Mon Valley Initiative
Mon Valley Initiative (MVI) is a public charity based in Homestead, Pennsylvania, founded in 1988. It works to strengthen communities in the Mon Valley through real estate and community development, housing counseling, and workforce development and financial coaching.
Mon Valley Initiative at a glance
In short: Mon Valley Initiative gave $217K across 8 grants in 2024 (avg $27K), top state Illinois. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $216,953
- -28.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 8
- -20.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $27,119
- -10.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $28,085
- Total assets
- $22,832,294
- +0.5% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Illinois (43% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Mon Valley Initiative
- Contact
Mailing address: 305 E 8Th Ave, Homestead, PA 15120
Phone: (412) 464-4000
Website: https://monvalleyinitiative.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Mon Valley Initiative funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 8 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Comm PTNRS for Afford House ($55K). Together the top 8 received $217K.
Grant Size Distribution
49 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 37 grants of 49 (76%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
MVI describes its local service region as Mon Valley communities along the Monongahela and Youghiogheny rivers in Allegheny, Washington, and Westmoreland counties in Pennsylvania. Its housing counseling intermediary network operates nationally.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 8 itemized grants.
Cities
How Mon Valley Initiative gives
- Giving fell 67% from 2021 to 2024. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $217K (2024) to $651K (2021). In 2024 it made 8 grants totaling $217K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Comm PTNRS for Afford House Libertyville, IL | — | $54,774 |
| Housing Opportunities - Ft Worth Fort Worth, TX | — | $38,308 |
| The Neighbor Project Aurora, IL | — | $37,929 |
| Fairmont-Morgantown Housing a Fairmont, WV | — | $30,000 |
| Interfaith Community Housing Wilmington, DE | — | $26,169 |
| North Folk Housing Alliance Greenport, NY | — | $15,000 |
| Change Inc Weirton, WV | — | $8,852 |
| Community Action PSHIP of Mer Sharon, PA | Housing Conseling | $5,921 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $22,832,294 | $5,040,135 | $4,743,823 | $216,953 | 8 | $405,224 |
| 2023 | $22,726,082 | $14,993,148 | $5,660,108 | $303,784 | 10 | $31,395 |
| 2022 | $14,466,741 | $6,041,263 | $5,577,187 | $219,280 | 7 | $80,046 |
| 2021 | $13,834,509 | $6,776,914 | $5,935,490 | $651,194 | 12 | $84,691 |
| 2020 | $12,722,267 | $6,065,542 | $3,222,954 | $575,179 | 12 | $75,886 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
MVI states its mission as strengthening the Mon Valley region by responsibly investing in its people and places. Its work includes acquiring, rehabilitating, and developing housing and commercial properties; providing housing counseling; supporting community engagement; and helping residents with career development and financial coaching.
As a HUD-approved intermediary, MVI provides grant funding and administrative, compliance, and technical support to a national network of housing counseling agencies. The filing reports that agencies in the network counseled 7,122 households during HUD’s 2024 fiscal year. MVI’s own pre-purchase counseling program assisted 111 participants in 2024, of whom 37 became homeowners. MVI also reports serving 328 workforce-development participants in 2024.
Examples of organizations receiving grants in 2023 include HomeSight, whose stated mission is to create affordable homeownership opportunities through homebuyer education and lending programs, primarily for low- and moderate-income first-time buyers in parts of Washington state. The Neighbor Project describes its mission as activating working families’ potential to revitalize neighborhoods through homeownership, education, and savings programs. Change, Inc. describes its mission as integrating services, building partnerships, and consolidating resources to empower families toward healthy, self-sufficient living.
Grantmaking
MVI reported giving 10 grants totaling $303,784 in 2023, an average of about $30,378 per grant. The filing reports seven grants totaling $219,280 in 2022 and no grants in 2024. Its 2024 filing, the latest on this page, reports 8 grants totaling $216,953.
Among the 2023 grantees, HomeSight received $67,505, The Neighbor Project received $28,992, and Change, Inc. received $25,418. The website describes MVI’s intermediary work as providing HUD grant funding to a national network of housing counseling agencies. The grant totals above are reported as MVI’s grant expenses in its filings.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Laura Zinski as CEO; April Hoover as CFO; Barata Bey as chairman; Jane Flaherty as vice chair; and Mary Carol Kennedy as treasurer. It also lists Godfrey Bethea, Dale Bizub, Lindsey Coy, Jebediah Feldman, and Monet Ham as board members.
Mon Valley Initiative is led by Laura Zinski, CEO on every filing since 2020; 2 of 14 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Laura Zinski
CEO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$112K (2020) → $125K (2024)
Barata Bey
Chairman
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2022
Vice Chair → Chairman, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
April Hoover
CFO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$76K (2020) → $93K (2024)
Barbara Laface
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dale Bizub
Board Member
Secretary → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jane Flaherty
Vice Chair
Treasurer → Secretary, 2022
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jebediah Feldman
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary Carol Kennedy
Treasurer
Chair → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard Wallace
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Terry Ward
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lindsey Coy
Board Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tyler Reeder
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Godfrey Bethea
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Monet Ham
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Joseph P Flynn Jr. (2020–2022) — Chairman
- Former: Joey-Linn Ulrich (2021–2022) — COO
- Former: Michael Tobias (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Sharon Alberts (2020) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $125K, to Laura Zinski (CEO). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Mon Valley Initiative
How much does Mon Valley Initiative give each year?
Mon Valley Initiative gave $217K across 8 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $304K across 10 grants.
What is Mon Valley Initiative's typical grant size?
Mon Valley Initiative's median grant in 2024 was $28,085, and its average grant was $27,119, across 8 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Where does Mon Valley Initiative give grants?
Mon Valley Initiative's top state is Illinois, with 43% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were West Virginia (18%) and Texas (18%).
Who are Mon Valley Initiative's largest grantees?
Mon Valley Initiative's largest 2024 grantees include Comm PTNRS for Afford House ($54,774), Housing Opportunities - Ft Worth ($38,308) and The Neighbor Project ($37,929), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 60% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Mon Valley Initiative?
Mon Valley Initiative reported $22.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $5.0M.
What does Mon Valley Initiative fund?
MVI states its mission as strengthening the Mon Valley region by responsibly investing in its people and places. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Mon Valley Initiative?
Mon Valley Initiative has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check monvalleyinitiative.com for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Mon Valley Initiative's EIN?
Mon Valley Initiative's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-1591350. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 2, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 16, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 20, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 19, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from Mon Valley Initiative'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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