The grant wish list is a simple listing of any granting needs from area nonprofits that are served by the Community Foundation. Submissions to be included are accepted at any time and will be added to the list as we receive them. This list can be especially helpful for our donor advisors so that they can see what immediate needs there are in our community that align with their interests. Not only is this list available to the public here on our website, but we also directly share it with our donor advisors and with local media. Our goal is to help as many nonprofits secure the funding that they need to meet their mission and goals.
Apollo Area Historical Society
Requesting: $6,500 (Total)
1. We are requesting $3,000 to repair/rebuild and extend the split rail fence at Drake Log Cabin. This fence will define the property line and maintain the rustic appearance of the cabin, the oldest structure in Apollo Borough.
2. We are requesting $2,000 to purchase archival supplies to be used in the organizing, maintaining, and preservation, of the artifacts endeared to the Apollo Area Historical Society's Museum, located in the WCTU building, Apollo, PA. We would like to purchase proper acid free archival supplies from the Gaylord Archival catalog.
3. We are requesting $1,500 to cover the expense for the reproduction of historical photographs and documents endeared to Apollo Historical Society's Museum. This will allow the public to view them at our museum without subjecting the original photos and documents to the elements that would cause deterioration.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
Apollo Memorial Library
Requesting: $2,000
We wish to reinstate our Gaming at the Library night. This program is for those ages 8-18. It is a monthly gaming competition. The program runs with a pre-registration for signup and is done in a bracket format. The game will be selected by the teen volunteers that help run the program. Top three winners receive prizes of Amazon gift cards in different increments. This proposal is to host 12 Gaming at the Library nights. The money requested would cover the costs of the prizes, pizza & drinks, and new games for the systems.
Before COVID-19 shut us down, we had our biggest success in our Gaming at the Library night in January 2020. We believe that with funds to assist with the costs of the program we can bring this difficult age group back to our library.
We would like to start this program back up in August 2021, but frequency (monthly or quarterly) would be determined if we receive this grant or not. We just don't have the funding to allot to this program monthly.
$ 360 prizes
$1,440 for pizza & drinks
$ 200 for new Switch & Xbox One games
Total: $2,000
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
Armstrong County Community Action Agency
Requesting: $2,000
We are a community-based grassroots organization serving the low-income and disadvantaged.
Transportation is one of the biggest challenges in Armstrong County. The agency receives phone calls on a daily basis concerning assistance with vehicle repairs. The goal of the agency is to be able to assist as many Armstrong County residents as possible with minor vehicle repairs.
Requesting: $2,000
Transportation services for the Veteran Community in Armstrong County is nonexistent. The goal of the agency is to purchase bus tickets and gas cards to assist as many members of the Veteran Community in Armstrong County as possible with their transportation needs.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
Beverly's Birthdays
Requesting: $2,500
Since January of 2021, Beverley's Birthdays has been partnering with Armstrong County Early Head Start and Armstrong County Early Intervention services to celebrate the birthdays of children/families in need in these programs.
A Birthday Cheer Bin, which is the gift package, includes new toys, books, crayons, snacks, and hygiene items. Additionally, we also provide a Birthday in a Bag, which includes cake mix, frosting, paper products, and more.
Beverley's Birthdays mission is to provide birthday cheer for children experiencing homelessness and families in need. We believe that every child, regardless of personal or financial circumstances deserves to have a very special day.
We just started supporting families in Armstrong County and look forward to spreading cheer in the region. This gift request will help us support the birthdays of 50 children.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
Center for Community Resources, Inc
Requesting: $10.000
Center for Community Resources, Inc. (CCR) is looking to provide crisis services to Pennsylvania citizens through a phone application called Connect PA. Through Connect PA, CCR aims to have an impact on suicide, crises, and mental health awareness in the state. The goal of Connect PA is not to duplicate or replace any current resources or services, but to utilize technology to better address individual’s mental health needs and make use of current resources and
services. The Connect PA smart phone application will be addressing a need that has not yet even been attempted to be addressed. In the state of Pennsylvania, this application will be unprecedented. CCR aims to not only ultimately reduce the number of deaths by suicide across the Commonwealth, but also to reduce the number of suicide attempts, inpatient hospitalizations, and overall reports of need. Connect PA will be a conduit to existing services, enabling users to support their wellbeing through connection with their personal support systems, and providing resources and education to allow individuals to better understand mental illness and connect with needed services.
Without the Connect PA application, individuals would still have the ability to access crisis services. However, there would be a delay, as the individual may need to take the time to search for the appropriate number to call or find the correct resource. In cases where an individual is battling depression or facing a mental health crisis, this need to seek out contact information is a potentially life-threatening barrier to accessing help.
In consideration of CCR’s extensive experience in the realm of mental health crisis services, the growing need for crisis services connections, and the agency’s past experience in developing and utilizing technology in support of human services, CCR knows it can successfully create and administer Connect PA. CCR is requesting initial funding to develop the beginning phases for the Connect PA application. After the initial period, CCR will provide full technological and programming support to ensure Connect PA continues to operate successfully, just as CCR has done with the E-System.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Requesting: $3,000
This funding will provide a direct and critical safety net for our patients from Armstrong County. Financial assistance may be for, but not limited to, hospital living expenses; household expenses; utility bills; local lodging; travel; out-of-pocket expenses for medications, treatments, or medical supplies not covered by insurance; meals; and childcare for siblings. This grant will strictly support children and adolescents admitted to the hospital. This project does not have an end date. Charitable donations to Family Support Funds enable the hospital to assist those who need it most, helping ease the financial burden families might face when seeking treatment for their child.
UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of children, teenagers, and young adults through excellence in patient care, teaching, research, and advocacy. Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation is the sole fundraising arm of UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, created in 2001 to protect the hospital's mission.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
Christopher's Light
Requesting: $1,800
We provide solely for the needs of children in Armstrong, Indiana, and Westmoreland Counties by distributing clothing and other necessities. Children also need to learn basic living skills such as good hygiene and nutrition, so we are expanding to provide life skills workshops. Funding will be used to purchase small children's tables and chairs, sensory tables, teaching materials, a refrigerator, and a printer.
Requesting: $1,800
This project will allow us to expand our services to provide fun and learning workshops. Along with the basic needs that we already provide, these workshops will teach our kids activities of daily living skills. Cooking, cleaning, hygiene and other skills that are needed in life. Our goal is to provide guidance and teach the skills necessity to help children move forward in life. The funding will allow us to purchase children’s work tables, a refrigerator for cooking supplies and other items that are needed to complete each workshop.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
Compassionate Family of Hope
Requesting: $40,000
Our organization has been recognized as the best community organization in terms of helping children who cannot support themselves. we strive to create life impact through educating young people to make a change in our society. We also mobilise people to support the work that we do in all sphere of life.
Our organization has requested funds for payment of educational school fee for 500 children who are vulnerable and orphan. we support these children who come from a needy family and deplorable state of life. Payment of school is in FOUR faces: Primary school, Secondary school, University and Colleges.
Our Goals:
1.Support the vulnerable and orphan children in five areas of growth
2. To bringing a life transforming message of Jesus Christ to the affected and infected families.
3. educate our children to be the responsible people in our society.
4. to expand and become international organization that can support others
Our Objectives:
1. To restore the glory of boy child
2.To eradicate dropping out of school of children.
3. To create a life impact to young people in our society
Our Outcomes:
1. To ensure that our children within 10years shall complete their education system.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
Dayton Area Local History Society
Requesting: $1,000
Hot Water Tank Replacement.
Requesting: $4,000
We would like to replace the current 45-year-old linoleum with more period-looking laminate or wood plank flooring.
Our Goals:
• To update the kitchen floor to preserve the integrity of the house.
• To improve the period look of the house.
• To facilitate easier maintenance, routine cleaning and sanitation of the kitchen area of the house.
Requesting: $5,000
Replacement of kitchen floor in the Marshall House.
Requesting: Any Amount
Donations to help cover upkeep/expenses due to 2020 pandemic. We missed a year of fundraising; and 2021 is limited with opportunities.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
Divine Redeemer School
Requesting: Any Amount
We are requesting funding to greatly enhance the security of our school by installing a building wide communication system for two-way emergency alert purposes. This system would include a 911 panic alarm button and service all three floors of our building. The ability to immediately communicate will increase the chances of the safety and welfare of all present.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
For The Children Armstrong
Requesting: $500
The Armstrong County Chapter of For The Children will beholding its week-long summer camp experience - Royal Family Kids Camp - in the summer of 2022 for children who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned. Our organization provides an all-expense-paid experience to kids ages 7-12 from Armstrong, Indiana, and Westmorland Counties. We would like to serve 24 children and recruit 36 adult volunteers specifically for camp. $500 covers the entire week for one camper.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
Ford City Police Department
Requesting: $18,200
We are requesting funding to help purchase new and updated portable radios for our department.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
Fort Armstrong Folk Festival
Requesting: $5,293.88
We have a need for a Resting/Cooling area for the Fort Armstrong Folk Festival visitors to cool off and rest while continuing to enjoy all the Festival has to offer. This will especially help our elderly and disabled visitors by providing a place to escape the heat and to sit.
6 picnic tables to stay in the park for festival and community use. We are looking for treated pine picnic tables with attached benches | $769 priced from All Picnic Tables Gibsonia
2 CountyLine 24 inch Direct Drive Tilt Barn Fans | $149.99 ea. priced from Tractor Supply BF24TFCL
3 12x12 MASTERECANOPY Durable EZ Pop-up Canopy Tents with Roller Bag, Dark Gray | $189.95 ea. priced from Amazon
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
Friends of the Kittanning Public Library
Requesting: $5,000
The Kittanning Public Library would like to use these funds for continuous library building improvement and upkeep. After the Keystone Recreation, Park, and Conservation Fund projects are complete, we would like to make any minor repairs needed so that our building can maintain a pleasant and safe environment for our patrons.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
Global Fund for Children
Requesting: Any
Global Fund for Children (GFC) is the only global nonprofit dedicated to identifying, funding, and coaching local organizations that empower children and youth and advance their rights. Since 1997, we have invested over $46 million in more than 725 organizations, reaching more than 11 million children and youth worldwide. In 2020 alone, GFC provided over $5M in flexible funds for the benefit of young people in over 45 countries, through 345 local partners.
A mix of institutional foundations, corporations, and individual donors support the mission of GFC. Unrestricted or general operating donations are distributed across all existing programs in order to maximize the resources provided to community organizations and young people across the world.
Global Fund for Children collaborates with community-based organizations that do not typically qualify or receive funding from governments, foundations, and traditional philanthropy due to their size and scope of work. GFC's community partners have an average budget of less than $1M and represent marginalized or under-resourced communities. Through our trust-based, flexible funding model, GFC also serves children and youth who are vulnerable to human traffickers, labor exploitation, abuse, early and unwanted pregnancy, and disconnected from education.
Global Fund for Children strategically unites community leaders and organizations around mutual challenges and geographies in order to help these groups move out of isolation and into collective impact for children and yo0uth. These cohort-structured initiatives consist of 5-20 community partners, working together for several years. You can learn more about these specific initiative by visiting https://globalfundforchildren.org/initiatives/
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
Grace Christian School
Requesting: $3.450
Grace Christian School is a non-profit, school that follows a basic American principle of choice. The students who attend here come for a variety of reasons. Primarily parents/guardians choose us to have a quality education that addresses their holistic needs of the spiritual, physical, mental, social, and physiological aspects of education.
Parents/guardians have found through the individual attention due to the smaller classrooms, their child improves not only in education, but their behavior improves at home and in the public arena. Grace Christian is a ministry to the whole family.
We are looking to expand the music curriculum to include more instruments for the students to use. This would allow for a purchase of 49 choir chimes to be used by the younger students individually and begin the process of reading and making music.
Requesting: $3.450
Grace Christian School needs to upgrade playground equipment. The equipment is used heavily and thought it has endured much wear and tear ove the year, it needs upgraded with equipment that better serves the age span between kindergarten through 6th grades.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
Harvest Baptist Academy
Requesting: Any Amount
Educating with a Christian perspective, Harvest Baptist Academy’s purpose is to assist parents in educating and equipping students academically, spiritually, and socially. Our desire is that all students develop a heart for God, a biblical worldview, and a Christ-like character that they will use to positively impact their family, church, community, and country for Jesus Christ.
Our dedicated staff and small class sizes ensure that students receive the individual attention they need to grow academically and spiritually. In recent years, we have grown substantially in size and have found a great need to enhance our programs so we can continue to support our current and future students. In the spring of 2021, we broke ground on our technology center and greenhouse. All of the planning and fundraising was completed pre-Covid and the prices have gone up considerably. Much of the building supplies have gone up 20-50%, and lumber has almost tripled. We estimate the cost to complete the project will be $27,000 more than was initially projected.
Along with additional construction costs, we will need to purchase necessary items for the educational building programs: the greenhouse, digital arts, home economics, woodshop, and art rooms. Any amount of donation would be greatly appreciated.
Wish Updated: 9/13/21
Kay's Cottage
Requesting: Any Amount
We are needing to repair and replace items at our property. We found a crack in the wall/floor area, need to replace the sliding glass door, and replace the carpet.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
Indiana County Public Safety Academy
Requesting: $4,000
The Indiana County Public Safety Academy is seeking funding for new tables and chairs at our training facility for in-person classes. The Academy provides training to over 1,000 students annually from law enforcement, Fire/Rescue, EMS and private industry. As an Educational Training Authority under the PA State Fire Academy program, our programs are attended by first responders and industry agencies from various counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania (primarily from Indiana, Westmoreland, Armstrong, Allegheny, Clearfield, Jefferson and Cambria counties). Approximately 12.5% of our attendees are from Armstrong County. Some of the Armstrong Fire Departments which have completed training includes Elderton, Rural Valley, and Dayton. Additionally, individual company members attended program offerings from various departments.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
Make-A-Wish Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia
Requesting: $4,400
Wishmakers are corporations, individuals and foundations who donate $4,400, the average cost of a wish. 100% of their donations go directly to wish expenses. Our goal is to grant every eligible wish in our service regions. Wishes bring improved quality of life, hope strength and courage to the wish kids and their families.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
PGGS Campaign, Inc
Requesting: $2,000
Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Sciences program. The PGSS Program is a rigorous five-week, residential science and math program for academically talented 11th grade students from across the Commonwealth. The Program is located on the campus of Carnegie Mellon University and runs throughout the month of July. The purpose of the tuition-free program is to increase the number of Pennsylvania high school students who are academically and socially prepared for post-secondary study in science and mathematics leading to a career in fields related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). At least one qualified student from each educational intermediate unit will be accepted annually.
Goal 1 - Foster global competitiveness in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics by helping to maintain a constant supply of young talent across Pennsylvania;
Goal 2 - Foster and reward excellence and creativity among academically talented secondary school students by identifying and including them in a unique enrichment experience;
Goal 3 - Encourage able women and underrepresented minority students to consider STEM careers;
Goal 4 - Provide an environment of collaboration with professionals working in STEM careers;
Goal 5 - Encourage and empower student leaders who, upon returning to their local school districts, will serve as role models for their peers during their senior year of high school and to;
Goal 6 - Establish partnerships with corporations, educational institutions, workforce investment boards and professional associations who value the importance of a skilled STEM workforce.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
Ramps of Hope
Requesting: Any Amount
Ramps of Hope is a ministry of the United Methodist Church, Indiana District, which covers Armstrong, Indiana, Jefferson and parts of Clearfield Counties. Our mission is simply to help people with limited mobility have easy access in and out of their own homes. We build ramps of treated lumber that are temporary but very strong and sturdy to accomplish this purpose. We have been in existence since 2011 and have built over 525 ramps across the four county area since that time.
Armstrong County entered the program in 2013. We've had one or two teams of volunteers every year that build, and they have constructed over 150 ramps since entering the ministry. The ramps are built in 4'x6' sections off site. On the day of a build, these are trailered to the recipient's home, along with posts and railing materials and any turn sections needed, and assembled. Assembly time varies depending on the length and difficulty of the ramp but is usually done in just a few hours.
Every year as word of our work spreads, we see an increase in the need for this service so funding is something we are constantly pursuing. We do not charge recipients for ramps. Rather, we ask them for any donation they can manage to give. We do, on occasion, get very nice donations from recipients and, once in a while, someone will be able to done the entire cost of the ramp. However, much more often, recipients have a very meager income and can donate little or nothing for their ramp. We understand this and will find ways to obtain the funding so all ramps that are doable can be built. All labor from intake through building is done by volunteers. We must pay for all building materials--treated lumber, (the most expensive part), screws, bolts, concrete slabs, and any other pieces a ramp might require. As examples, some ramps need gravel or asphalt material at the ends of them. In addition, we purchase the large table saws that are needed and as many tools as we can for teams so workers don't have to bring their own. Tools wear out and need replaced. Ramps have cost anywhere from $150 to over $2,500 with an average cost of $800-$900. We require that when a ramp is no longer needed at a site, we are contracted to recover it. Recycling recovered pieces into new ramps helps reduce the costs.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
Reagan's Journey
Requesting: $875
Reagan's Journey Lending Closet provides life-sustaining medical equipment to children with special needs. The Lending Closet is uniquely poised to bridge healthcare gaps for children with special needs. Families have been assisted in Allegheny, Armstrong, as well as 13 surrounding counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The Lending Closet can provide, at no cost to the families in need, the medical equipment and supplies received as donations from families that no longer need them.
Several times a year we are contacted by families whose child is an inpatient in the NICU and are awaiting discharge. In order for these small children to go home safely, they must pass an infant car seat test in a classic bucket style infant carrier that is somewhat upright. Some babies, though medically healthy, cannot be upright for extended periods of time yet because it impacts their breathing. In this case, the family could still take their baby home, but they need to transport them in a car seat bed which lies flat. These specialty car seats are more expensive than traditional car seats and must be ordered rather than purchased in local stores.
Each seat costs $175 and the infant will likely only use this seat for a few weeks while they grow and gain strength to withstand a traditional seat. We would love to be the go-to resource for families in this difficult situation and we feel that having (5) new seats available will ensure we can always have one ready to go. A child should not have to wait in the hospital to be discharged to simply wait on an expensive car seat to be ordered and delivered. Those are two hurdles that families shouldn't have to face while they have already been through a difficult and lengthy hospital stay.
We are requesting five (5) Neonatal Car Bed Car seats at $175 each. These five seats will be kept at our Pediatric Equipment and Medical Supply Closet until the need arises then each seat will be sent out to the family in need by scheduling an appointment and signing a waiver that we use for all equipment. If granted, these items will be available for all of 2022 and we will re-asses this pilot program to ensure it's need and effectiveness.
Requesting: $300
Each week we accept used and new items into our Pediatric Equipment and Medical Supply Closet from families, social workers, therapists, hospitals, and other agencies. Unfortunately, sometimes the donated items come in because a child has passed away. The family no longer has a need for these once precious and treasured items and there is no one who can take used equipment in and see it be re-homed to help another family like we can.
We started our Blanket Camping last year as a means to provide comfort and care to a grieving family. We purchase large, velvet plush blankets and sew on our Reagan's Journey logo with a note of encouragement to each family. It's our hope that they will always feel like they are a part of our community and that their child's life has purpose and meaning. Their child's items will go on to positively impact many families and in some small way we hope that brings encouragement in light of such pain. In previous years, we had nothing to place in a family's arms after they had given us everything from their child. This project has positively fulfilled that need.
So far in 2021, we sent out 6 blankets and we want to be sure we can fulfill this same need in 2022.
We are requesting ten (10) blankets purchased from an outside vendor at $30 each for a total of $300. The cost of labels is factored into the price.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
Redbank Valley Trails Association (RVTA)
Requesting: $1,400
Our volunteers have spent a lot of time, effort, and money installing gates to keep unauthorized motor vehicles such as ATV's and side by sides off of the trail at the request of trail users. Unfortunately, gates and posts have been damaged and vandalized. We would like to have cameras installed so that we can monitor activity on the trail. We want visitors and children to feel safe and welcome on the trail and want to keep our area looking beautiful. The cameras will help us identify the disruptions, decrease the destruction, and increase overall enjoyment of the trails.
Requesting: $2,400 - $4,800
We would like to build fencing along some areas of the 51 mile trail where there are steep drop offs to protect trail users, especially small children and others who may not be too stead on their bikes
Requesting: $3,600
Redbank Valley Trails Association currently provides 2 portable toilets, one at Lawsonham and another at Summerville at a cost of about $1200 each per year. We would like to be able to add at least another portojohn at an underserved area of the trail, perhaps at the 861 Rimersburg Crossing on the Sligo Spur or at another location. Eventually we would like to add self-composting toilets at a few locations along the trail and to add some near campsites.
Requesting: $6,000
RVTA would like to add a composting toilet at initially one location close to a campsite that we hope to develop along the trail.
Requesting: $12,000
We would like to add additional shelters along the trail for the comfort of trail users for picnics and to be able to get out of the weather.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
Susquehanna Chorale
Requesting: $5,000
We are requesting funding for three Christmas (December 17, 18, 19) and two Spring (May 6 & 7, 2022) concerts with guest instrumentalists, and the production of two new CDs of those concerts. We plan to continue our livestreaming of concerts so that many who cannot attend in person will still be able to enjoy the music and be encouraged by the messages of song.
"Enriching lives through song" is much more than the chorale's motto; it is our very reason for being. To us, choral music is about more than mastering notes on a page; it is about understanding the depth of the words we sing and the powerful story behind them, knowing that the product of long rehearsals can change an attitude or soothe a hurting soul. And after the painful and sad year of COVID-2020, many souls need to be soothed and attitudes need to be transformed to seeking unity and healing.
The total cost of the aforementioned project for which we seek support is $33,300.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
The Kittanning Cemetery.
Requesting: $5,000 or any amount
The Kittanning Cemetery would like to build a permanent structure to hold funeral cervices at the cemetery. We currently have a concrete slab that is exposed to the elements. We would like an open structure with a roof.
Requesting: $5,000 or any amount
The Kittanning Cemetery would like to request funds to help in the repairing of the cemetery roads.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
TryLife Center, Inc.
Requesting: $4,125
TryLife Center is a pregnancy and family resource center that provides pregnancy, parenting and life-skills education and counseling to impoverished mothers who are seeking to provide a more stable and positive home environment for their families.
The "Parent & Baby" program provides material support for infants from impoverished households by providing opportunities for young mothers to "earn" car seats, cribs and mattresses, diapers, formula, baby clothing and other baby necessities by participating in a unique "Learn to Earn" educational and counseling program. Mothers learn about the stages of pregnancy and positive parenting skills, as well as self-sufficiency. We have serves.more than 400 mothers in our area. Our primary focus is Armstrong County while some efforts going into Allegheny County.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
Washington Township Memorial Park
Requesting: $13,000
Our spacious park sits upon 17 acres of property and takes a large mower to keep the park looking beautiful for the children and adults to be able to run and play. Our township has a small population of 923 residents, so we don't get a lot of funding from the tax base. We would like to keep the park up and running. Any amount awarded would be greatly appreciated.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
Western Pennsylvania Folds of Honor
Requesting: $5,000
Folds of Honor is a 501c(3) non-profit organization with the mission of providing educational scholarships to the spouses and children of America's service-members who were fallen or disabled during active duty in the United States Armed Forces. These scholarships support private educational tuition and tutoring for children in grades K-12, as well as higher education tuition assistance for spouses and dependents in Western, PA.
Wish Updated: 9/9/21
If you are a nonprofit interested in submitting information for the grant wish list, please email jodi@servingtheheart.org or call 724-548-5897 for more information.
