Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh
The Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh is a private foundation established in 1963 by Henry Posner Sr. to support charitable causes in the Pittsburgh region. Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the foundation has evolved from a regional philanthropic organization into a global grantmaker addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges worldwide. The foundation operates with a small staff of three and is governed by a five-member board of trustees.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$175.5M
-3.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$25.4M
+48.9% YoY
Grant Count
113
+50.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$225K
-1.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh reported a distributable amount of $15.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation seeks high-leverage opportunities to advance long-term structural solutions to social, economic, and environmental challenges in Pittsburgh and around the world. The foundation measures success through the results of its partners and seeks opportunities to invest where others may not.
The foundation's priority areas include:
Education — The flagship Education initiative is Student Success, helping first-generation students access, afford, thrive in, and complete a college education. The foundation is building a Student Success community of practice in Pittsburgh by funding new programs and hosting convenings that spur collaboration. Globally, the foundation invests in projects ensuring vulnerable youth, especially those displaced by conflict or crisis, continue their formal education. The foundation also supports regional literacy programs along the continuum of early learners to lifelong learning for adults.
Environment — The foundation's major Environment initiative focuses on preventing food waste around the world, including food waste prevention solutions that seek to understand and change consumer behavior, as well as innovative approaches to supply chain challenges. The foundation also invests in climate resiliency, focusing on climate smart agriculture and landfill diversion, with local Pittsburgh projects aligned with these goals.
Civil Society — The foundation addresses the need to safeguard a strong and engaged civil society.
Global Initiatives — The foundation invests in projects addressing global challenges.
Jewish Life — The foundation supports initiatives related to Jewish life.
Incubators — The foundation supports incubator programs.
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals.
Grant Range
of $950 and a total of 19,453 grants awarded in the previous year.
Average Grant
of $950 and a total of 19,453 grants awarded in the previous year.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports diverse initiatives across the United States, including major urban centers such as New York, Chicago, and San Francisco, as well as smaller communities. The foundation also funds projects globally, with particular historical emphasis on the Former Soviet Union and current work addressing international challenges.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $181.4 million (2023); $175.5 million (2024)
Annual Revenue: $19.7 million (2023); $23.5 million (2024)
Annual Expenses: $20.7 million (2023); $29.7 million (2024)
Total Liabilities: −$623 (2023)
Staff: 3 employees
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $175,451,066 | $181,408,264 | $182,613,119 |
| Revenue | $23,484,494 | $19,658,594 | $30,133,798 |
| Expenses | $29,659,320 | $20,703,667 | $21,695,625 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $26,409,944 | $17,860,006 | $18,637,508 |
| Net Investment Income | $20,564,871 | $17,058,519 | $27,316,499 |
| Distributable Amount | $15,525,191 | $13,864,219 | $14,512,947 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Carnegie Mellon University ($3,050,000), Aclu Foundation ($2,000,000), American Jewish World Service ($500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACLU FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | UNRESTRICTED/ GENERAL USE | $2,000,000 |
| ALLEGHENY CEMETERY HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION PITTSBURGH, PA | UNRESTRICTED/ GENERAL USE | $25,000 |
| ALLIANCE FOR REFUGEE YOUTH SUPPORT AND EDUCATION PITTSBURGH, PA | UNRESTRICTED/ GENERAL USE | $100,000 |
| ALUMNI THEATER COMPANY PITTSBURGH, PA | UNRESTRICTED/ GENERAL USE | $50,000 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE NEW YORK, NY | UNRESTRICTED/ GENERAL USE | $500,000 |
| AMERICAN JOURNALISM PROJECT WASHINGTON, DC | UNRESTRICTED/ GENERAL USE | $250,000 |
| AMERICARES STAMFORD, CT | UNRESTRICTED/ GENERAL USE | $250,000 |
| ASYLUM SEEKER ADVOCACY PROJECT NEW YORK, NY | UNRESTRICTED/ GENERAL USE | $100,000 |
| BEST OF THE BATCH FOUNDATION MUNHALL, PA | UNRESTRICTED/ GENERAL USE | $25,000 |
| BHUTANESE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION OF PITTSBURGH PITTSBURGH, PA | UNRESTRICTED/ GENERAL USE | $100,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Henry Posner III — Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Paul Posner — Trustee
Anne Molloy — Trustee
John Hensler — Trustee
Ida Posner — Trustee
Anne Marie Toccket — Executive Director
Hana Uman — Program Officer
Naomi Morris — Program Associate
All board members serve without compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| HENRY POSNER III | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| PAUL M POSNER | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ANNE M MOLLOY | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JOHN F HENSLER | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2025, the Posner Foundation committed $8 million to Carnegie Mellon University Libraries Special Collections.
Posner Foundation Commits $8 Million to CMU Libraries Special CollectionsIn 2024, the foundation supported regional Student Success initiatives in Pittsburgh.
Posner Foundation Supports Regional Student Success InitiativesThe foundation's website is posnerfoundation.org. In 2019, the foundation hired its first staff, created a formal mission statement, and launched formal priority areas, marking the beginning of a new chapter in its philanthropic work.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh fund?
The foundation seeks high-leverage opportunities to advance long-term structural solutions to social, economic, and environmental challenges in Pittsburgh and around the world. The foundation measures success through the results of its partners and seeks opportunities to invest where others may not. The foundation's priority areas include: **Education** — The flagship Education initiative is Student Success, helping first-generation students access, afford, thrive in, and complete a college edu…
How do I apply for a grant from Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Recent grants include $3,050,000 to Carnegie Mellon University for unrestricted/general use, $2,000,000 to the ACLU Foundation for unrestricted/general use, and $1,000,000 to Simmons University for unrestricted/general use. The foundation made approximately $9.7 million in annual grants in 2024, with an average grant size of $950 and a total of 19,453 grants awarded in the previous year. The foundation is a spenddown foundation and intends t…
Where does Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh make grants?
The foundation supports diverse initiatives across the United States, including major urban centers such as New York, Chicago, and San Francisco, as well as smaller communities. The foundation also funds projects globally, with particular historical emphasis on the Former Soviet Union and current work addressing international challenges.
What size grants does Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh award?
In 2024, Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh awarded 113 grants totaling $25.4M — an average of about $225K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh reported a distributable amount of $15.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh's EIN?
Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-6055022. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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