Who’s Behind the Allegheny Foundation, and What Does It Fund in Pennsylvania?
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The foundation is based in Pittsburgh. ESB Professional/shutterstock
The late billionaire Richard Mellon Scaife was among the most influential people in the American conservative movement. He was involved with Republican-led think tanks and supported right-wing ideas on missile defense, welfare reform, property rights, the national census and immigration. He also impacted local life in Pennsylvania, as he was born and died in Pittsburgh and once owned the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Scaife gave via multiple avenues. This article focuses on the Allegheny Foundation and its local approach to philanthropy in Pennsylvania.
A focus on southwestern Pennsylvania
A local focus sets the Allegheny Foundation apart from other Scaife philanthropies. While the Sarah Scaife Foundation, for instance, maintains a national and international focus, the Allegheny Foundation keeps giving close to the founder’s home in southwestern Pennsylvania. It awards many grants in Pittsburgh, but also supports the Pennsylvania communities of Brownsville, Greensburg, Harrisburg, Uniontown, Rockhill Furnace and the surrounding areas.
Historic preservation, civic development and education
The Allegheny Foundation typically restricts its funding to historic preservation, civic development and education at the local level. In line with its founder’s political views, the foundation does not support organizations or people largely dependent on government subsidies, nor does it typically fund government agencies, event sponsorships or endowments.
Recent Pennsylvania grantees include the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh, Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art, and the Fayette County Community Action Agency. The funder makes awards for program and project support, as well as for general operating support. The typical grant range is $10,000 to $500,000. Grantees receiving at least $1 million include the Momentum Advisory Collective, Point Park University and the Propel Schools Foundation.
No grant application deadlines
Notably, the Allegheny Foundation is an accessible funder with a straightforward application process. Grantseekers can submit initial inquiries to the foundation in letter form signed by the organization’s president or authorized representative and include a brief description of the program, budget information, financial information and proof of tax exemption.
The Allegheny Foundation accepts grant requests continuously and at any time of the year with no strict deadlines. The funder considers new applications every quarter. Grantseekers should mail printed application materials to the foundation’s Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania headquarters.
Right-leaning and libertarian funding
The Allegheny Foundation is a fairly transparent grantmaker, and provides links to recent annual reports on its website. In these reports, you’ll often see a variety of grants to traditional charities, such as art museums.
However, the foundation leadership have publicly alluded to how this foundation gravitates toward right-leaning and libertarian causes. This is a funder that places a premium on values like self-sufficiency and self-reliance.
Since Richard Mellon Scaife died in 2014, the Allegheny Foundation has been run by Chairman Matthew A. Groll, the person to whom grantseekers should address their grant application letters. Grantseekers can also reach Groll by phone with general or grant-related questions.
You can learn more about this funder in IP’s full profile of the Allegheny Foundation, which is part of our Philly and Pennsylvania funding guide.
