of Sharpsburg and nearby communities. ROF builds community by reconciling people with God and one another.

Foster Love Project ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Foster Love Project shows love in action to children impacted by foster and kinship care through the provision of goods, services, and support.

Fractured Atlas ($15,000), acting as fiscal sponsor to support JADED Collective. Led by women and non-binary artists, JADED creates spaces for Asian American & Pacific Island (AAPI) representation and empowerment. From large, public celebrations to intimate AAPI-only gatherings, JADED addresses the trauma of racial violence, reveals the hidden history of AAPI migration in the Pittsburgh region, and offers mentorship and networking opportunities for our communities.

Guardians Of Sound & The Hip Hop Orchestra ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Guardians of Sound enriches life through music making, performance, and education that employs acoustic sound, human voices, and musical instruments using current music and media technologies, and the talents of professional, pre-professional, and youth musicians. 

Harambee Ujima ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support for the three-day Harambee Ujima Black Arts Festival in 2024. Harambee Ujima fosters an indelible sense of identity, resilience, and empowerment among people of African American descent and their communities through celebrations of their art forms, including but not limited to dance, music, arts and crafts, and storytelling.

Healing By Dezigns ($15,000) to support the Holistic Fashion Therapy Program, a nontraditional approach that uses methods  with which participants are familiar and comfortable. Healing By Dezigns empowers and transforms the lives of Black men and women who are dealing with remnants of trauma after abuse.

Housing Opportunities, Inc. ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Housing Opportunities delivers comprehensive housing assistance programs, including affordable housing development, financial counseling, and homeownership education, directly benefiting low-income families and individuals in Beaver and Lawrence Counties.

Jeremiah’s Place ($12,500) to provide flexible, general operating support for Jeremiah’s Place, a judgment-free, 24/7 emergency childcare services for children ages 0-6, provided at no cost to families. Jeremiah’s Place protects children and strengthens families by providing a safe haven of respite, health, renewal, and support for children when their families are experiencing a critical need for childcare.

Kelly Strayhorn Theater ($10,000) acting as fiscal sponsor to support the creation of Huggable Loveable Uterus, street performance, costuming, and community engagement by artist Carolyn P. Speranza. Including a human-sized uteri mascot, mobile drum corps and dance squads, original uteri costumes, and visual art apparatus, Huggable Lovable Uterus will give the mic to physical anatomy central to reproductive rights by making it larger than life, visually present, and impossible to ignore. 

Kelly Strayhorn Theater (KST) ($60,000 over three years) to provide flexible, general operating support as KST and its Alloy Studios provide transformational artist support and community programming, and implement initiatives to streamline operations as the organization plans for real estate development. KST is a home for creative experimentation, community dialogue, and collective action rooted in the liberation of Black and queer people. 

Landforce ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Landforce builds viable pathways for those experiencing persistent barriers to employment by improving Pittsburgh’s natural infrastructure and community well-being through workforce development, with an expanded focus on urban wood reuse. Landforce nourishes a culture of self-empowerment for people aspiring towards meaningful and stable employment, as it protects and improves the environment.

Lettuce Turnip the Beet Sustainability Collective ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Lettuce Turnip the Beet builds, cultivates, and sustains a beautiful life by addressing food access and sustainability through education, outreach, and advocacy.

Macedonia Family and Community Enrichment Center (FACE) ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. FACE encourages the development of healthy families and is committed to living out its mission by addressing the disparities that impact African American families and other vulnerable populations in the community. 

New Sun Rising ($15,000), acting as fiscal sponsor to support the work of Arts Excursions Unlimited (AEU). Funding will cover transportation, food, and entrance fees, making art and cultural experiences AEU organizes accessible to local families. AEU fosters creative self-determination for residents of the Greater Hazelwood community through arts and cultural excursions, increases arts engagement via workshops, events, and activities both inside and outside the neighborhood, and designs and fabricates temporary art. 

The Open Door ($45,000 over three years) to provide flexible, general operating support as the organization supports current and future residents, and scattered site participants, through housing, representative payee services, and medical transportation. Building from a harm reduction model, The Open Door, Inc. provides supportive housing and related services to improve the health of the forgotten population of high risk, chronically homeless people living with HIV in the Pittsburgh area. 

Our House Family First ($10,000), acting as fiscal sponsor for The Center for Relational Change to support the Say Its Name Conference. The Say Its Name Conference facilitates lasting and impactful familial and social change by educating participants about the relational nature of social injustice and empowering individuals to understand their relationship to themselves. 

Patients for Affordable Drugs (P4AD) ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. P4AD is the only national patient advocacy organization focused exclusively on lowering prescription drug prices. It fights for systems-level change to the drug pricing system to ensure the systems of politics, science, and medicine serve the interests of people first, and especially the health of Black, Brown, and historically and underserved people in the U.S. who are disproportionately impacted by high drug prices.

PearlArts Movement & Sound ($52,500 over three years) to provide flexible, general operating support and to  support the organization’s expansion into a new facility in Braddock, PA. PearlArts is a dance-focused arts organization that exists to celebrate and explore the full range of Blackness and culture through dynamic performances and experiences. 

PERSAD Center ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Persad improves the mental and emotional health of the LGBTQ+ community and promotes overall wellness by providing culturally competent and affirming services, education, and advocacy.

Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse inspires creativity, conservation, and community engagement through reuse. 

Pittsburgh Glass Center ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Pittsburgh Glass Center cultivates an inclusive and welcoming environment that encourages everyone, from the casually curious to the master artist, to learn, create, and be inspired by glass. The Glass Center exists to promote glass art creation and appreciation.

Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble (PNME) ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Funding will support PNME’s 2024 season and the launch of a new professional development program that brings together music teachers and composers to strengthen teaching, diversify repertoire choices for students, and help foster the creation and dissemination of new music. Using music as the vehicle for larger ideas, PNME seeks to bring together the people and the arts of our time. 

Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support and to support the 2024 production of “Twelfth Night”. Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks provides free and accessible Shakespeare and classical theater to the residents of Pittsburgh in public parks and outdoor spaces. 

Prototype PGH ($10,000), acting as fiscal sponsor for The Autonomous Body Shop. Funding supports the reproductive freedom, sexual health, and bodily autonomy of folks by mobile distribution of free informational resources and practical supplies. With a specific focus on reproductive justice and sexual health, The Autonomous Body Shop empowers individuals to be resources for their friend groups and communities.

Sankofa Village for the Arts ($30,000 over two years) to provide flexible, general operating support and to bolster youth programming focused on drumming, dancing, and martial arts. Sankofa Village for the Arts delivers culturally responsive, African-centered programs and services to children and youth, parents and families and community members, arts organizations, in the creative and performing arts. 

Shiftworks Community + Public Arts ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Shiftworks envisions a region in which the creative practices of artists are fully engaged to collaboratively shape the public realm and catalyze community-led change. Shiftworks builds capacity for this work through civically engaged public art, artist resources, public programming, and technical assistance. 

sisTers PGH ($15,000), acting as fiscal sponsor to support the work of Black Liberation Autonomous Collective (BLAC). Funding will help BLAC expand services for young Black transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals in Allegheny County, including the provision of gender-affirming care kits and hosting social events for the community through the Kiki Project. BLAC builds a community network of Black trans and non-binary youth and allies to be a platform for our siblings to construct the change they want to see, and provide for our people’s needs through our mutual aid program.

The Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka (SPMMMV) ($7,500) to provide flexible, general operating support. SPMMMV conserves and protects for permanent public exhibition the Maxo Vanka murals within St. Nicholas Croatian Catholic Church in Pittsburgh, enabling the immigrant artist’s “gift to America” to serve as an enduring catalyst for community engagement and education, inspire social and cultural dialogue, celebrate diversity, and forge connections through reflections on the extraordinary American experience.

Sto-Rox Neighborhood Health Council ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Sto-Rox Neighborhood Health Council is a federally qualified health center (FQHC) that provides comprehensive health services for the McKees Rocks, Stowe Township, Hilltop, and surrounding communities by focusing on the treatment of illnesses, the prevention of disease, and the promotion of health. 

Survivor Siblings ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Funding will bolster current programs, including outreach support, peer-to-peer support groups, survivor retreats, and free education workshops on sex trafficking, facilitated by survivors. Survivor Siblings exists to empower survivors and raise awareness about sex trafficking.

Tree of Life ($10,000) to support La’akam and the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh (HCP) to educate the Pittsburgh community about the Bamileke genocide. Funding will help underwrite La’akam’s fifth annual commemoration of the Bamileke genocide in March 2025 and HCP’s support of La’akam through leadership development, platforming of the story of the Bamileke genocide, and relationship expansion. La’akam seeks accountability and healing from the Bamileke genocide, strengthens the Bamileke diaspora, and reconnects with Black Americans of Bamileke heritage who lost their culture due to slavery. HCP connects the horrors of the Holocaust and antisemitism with injustices of today.  

Team G.R.O.W. ($10,000) to empower low-income women homeowners in Pittsburgh’s Uptown/Hill District. Funding will support educational workshops teaching essential home repair and maintenance skills. Team G.R.O.W. prevents evictions due to minor damages and fosters a sense of ownership and empowerment among women of color in the community.

Thomas Merton Center (TMC) ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Funding will enhance TMC’s work building a collaborative movement to address homelessness, working alongside community partners and individuals experiencing homelessness themselves. TMC builds a consciousness of values and raises the moral questions involved in the issues of war, poverty, racism, classism, economic justice, human rights, and environmental justice. 

University of Pittsburgh ($10,000) to support Music on the Edge‘s fourth biennial Beyond: Microtonal Music Festival in 2025. This three-day festival, featuring international and local microtonal music performers and composers, expands the boundaries of musical exploration and appreciation within the Pittsburgh community.

Westmoreland Performing Arts ($5,000) to support the creation of a free arts initiative that uses theater to teach social-emotional skills to marginalized students, fostering understanding, inclusion, and harmony. Westmoreland Performing Arts gives students of all backgrounds and beliefs the skills to become independent, creative thinkers, critical problem solvers, and successful collaborators.

Women’s Law Project ($30,000 over two years) to provide flexible, general operating support. Working for reproductive rights, LGBTQ+ equality, and bodily autonomy, Women’s Law Project leverages the power of the law to eliminate gender bias and discrimination.

XLiberator Network ($7,500), acting as fiscal sponsor to support the work of An Honest Effort. An Honest Effort supports the growth of emerging artists’ of color through art shows and exhibitions fostering representation within the art community.

Young Black Motivated Kings & Queens (YBMKQ) ($10,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. YBMKQ is a community-based organization made up of dedicated young men and women who engage high school-aged youth in becoming the leaders of tomorrow while serving the community.

YWCA Greater Pittsburgh ($7,500), acting as fiscal sponsor to support the work of re:Bloom. re:Bloom creates opportunities for small business owners, especially women and minority-owned businesses, to learn how to build, grow, and manage their online presence.  

Zellous Hope Project ($15,000) to provide flexible, general operating support. Zellous Hope Project provides a bridge over the holes on the road to living better by working together with existing organizations, to create the change we want to see in the lives of the people we serve.

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PITTSBURGH, PA, January 11, 2024 — Opportunity Fund announces the launch of its “Process Book,” a new type of annual report. This Process Book titled “Building on Trust” is intended to tell the story of the last nine years of work at Opportunity Fund and where the organization is heading. A theme of this journey as documented in the book is the profound importance of building trust, especially as Opportunity Fund looks toward the future. 

Click through the slides above, open in full screen, or download a pdf.

This Process Book demonstrates the ways that Opportunity Fund is building upon existing work and illuminates the areas where the organization is evolving and weaving trust deeply into new relationships and avenues of support. This intention is connected to and informed by the work and direction of the Trust-based Philanthropy Project. As a private foundation, Opportunity Fund views its primary role as redistributing wealth and resources. By focusing on reciprocity, the organization believes it can best fulfill its role in authentic and community-led ways. This focus is intentional and oriented toward trying different ways to work and be in relationship, Opportunity Fund invites its Process Book readers on this journey with them. 

Part of this journey includes transparently sharing data demonstrating how the organization is doing toward putting its values into action. In this book readers will see the progression the organization has made toward greater racial representation in its funding partners, enhanced investment into general operating support grants, and models of funding that put trust at the center of its giving.  

Opportunity Fund’s aspiration is to nurture reciprocal relationships with its partners and community members. Trust is key to building strong relationships and, in turn, being in community. Throughout the book, readers will learn about Opportunity Fund’s grant partners, data from over the years, and storytelling about the course the organization is taking forward. Explore Opportunity Fund’s Process Book.

Since Opportunity Fund’s inception in 2015, the foundation has awarded 1,059 grants totaling over $15,250,000 million. Grant cycles take place two times per year. The deadline to submit an online Letter of Inquiry to be considered for a grant for our next cycle is January 16, 2024. Opportunity Fund encourages organizations focused on the arts and social and economic justice to review its grant opportunities and reach out or submit an online Letter of Inquiry by the deadline. Full information about applying for grants is available in the “For Applicants” area of our website. 

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Opportunity Fund’s aspiration is to nurture reciprocal relationships with its partners and community members. Trust is key to building strong relationships and, in turn, being in community. General operating support is a type of funding that is unrestricted and allows organizations to use it as they best see fit to meet their goals. The majority of this year’s grant funding, 82%, is unrestricted general operating support. Black-led organizations make up 51% of this year’s total grant partners, 32% are white-led, and 17% have Asian, Latinx, and/or Native leadership teams. A complete list of awarded grants can be found below.

Since the Opportunity Fund’s inception in 2015, the foundation has awarded 1,056 grants totaling nearly $15,240,000. Grant cycles take place two times per year. The deadline to submit an online Letter of Inquiry to be considered for a grant for the next cycle is January 16, 2024. Opportunity Fund encourages organizations focused on the arts and social and economic justice to review its grant opportunities and reach out or submit an online Letter of Inquiry by the deadline. 

Full information about applying for grants is available in the “For Applicants” area of the foundation’s website. 

Grant Partner List:

412 JUSTICE ($15,000) to provide flexible general operating support. 412 JUSTICE is a multiracial, intergenerational, and multi-issue organization that focuses on economic, environmental, and education justice. 412 JUSTICE builds deep trust and collaboration with impacted people and uses their voice to promote strong, healthy communities and corporate accountability through the redistribution of  wealth, power, and resources.

Abolitionist Law Center ($40,000 over two years) to provide multi-year, flexible general operating support. Funds primarily support the organization’s advocacy for institutional policies and practices in Allegheny County that support decarceration and racial justice, centering directly impacted and traditionally marginalized people. The Abolitionist Law Center is a public interest law firm and community organizing project organized for the purpose of abolishing class and race based mass incarceration in the United States.

Allegheny Lawyers Initiative for Justice (ALIJ) ($10,000) to provide flexible general operating support. Specifically, these funds will support ALIJ to complete a business plan and to develop operational structures, processes, policies and procedures as the organization begins its work. ALIJ provides innovative, holistic defense services and collaborates with community partners to advocate for transformational change in the criminal legal system.

Allies for Health + Wellbeing ($45,000 over three years) to provide multi-year, flexible general operating support. Funds will help provide emergency financial assistance for clients living with HIV, support drastically increased medical insurance costs for staff, and contribute to the organization’s capital campaign. Allies provides integrated medical care, supportive human services, and community-based education for individuals living with, or at risk of, HIV, viral hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections.

The Allignment Chapter Corporation ($9,000) to provide flexible general operating support. The Allignment Chapter offers immediate emergency support to mothers in need and provides a free financially fit literacy program. The program bridges the gap between low-income and middle-class mothers by equipping them with financial education and skills to empower and diversify the middle class, particularly among single mothers who often lack access to such resources.

ALMA|LEWIS ($15,000) to provide flexible general operating support for the organization, including its artist-in-residence programming. ALMA|LEWIS is an experimental contemporary art platform for critical thinking, constructive dialogue, and creative expression dedicated to Black artists and culture.

Ayúdate Incorporated ($12,500) to provide flexible general operating support, helping to launch the organization. Ayúdate increases the accessibility of mental health resources in the Spanish language at a low cost via telehealth for the growing Spanish-speaking population of Western Pennsylvania.

Balafon West African Dance Ensemble ($30,000 over two years) to provide multi-year, flexible general operating support. The organization creates enriching opportunities to experience the joyful spirit and culture of traditional West African dance, centering the contributions of women. 

Baldwin for the Arts ($10,000) to provide flexible general operating support for the 2023-2024 Baldwin Fellowship, a nurturing residency for artists of the Global Majority to explore, create, and breathe, free from the distractions and hindrances of everyday life. Baldwin for the Arts seeks to support the creation of art that reflects the lived experiences of African, Asian, indigenous, and dual-heritage backgrounds by advancing the careers of historically underrepresented literary, visual, and performing artists. 

Beaver County Foundation ($5,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the work of Royally Fit. Funds will support the expansion of the Royal T.E.A. cohort, which provides maternal wellness support and self care programming. Royally Fit is a community-based healthcare organization that supports community members as they strive to be fit in every aspect of wellness.

Black Political Empowerment Project (B-PEP) ($20,000 over two years) to provide multi-year, flexible general operating support. Core projects include civic engagement, the Greater Pittsburgh Coalition Against Violence, and the Corporate Equity and Inclusion Roundtable.  B-PEP is a non-partisan collaborative with agency, organization and religious leaders and committed individuals in Pittsburgh and the surrounding region who seek to build economic and social power and influence in and for the region’s African American community.

Black Women’s Policy Center ($10,000) to provide flexible general operating support. The Black Women’s Policy Center improves the lives of Black women by providing a place of refuge and support through advocacy, navigating systems, accessing resources, training, education as well as policy development and change.

Carnegie Mellon University ($9,996) to support the MS89: Community Archives Screening Series. MS89 is a series of in-person nightclub archives screening events organized by Pittsburgh Queer History Project and co-hosted by LGBTQ elders with first hand experience of never-before or rarely seen archival materials. MS89 is redesigning community archival practice, driven by a collective desire for a shared history, creating diverse and intergenerational audiences who reinterpret this history through theatrical and participatory social events. 

Casa San Jose ($15,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to provide capital support for Guerrero Glass as the organization transforms into a brick-and-mortar glassblowing studio. Guerrero Glass provides free glassblowing for systematically disadvantaged youth within community, led by community.

Casa San Jose ($15,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the Block Chronicles’s Pittsburgh – Latinx Artist Residency (P-LAR). P-LAR is a 10-month residency that strengthens career advancement for Latinx artists in Pittsburgh’s arts sector by supporting their artistic needs during the pandemic through mentorship, resources, and a curated environment for creativity, peace and reflection. 

Center for Artistic Activism (C4AA) ($7,500) to support the Unstoppable Voters Fellowship, through which leading artistic activists make voting joyful, vibrant, safe, powerful, accessible, inspiring, and irresistible, all across the United States. Funding will help expand the program in Pittsburgh for the 2024 elections.  C4AA is dedicated to advancing the practice of artistic activism by empowering individuals to harness their creativity and cultural influence to drive social change. 

Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) ($15,000) to provide flexible general operating support for CEO Pittsburgh, which supports justice-impacted individuals who are at high risk of being re-incarcerated, are unemployed, and are in need of immediate income. CEO provides comprehensive employment services to help Pittsburgh individuals secure and sustain jobs, offering a pathway to long-term stability and economic opportunity.

Center of Life ($10,000) to provide flexible general operating support as the organization uplifts Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood community amidst the rapid development that has begun to reshape the community’s landscape. Center of Life provides families and youth with the life-skills, education, training, and resources necessary to be strong and to make their communities strong.

Chamber Music Pittsburgh ($45,000 over three years) to provide multi-year support for the organization’s MainStage concert series, which features and celebrates a wide range of chamber ensembles of the highest caliber, exposing the Pittsburgh community to superb artists and performances. 

Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh ($10,000) to provide flexible general operating support for the 2023-2024 season. The Chamber Orchestra of Pittsburgh provides its community with exceptional performances, community enrichment, and related programming by a world-class ensemble. Repertoire includes familiar works, rarely performed masterpieces, and contemporary compositions.

City Theatre Company ($15,000) to provide flexible general operating support for City’s 49th season of contemporary plays, special events, education programs, and community engagement partnerships. City Theatre provides an artistic home for the development and production of contemporary plays of substance and ideas that engage and challenge diverse audiences. 

Community Forge ($10,000) to sustain and expand the Wilkinsburg Open Mic Nights series, which provides a platform for artists and bridges diverse communities in Pittsburgh. Community Forge builds an equitable economy for Wilkinsburg and the Greater Pittsburgh region by creating opportunities that promote professional development, financial wellbeing, and entrepreneurial growth. 

Dreams of Hope ($60,000 over three years), acting as fiscal sponsor, to provide flexible multi-year general operating support for Hatch Arts Collective. This grant will fund a national tour and multiple seasons of NEST, an initiative to develop new work by queer and BIPOC artists. Hatch Arts Collective is a Pittsburgh-based performance incubator that develops new, interdisciplinary, and queer- or BIPOC-led performance projects.

East End Cooperative Ministry (EECM) ($10,000) to provide flexible general operating support. Since 1970, EECM has responded to community needs with programs that provide opportunity, transformation and hope to those experiencing homelessness, food insecurity, educational challenges, and barriers to employment. 

Eden’s Farm ($30,000 over two years) to provide flexible, multi-year general operating support. Funds will support the cost of case manager staff salary in providing case management and residential support. Eden’s Farm exists to provide a safe place, trauma-informed holistic care, education and outreach, and resources to survivors of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation.

The Embodiment Institute (TEI) ($10,000) to provide flexible general operating support. TEI creates training and healing spaces for community members and movement leaders to learn about politicized healing and embodiment. TEI changes the conversation, practice and politics of healing through strategic training and interventions at interpersonal, organizational, cultural and environmental scales.

Focus On Renewal Neighborhood Corporation ($15,000) to provide flexible general operating support, focusing on the safety net programs at the organization’s Community Resource Center (CRC). The CRC serves as the epicenter for community safety net programs, including integrated human services to meet the needs of residents.  Focus on Renewal’s programs and partnerships connect children, adults, and families with the relationships, resources, and opportunities needed to develop and sustain a thriving community.

Footbridge for Families ($10,000) to provide flexible general operating support. Footbridge provides one-of-a-kind rapid support and service coordination for families facing financial crises which have no other solution.  

Fractured Atlas ($6,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to provide flexible general operating support for Vigilance Theater Group. Vigilance is an immersive theater group dedicated to creating intimate, experiential productions. Vigilance seeks to create original and re-contextualized theater for very small groups in spaces outside of traditional performance environments. 

The Heliotrope Foundation ($10,000) to support the completion of The Sanctuary, a place for formerly incarcerated individuals to heal and begin again. The Sanctuary is a social hall and transitional living space whose mission is to reduce drug addiction, recidivism, and homelessness by meeting people in their most vulnerable states. The Heliotrope Foundation, founded by artist Caledonia Curry (also known as Swoon), is dedicated to supporting communities in their creative responses to adversity. 

The Genesis Collective ($7,500) to provide flexible general operating support for the organization’s efforts to engage in public art projects and employ artists to teach, collaborate, and advocate for their work. The Genesis Collective exists to support artists and their work, increase the public’s access to art and creativity, and entrench art in and around community development in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. 

Industrial Arts Workshop (IAW) ($10,000) to provide flexible general operating support. IAW empowers Pittsburgh-area youth and adults at the intersection of arts, community development, and workforce readiness. Through the creative process of hands-on sculpture design and welding, students develop skills and have experiences that help prepare them for the workplace – whether that be in welding, another trade, the arts, or some other field all together.

Jazz Workshop, Inc. ($6,000) to provide flexible general operating support. Jazz Workshop, Inc. provides a music education program that teaches jazz and other forms of music to underserved students and other populations to promote and preserve jazz as an art form, build multi-cultural understanding, encourage self-esteem, and self-expression through music.

Jewish Family and Community Services of Pittsburgh (JFCS) ($15,000) to provide gap salary funding for an attorney to provide immigration legal services to unaccompanied immigrant children. JFCS supports people through life’s changes and challenges, working to create a caring community where all people have the opportunity to reach their potential.  

Just Harvest Education Fund ($10,000) to provide flexible general operating support. Just Harvest reduces barriers to public safety net benefits, connects people in need to those public benefits, addresses healthy food access needs in food apartheid communities, and mobilizes grassroots participation in policy advocacy for food justice for all. 

Let’s Get Free: The Women and Trans Prisoner Defense Committee ($60,000 over three years) to provide flexible multi-year general operating support. Let’s Get Free works to end perpetual punishment with a focus on Death by Incarceration, build pathways out of the prisons back to our communities through commutation reform, support successful possibilities for people formerly and currently incarcerated, and shift to a culture of transformative justice.

Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild ($15,000) to support concerts and supporting educational events associated with MCG Jazz’s 2023-2024 concert season, featuring jazz legends and emerging artists. MCG Jazz preserves, presents, and promotes jazz through an annual concert series, a recording label, educational programs, and an archive of audio/video recordings, photographs, interviews, and individual artist collections.

Mothers of Incarcerated Sonsᵀᴹ (MISᵀᴹ) ($15,000) to provide flexible general operating support, including civic engagement and Re-entry with Dignity programs. MISᵀᴹ is a movement to see and to amplify the voices of the Invisible Prisoners of mass incarceration. The organization endeavors to support those adversely affected by the incarceration of their loved ones and aims to serve the needs of incarcerated individuals through advocacy, awareness campaigns, and benevolent activities. Additionally, MISᵀᴹ focuses on supporting the needs of individuals returning home to their loved ones.

Mwanakuche Farm ($15,000) to provide flexible general operating support for the Somali Bantu-led farm in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Funding will provide provisions for animals and feed, soil amendment, and equipment repair. Mwanakuche Farm educates and provides a reliable, healthy, culturally-appropriate, and in-demand food source for immigrant communities. 

Neighborhood Allies ($30,000 over two years), acting as fiscal sponsor, to provide flexible multi-year general operating support for Steel Smiling. Steel Smiling bridges the gap between Black people and mental health support through education, advocacy and awareness.

New Hazlett Center for the Performing Arts ($60,000 over three years) to provide flexible multi-year general operating support as the organization continues to provide a safe, accessible, affordable mid-size venue for Pittsburgh’s performing arts community and audiences. The New Hazlett Theater creates dynamic art through innovation and collaboration, providing vital resources to creators from diverse backgrounds to enrich the cultural community.

New Sun Rising ($20,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to provide flexible general operating support for Pittonkatonk. Pittonkatonk’s annual May Day Celebration serves as a platform for local performers and social justice groups from the region to come together and showcase their talents alongside international performers from the African diaspora and Latin America. Pittonkatonk empowers people through music in diverse practices to engage the world around them and advance fair and just relations between people and society.

New Sun Rising ($12,500), acting as fiscal sponsor, to provide flexible general operating support for DEMASKUS Theater Collective. DEMASKUS Theatre Collective pushes through traditional boundaries of the arts by developing unique masterpieces that marry the history, passion, and soul of untold stories with high production values.

New Sun Rising ($10,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support Birth Your Way. Funding will support the development of a diverse, equitable, and culturally sensitive birth workforce that addresses the maternal mortality disparity in Pittsburgh. Birth Your Way establishes a communal scope of practice and elevates the standard of practice within the birth worker profession.

Off the Wall Productions ($10,000) to provide flexible general operating support. Off The Wall is a theater production company that enriches, enlivens, educates, amazes, and entertains audiences, to help create a more conscious and compassionate community while increasing the public knowledge and appreciation of theater in South Western Pennsylvania. 

Office for Public Art ($45,000 over three years), acting as fiscal sponsor, to provide flexible multi-year general operating support for Sibyls Shrine. Sibyls Shrine is an art collective and residency program that uplifts Black artists who m/other with opportunities for radical care, rest, and support in an effort to further develop their craft and presence in the art world.

Pennsylvania Prison Society ($15,000) to provide flexible general operating support. 200 years ago, the Prison Society was designated as Pennsylvania’s independent monitor of correctional facilities, making it the only non-governmental organization in the country with access to people in custody. Through its statutory “gold-key” access to people in custody, The Prison Society is able to meet with people in jail, collect and disseminate information on their experience, and identify issues in a singular way. The Prison Society promotes the health, safety, and dignity of Pennsylvanians in prison and jail.

Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania (PPWP) ($60,000 over three years) to provide flexible multi-year general operating support. PPWP provides high-quality reproductive health care services, comprehensive sexuality education and strategic advocacy.

POISE Foundation ($15,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to provide flexible general operating support of POORLAW’s enforcement of programs and policies that address economic development, housing development, and social service deliveries. POORLAW addresses racial and ethnic disparities in Pittsburgh’s Greater Hazelwood community by addressing the lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of residents’ lives and community development. 

POISE Foundation ($30,000 over two years), acting as fiscal sponsor, to provide flexible multi-year general operating support for the Alliance for Police Accountability (APA). As a collective of voices fighting for change, APA dismantles harmful systems of oppression, mobilizes community members as active agents of change, and affirms the humanity of Black and other marginalized communities.

Prime Stage Theatre ($10,000) to provide flexible general operating support for the company’s 2023-2024 season. Prime Stage Theatre brings great literature to life through the transformative process of live theatre – entertaining, informing, enriching, and inspiring audiences with engaging programs that deliver long-lasting benefits to the youths, adults, and families of our region. 

Program to Aid Citizen Enterprise (PACE) ($30,000 over two years) to provide flexible multi-year general operating support. PACE advances a more equitable community by increasing the capacity of individuals, groups, and organizations that challenge injustice.

The Promise Center of Homewood, Inc. ($10,000) to provide flexible general operating support. The Promise Center is an out-of-school time educational program designed for students from kindergarten through 12th grade, with a specific focus on African American students from low socioeconomic status communities. The program focuses on building a strong foundation in the fundamentals and fostering relationships based on world cultures, particularly in the areas of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM).

Radiant Hall ($15,000) to provide flexible general operating support. Radiant Hall is an artist-led community offering multifaceted support to Pittsburgh’s artists and creatives, centered on the provision and preservation of studio space. 

Rainbow Serpent, Inc. ($15,000) to provide flexible general operating support. Specifically, funds will support the hiring of a part-time program manager. Rainbow Serpent seeks to advance Black LGBTQ culture through the exploration of multimedia art, African cosmologies, and emerging technologies. 

RealTime Arts ($20,000) to provide flexible general operating support that will expand staff salaries and capacities, leading to a more sustainable infrastructure. RealTime Arts (formerly RealTime Interventions) is a community-fueled performance company that creates theatrical experiences and public events that celebrate real stories of real people and real places, and the interconnectedness of all human beings.

Reimagine Reentry, Inc. ($15,000) to provide flexible general operating support. Reimagine Reentry is a reentry program for men and women returning home from incarceration to Allegheny County. Reimagine Reentry walks alongside returning citizens to address the unique challenges of reentering the community through a strengths-based approach. The organization provides opportunities, reduces barriers, and supports returning citizens, empowering positive change for each individual and their community. 

Resonance Works ($12,500) to provide flexible, general operating support for the 2023-24 season. Resonance Works is a performing arts non-profit that empowers musicians and inspires audiences with intimate, genre-defying productions. Showcasing a diverse range of musical genres, Resonance Works presents opera, musical theatre, orchestral, choral, and chamber music. Resonance Works challenges traditional assumptions about classical music and invites audiences to connect with the work in fresh and unexpected ways.

SEE CLEAR ($12,500) to provide flexible general operating support. SEE CLEAR provides continued equitable advancement of Black-led businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs through one-on-one individualized coaching, workshops, and coordinated supportive, educational, and financial services. SEE CLEAR empowers economically disadvantaged youth and adults by helping them to reach their true potential while serving as a catalyst for economic growth and change in the community.

Silver Eye Center for Photography ($10,000) to provide flexible general operating support. Silver Eye promotes the power of contemporary photography as a fine art medium by creating original exhibitions, unique educational programing, and a space for artists to learn, create, and connect through a digital lab. The programs are dedicated to supporting the work of emerging, mid-career, and under-recognized artists and sharing that work with diverse audiences in engaging and meaningful ways.

Social Good Fund ($20,000 over two years), acting as fiscal sponsor, to provide flexible general operating support for PeoplesHub. PeoplesHub focuses on Disability Justice and Solidarity Economy centering art and culture, care and access. PeoplesHub is an online movement school that connects groups and individuals across geographies to build strong, resilient and transformative movements. By creating vibrant spaces for learning and cross-pollination, and working with others to develop their skills for online training and facilitation, PeoplesHub aims to overcome some of the barriers that get in the way of creating inclusive and successful movements.

The Tank Ltd ($15,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to provide flexible general operating support for DNAWORKS. DNAWORKS is an arts and service organization dedicated to dialogue and healing through the arts. Through multidisciplinary programs and performances that center the voices and experiences of people of the global majority and the LGBTQ2SPIAA+ community, DNAWORKS aims to create spaces and platforms where marginalized voices can be heard and celebrated, striving to foster dialogue, understanding, and positive change in society.

Tech25 ($10,000) to provide flexible general operating support. Tech25 is a state of the art event training center providing technical support and educational training for many of the cultural institutions and performing arts centers in Western PA. The organization’s work promotes diversity in the entertainment and event technology industry through providing entry into jobs that pay a living wage and lead to fulfilling careers. 

Theatre Communications Group (TCG) ($5,000) to provide support for the 2023, Pittsburgh-based Rising Leaders of Colors cohort to attend TCG’s 2024 National Conference. TCG is a national theater service organization that plays a leading role in cultivating a thriving theater ecology. 

True Costs Initiative, Inc (TCI)  ($15,000) to provide support for The Fifth Quarter program. The Fifth Quarter provides flexible and unrestricted funding to BIPOC-led organizations that work to fight against extractive activities spearheaded by corporations and governments, prepare youth to become involved in climate activism, and encourage rest and wellness within vulnerable communities. TCI seeks to increase corporate accountability and to strengthen legal systems in the Global South by driving collaboration among communities, funders, and creative leaders in an effort to tip the balance so corporations are held accountable for and internalize the true environmental and human costs of their actions.

Ujamaa Collective ($40,000 over two years) to provide flexible multi-year general operating support. Ujamaa Collective serves as a catalyst for advancing Africana Women by establishing a fair trade marketplace for cultural, artistic, and entrepreneurial exchange. Through the principles of cooperative economics, this initiative aims to support Black creative business women providing on-going cooperative development in the Historic Hill District and beyond, embodying the motto of “we lift as we climb.”

Ujamaa Collective ($15,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to provide flexible general operating support for the Black Transformative Arts Network (BTAN). BTAN combines a learner-centered approach with Africana knowledge pools, Black history, culture, and arts to transform and transcend status-quo learning in a multi-generational context. BTAN supports, develops, and connects Black youth artists, teaching artists, and educators to foster a transformative creative community for Black children.

Union Project ($15,000) to provide flexible general operating support and invest in Union Project’s capacity to deliver mission-based programs in a manner that demonstrates organizational values, implements the goals of its Inclusion Plan, and supports people who have been systemically excluded from access to ceramics. Union Project serves as a space for connection, creation, and community celebration. 

Unique Projects, Inc. ($10,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to support the production and performance of slowdanger’s SUPERCELL, an evening-length multidisciplinary quintet dance performance responding to climate consciousness, media sensationalism, desensitization, and environmental collapse. slowdanger is a project-based multi-disciplinary performance entity based out of Pittsburgh that creates works at the intersection of movement, sound, and technology.

University of Pittsburgh ($7,500) to support the production of video testimonials from transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals to share their health care experiences with college health and counseling center (CHC) providers across the United States. Testimonials will be integrated into online training modules guiding CHCs in how to create gender inclusive care environments with the ultimate goal of making support resources more accessible to TGD students who experience sexual violence.  

Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank ($15,000) to provide flexible general operating support. The Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank supports families experiencing diaper need, period poverty, and incontinence. 

Western Pennsylvania Fund for Choice ($15,000), acting as fiscal sponsor, to provide capital support for Allegheny Reproductive Health Center (ARHC). This grant will allow ARHC to build out its newly acquired facility that provides a larger footprint to increase capacity, and includes a protected entryway and parking. ARHC delivers fearless, judgment-free healthcare that is imbued with empathy and respect. Offerings include specialized gynecological care, abortion care, options counseling, services specialized to the LGBTQIA+ community, and the option for sedation for any needed services.

World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh ($10,000) to provide flexible general operating support. World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh convenes and connects people around global issues to build a competitive, thriving, and inclusive Pittsburgh. Their vision is a globally minded and connected world that is equitable and just for all. For this vision of the future to become a reality, the Council works to create and execute diverse, bold, and engaging youth and public programming.

DISCRETIONARY GRANTS

Dreams of Hope ($5,000), acting as fiscal sponsor for Casey Droege Cultural Productions and Hatch Arts Collective, to support a new spectacle performance with Little Amal, an international art project. Little Amal is a 12-foot puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee child who has become a global symbol of human rights, especially those of refugees. 

FreshGrass Public Foundation ($2,005), serving as fiscal sponsor for The Walk Productions, to support Amal Walks Across America, as Little Amal walked across the United States, from Boston, MA to San Diego, CA, with a significant stop in Pittsburgh. Little Amal is a 12-foot puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee child who has become a global symbol of human rights, especially those of refugees. 

RealTime Arts ($5,000) to support the design and creation of a “welcoming event” for Little Amal’s stop in Pittsburgh, as part of Amal Walks Across America. The Walk brings attention to the plight of refugees around the world, particularly children who have been separated from their parents, and RealTime’s event focuses on Pittsburgh history as shaped by generations of immigrants. 

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Exposure aims to elevate the work of artists through activities that create/generate/enhance visibility for the creative process, artwork and societal issues of our time.

FUNDING STREAMS

Applicants may apply one of the following funding streams. Read full program guidelines for more details.

• Individual artists and collectives (up to seven grants):
  • Individual artists – Two-year grants of up to $20,000 (up to $10,000 each year for up to two years).
  • Collectives – Two-year grants of up to $35,000 (up to $17,500 each year for up to two years).
• Transformative justice (minimum of four grants) (Individuals and collectives identifying as BIPOC may apply):
  • Individual artists – Two-year grants of up to $20,000 (up to $10,000 each year for up to two years).
  • Collectives – Two-year grants of up to $35,000 (up to $17,500 each year for up to two years).
• First-time grantees (up to four, one-year grants up to $5,000)