Laurel Highlands
Laurel Highlands, based in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, is a public charity formed in 1958. It promotes tourism and tourism development in Fayette, Somerset, and Westmoreland counties and administers tourism grant programs intended to increase visitation, improve visitors’ experiences, and encourage overnight stays.
Laurel Highlands at a glance
In short: Laurel Highlands gave $1.7M across 77 grants in 2025 (avg $22K), mostly in Pennsylvania. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,703,807
- +9.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 77
- -2.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $22,127
- +12.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $19,111
- Total assets
- $12,543,681
- -1.2% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Laurel Highlands
- How to Apply
-
The website directs applicants to use the grant portal, choose a county and grant category, complete the application, and submit it through the portal. The 2027 cycle application became available August 24, 2026.
- Review Cycle
- The 2027 cycle submission deadline is October 2, 2026, at 4 p.m. Grant funds must be used by December 31, 2027, and final reporting is due March 31, 2028, at 4 p.m.
- Deadline
- The 2027 cycle submission deadline is October 2, 2026, at 4 p.m.
- Contact
Mailing address: 113 E Main Street, Ligonier, PA 15658
Phone: (724) 238-5661
Website: https://golaurelhighlands.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Laurel Highlands funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was State Theatre Center for the Arts ($85K). Together the top 10 received $569K.
Grant Size Distribution
301 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 282 grants of 301 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The organization’s stated tourism and grantmaking focus is Fayette, Somerset, and Westmoreland counties in Pennsylvania. Its 2025 filing reports that all grant dollars went to Pennsylvania recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 77 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Laurel Highlands gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $168K (2021) to $1.7M (2025). In 2025 it made 77 grants totaling $1.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| State Theatre Center for the Arts Uniontown, PA | MarketingOperatingCapital | $84,518 |
| Benners Meadow Run RV Campground Farmington, PA | MarketingOperatingCapital | $64,255 |
| Touchstone Center for Crafts Farmington, PA | MarketingOperatingCapital | $62,434 |
| Fayette County Agricultural Improve Dunbar, PA | MarketingOperatingCapital | $56,300 |
| Mountain Area Fair Farmington, PA | MarketingOperatingCapital | $52,400 |
| Jumonville Christian Camp & Retreat Hopwood, PA | MarketingOperatingCapital | $51,406 |
| Mountain Watershed Association Melcroft, PA | MarketingOperatingCapital | $51,290 |
| Deer Creek Winery & Watson Estate B Uniontown, PA | MarketingOperatingCapital | $51,284 |
| Braddocks Restaurant & Tavern Farmington, PA | MarketingOperatingCapital | $47,768 |
| Timber Rock Amphitheater Farmington, PA | MarketingOperatingCapital | $47,768 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $12,543,681 | $5,421,888 | $5,309,818 | $1,703,807 | 77 | $150,147 |
| 2024 | $12,690,501 | $5,078,437 | $4,953,873 | $1,555,520 | 79 | $163,257 |
| 2023 | $12,303,909 | $4,637,042 | $4,415,508 | $1,483,623 | 74 | $55,122 |
| 2022 | $11,868,784 | $4,192,362 | $3,893,208 | $1,056,500 | 62 | $8,121 |
| 2021 | $9,995,015 | $2,370,476 | $1,891,414 | $167,676 | 9 | $10,882 |
| 2020 | $7,080,136 | $2,389,402 | $2,237,855 | $738,342 | 1 | $8,817 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to promote tourism, tourism development, and the interests of the travel and hospitality industries in the Laurel Highlands. Its filing also describes work promoting the three counties through initiatives intended to generate jobs and contribute to regional economic growth and quality of life.
Its tourism grants support tourism assets and are intended to increase visitation, enhance visitor experiences, and increase overnight stays. Examples of supported organizations include Touchstone Center for Crafts, whose mission is to advance excellence in arts and crafts education; Mountain Area Fair Association, which says it provides a community agricultural fair; and Mountain Watershed Association, which says it works to conserve, restore, and protect watersheds through education, outreach, assessments, and research.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Laurel Highlands reported 77 grants totaling $1,703,807. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $84,518, with a median of $19,111. All reported grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania. The filing’s largest listed awards included $64,255 to Benners Meadow Run RV Campground, $62,434 to Touchstone Center for Crafts, $56,300 to Fayette County Agricultural Improvement, and $52,400 to Mountain Area Fair.
Other 2025 recipients listed in the organization descriptions include Fayette Friends of Animals, which received $21,000; Fort Ligonier Association, which received $20,000; and Overly’s Country Christmas, which received $20,000. Their stated missions include animal adoption and pet-owner education, engaging visitors with the history of Fort Ligonier, and making charitable, educational, and scientific distributions, respectively.
The Tourism Grant Program is funded through county room-tax allocations, with grants disbursed at the direction of grant committees designated by each county. The organization administers the programs and oversees documentation and compliance; grants are subject to annual audit. The website describes an application process in which applicants select a county and grant category, such as marketing or capital, in the grant portal.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Elizabeth Ann Nemanic as executive director. Listed board officers include Theresa Gay Rohall, chair; Lindsay Ketterer Gates, vice-chair; Bob Boscarino, secretary; Muriel Nuttall, past-chair; and Bryan Perry, prior-chair. The filing also lists Christopher Baran, Clinton Piper, Dave Runco, and Jeanette Lahm as directors.
Laurel Highlands is led by Elizabeth Ann Nemanic, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 17 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Elizabeth Ann Nemanic
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
37.5 hrs/week
$96K (2020) → $136K (2025)
Bryan Perry
Prior-Chair
Vice Chair → Chair, 2024
Chair → Prior-Chair, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Theresa Gay Rohall
Chair
Director → Treasurer, 2024
Treasurer → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2020
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christopher Baran
Director
On filings since 2020
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Clinton Piper
Director
On filings since 2020
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephen Clark
Director
On filings since 2020
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dave Runco
Director
On filings since 2021
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeanette Lahm
Director
On filings since 2022
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Matt Hegan
Director
On filings since 2022
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mike Mumau
Director
On filings since 2022
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steve Smolenski
Director
On filings since 2022
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Will Racin
Director
On filings since 2022
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mike Fahy
Director
On filings since 2024
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eric Mauck
Treasurer
Chair → Director, 2024
Director → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2020
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lindsay Ketterer Gates
Vice Chair
Dierctor → Secretary, 2022
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Muriel Nuttall
Past-Chair
Vice Chair → Chair, 2021
Chair → Past-Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bob Boscarino
Secretary
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (12)
- Former: Doug Koscianski (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Karen Post (2020–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Mike Mumua (2023) — Director
- Former: Alicia Henry (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Ken Bisbee (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Ron Aldom (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Tom Guiher (2020–2021) — Secretary
- Former: Brian Uran (2021) — Director
- Former: Liz Diesel (2020) — Director
- Former: Liz McCarty (2020) — Director
- Former: Lladel Lichty (2020) — Director
- Former: Michael Simons (2020) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $136K, to Elizabeth Ann Nemanic (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Laurel Highlands
How much does Laurel Highlands give each year?
Laurel Highlands gave $1.7M across 77 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.6M across 79 grants.
What is Laurel Highlands's typical grant size?
Laurel Highlands's median grant in 2025 was $19,111, and its average grant was $22,127, across 77 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Laurel Highlands give grants?
Laurel Highlands gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Greensburg, PA (11 grants), Uniontown, PA (10 grants), Farmington, PA (9 grants) and Latrobe, PA (6 grants).
Does Laurel Highlands give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 77 grants with a stated purpose on Laurel Highlands's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "MarketingOperatingCapital" (76 grants).
Who are Laurel Highlands's largest grantees?
Laurel Highlands's largest 2025 grantees include State Theatre Center for the Arts ($84,518), Benners Meadow Run RV Campground ($64,255) and Touchstone Center for Crafts ($62,434), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 12% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Laurel Highlands?
Laurel Highlands reported $12.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $5.4M.
What does Laurel Highlands fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to promote tourism, tourism development, and the interests of the travel and hospitality industries in the Laurel Highlands. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Laurel Highlands?
The website directs applicants to use the grant portal, choose a county and grant category, complete the application, and submit it through the portal. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Laurel Highlands's EIN?
Laurel Highlands's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-1093334. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 30, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 27, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 27, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 2, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 25, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Laurel Highlands funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/laurel-highlands-morg_55a8ce24acf74a0b8929d9e10d818f51
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_251093334_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Laurel Highlands funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/laurel-highlands-morg_55a8ce24acf74a0b8929d9e10d818f51},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Laurel Highlands's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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