Chris DeCardy, president of the Heinz Endowments. (Jim Harris/Pittsburgh Business Times)

By Riley Dunn, Pittsburgh Business Times

The Heinz Endowments is working to help counter local losses from federal funding cuts.

On Wednesday, the organization announced it was committing $6 million to the second phase of a special fund, which will assist local nonprofit organizations now facing challenges with recent federal funding losses and policy changes. 

The donation will go to the Community Partners Fund, which was launched in March to provide resources to the Endowments’ grantees in support of the region’s most vulnerable communities. Earlier this year, the Endowments distributed $4 million through the fund. With the additional $6 million, the Endowments’ efforts to alleviate federal impact will total $10 million. 

“We know that our nonprofit partners are resilient, resourceful and doing their best under trying circumstances,” Endowments President Chris DeCardy said in a release. “There remains both uncertainty and anxiety around directives, funding cuts, and budget proposals at the federal level. This fund is one key way we can stand with our vital nonprofit community leaders to help them stabilize and move forward with critical programming.”

Current and former Endowments grantees can apply for support through the fund’s website and can also partner with nonprofits that haven’t previously been grantees. Funding is intended to be used for short term, urgent needs and is not intended to be used in the long term. 

“We realize that the financial landscape for many nonprofits has become unpredictable and difficult, and the needs look overwhelming,” Endowments Learning Vice President Carmen Anderson said in a release. “We’re hoping that our support along with others will help provide some stability for these organizations and, in turn, the southwestern Pennsylvania residents they serve.”

Possible usage of the funds include capacity building, technical assistance, legal needs, physical or data security needs, education, communication, outreach, organizational changes or risk analysis. 

The Endowments first established the Community Partners Fund to combat federal funding cuts that were having a domino effect on some of the region’s most vital community organizations. Blocked or withdrawn federal money threw these organizations into an immediate funding crisis, negatively impacting the residents they served. 

In response to the steadily growing challenges, the Endowments increased its regular grantmaking budget by 15%, at which time it also awarded $4 million in grants to support about 40 out of its over-500 nonprofit partners. Now, this “second phase” will distribute the additional funds to a wider range of organizations. 

In his statement, DeCardy noted that the support provided through the Community Partners Fund is a continuation of the Endowments’ previous efforts to respond to crises in and around the Pittsburgh area. Other times in which they provided nonprofit aid were during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020-2022 and during the global economic crisis of 2007-2009. 

“The Endowments seeks to be an enduring partner for our community,” he said. “We are committed to helping southwestern Pennsylvania become a region where everyone prospers and belongs. But to achieve that long-term mission, we also need to support our neighbors when unforeseen shocks threaten their long-term stability.” 

Due to the limited availability of funds to the Endowments community proposals will be assessed based on the following: 

Urgency: 

• Addresses an immediate need  
• Takes advantage of a time-sensitive opportunity  

Impact:  

• Serves a large number of people 
• Has far-reaching or long-lasting implications (changes in policies, systems, etc.) 

Severity:

Mitigates an extreme harm or potential harm

Riley Dunn is a student at the University of Iowa and one of 10 Pittsburgh Media Partnership summer interns.