Scranton Area Foundation Inc logo

Scranton Area Foundation Inc

Public charity · Grantmaker Scranton, PA EIN: 23-2890364 Website

Scranton Area Foundation Inc., also known as the Scranton Area Community Foundation, is a public charity based in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Established in 1954, it stewards charitable resources and supports nonprofit organizations and community needs in Lackawanna County and Northeastern Pennsylvania.

Scranton Area Foundation Inc at a glance

In short: Scranton Area Foundation Inc gave $3.7M across 154 grants in 2024 (avg $24K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 40% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.

Annual giving (2024)
$3,738,376
+144.7% vs 2023
Grants made (2024)
154
+156.7% vs 2023
Average grant
$24,275
-4.7% vs 2023
Median grant
$11,350
Total assets
$73,472,109
+15.9% vs 2023
New grantees (estimate)
40% first-time grantees (61 of 154, 2024)
Primary geography
Pennsylvania (99% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2024 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Scranton Area Foundation Inc

Contact

Mailing address: 612 Jefferson Avenue, Scranton, PA 18510
Phone: (570) 347-6203
Website: https://safdn.org

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Scranton Area Foundation Inc funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

United Neighborhood Centers of Nepa: $338KUnited Neighborhood Centers ofNepa$338KGeisinger Health Foundation: $258KGeisinger Health Foundation$258KCommission on Economic Opportunity: $256KCommission on EconomicOpportunity$256KFriends of the Poor: $226KFriends of the Poor$226KBloomsburg Area YMCA: $95KBloomsburg Area YMCA$95KUnited Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties: $76KUnited Way of Lackawanna andWayne Counties$76KDiocese of Scranton: $67KDiocese of Scranton$67KWvia Public Media: $62KWvia Public Media$62KNortheast Regional Cancer Institute: $59KNortheast Regional CancerInstitute$59KAdopt a Boxer Rescue: $56KAdopt a Boxer Rescue$56K

The largest 2024 recipient was United Neighborhood Centers of Nepa ($338K). Together the top 10 received $1.5M.

Grant Size Distribution

481 grants across all recorded years

447<$50K23$50–100K5$100–250K6$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 447 grants of 481 (93%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation describes its work as serving Lackawanna County and Northeastern Pennsylvania. In 2024, 99% of itemized grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania, 1% to New York, and less than 1% to Massachusetts.

Grant Distribution by State

5states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 154 itemized grants.

Cities

ScrantonWilkes-BarreClarks SummitPhiladelphiaPittstonHonesdaleMoscowOlyphantLa PlumeTunkhannockBloomsburgCarbondaleLake ArielArchbaldBethlehemMehoopanyMoosicTaylorTowandaDalton

Is Scranton Area Foundation Inc open to new grantees?

40%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 61 of 154 grantees (40%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $29K. How we count

Medians: $10K first-time, $15K repeat.

  • 31% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving grew 186% from 2021 to 2024. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2024). 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

$0$1M$2M$3M$4M54 grants2019 95 grants2020 75 grants2021 97 grants2022 60 grants2023 154 grants2024

From 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $814K (2019) to $3.7M (2024). In 2024 it made 154 grants totaling $3.7M.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
United Neighborhood Centers of Nepa Scranton, PATo support general purposes, along with food assistance and nepa rise$338,272
Geisinger Health Foundation Danville, PATo provide funding for the janet weis children's hospital$258,480
Commission on Economic Opportunity Pittston, PATo Support General Purposes$255,875
Friends of the Poor Scranton, PATo Support General Purposes, Along with Food Distribution$226,205
Bloomsburg Area YMCA Bloomsburg, PATo Support General Purposes$95,000
United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties Scranton, PATo Support Various Programs$75,866
Diocese of Scranton Scranton, PATo Support General Purposes$66,593
Wvia Public Media Pittston, PATo Support Various Programs$62,223
Northeast Regional Cancer Institute Scranton, PATo Support the Cancer Screening Navigation Program$59,414
Adopt a Boxer Rescue Olyphant, PATo Support General Purposes$55,746
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsNet Investment Income
2024$73,472,109$13,674,591$9,975,201$3,738,376154$3,576,709
2023$63,418,853$12,477,836$8,218,648$1,527,96860$2,098,306
2022$52,409,547$9,233,945$7,736,883$2,389,78597$2,006,350
2021$60,897,206$12,395,433$5,732,258$1,308,43275$4,392,930
2020$50,245,485$8,403,014$5,866,059$1,736,22095$2,572,541
2019$43,821,914$5,728,176$3,794,916$813,55354$1,987,764

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation states that it seeks to enhance quality of life in Northeastern Pennsylvania by managing permanent endowment funds, supporting responses to emerging and changing needs, encouraging charitable giving, and mobilizing community leadership.

Its website identifies work across health, education, arts, the environment, human services, and civic affairs. Its 2024 filing also describes collaborative initiatives concerning workforce development, transportation access, women’s empowerment, animal welfare, and nonprofit capacity building.

Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of recipients. Friends of the Poor says its mission is to bring together people who want to give with people needing assistance, easing the burden of poverty. The Northeast Regional Cancer Institute says it works to ease the burden of cancer in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Meals on Wheels of Northeastern Pennsylvania says it provides meals to homebound, elderly, and disabled people in Lackawanna County.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 154 itemized grants totaling $3,738,376. The grants ranged from $5,020 to $338,272, with a median of $11,350. Separately, its 2024 filing narrative says the foundation distributed over $5 million in grants to hundreds of nonprofit and charitable organizations; the itemized-grant total and the narrative figure are distinct filing figures.

The largest itemized grants included $338,272 to United Neighborhood Centers of NEPA for general purposes, food assistance, and NEPA RISE; $258,480 to Geisinger Health Foundation for Janet Weis Children’s Hospital; $255,875 to Commission on Economic Opportunity for general purposes; and $226,205 to Friends of the Poor for general purposes and food distribution. Other notable grants included $95,000 to Bloomsburg Area YMCA for general purposes, $75,866 to United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties for various programs, and $59,414 to the Northeast Regional Cancer Institute for its Cancer Screening Navigation Program.

The foundation’s website directs organizations to its online grant management portal and explains that each opportunity has its own eligibility requirements, funding priorities, geographic focus, and application process. For Community Needs funding in 2026, the Community Support Initiative Letter of Inquiry is the primary starting point. The foundation also administers charitable funds that may offer opportunities for nonprofits in specified fields, locations, or charitable purposes.

The website lists scholarship opportunities with distinct eligibility requirements, including a fund for Lackawanna County high school graduates enrolling full-time at Penn State Scranton, a fund for Northeastern Pennsylvania McDonald’s employees pursuing post-secondary education, and a fund for Scranton and West Scranton high school graduates pursuing an arts degree.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Ellen Burkey as chair, David Price as vice chair, and Katie Gilmartin as treasurer. It lists Barbara O’Hara Esq., Bryan Frantz, Dr. Patricia Fox, Dr. Joseph Bannon, Christopher DiMattio, Thomas Donohue, and Patricia Thomas as directors.

Scranton Area Foundation Inc is led by Laura Ducceschi, President & CEO on every filing since 2019; 2 of 21 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Laura Ducceschi

    President & CEO

    On filings since 2019

    40 hrs/week

    $159K (2019) → $202K (2024)

  • Ellen Burkey

    Chair

    Treasurer → Vice Chair, 2022

    Vice Chair → Chair, 2024

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Barbara O'Hara Esq.

    Director

    Vice Chair → Chair, 2022

    Chair → Director, 2024

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Bobby Lynett

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Christopher Dimattio

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kenneth Okrepkie

    Director

    Vice Chair → Chair, 2020

    Chair → Director, 2022

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Thomas Donohue

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Bill Joyce

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jerome Musheno Rph Esq.

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Patricia Fox

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Joseph Bannon

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Marion Munley Esq.

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Paul C. Woelkers Rtr Hon Dhl

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ryan McGowan

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • William Conaboy Esq.

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Bryan Frantz

    Director

    New on the 2024 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Patricia Thomas

    Director

    New on the 2024 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Margaret Martinelli

    COO

    New on the 2024 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $119K (2024)

  • David Price

    Vice Chair

    Secretary → Treasurer, 2022

    Treasurer → Vice Chair, 2024

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Katie Gilmartin

    Treasurer

    Director → Secretary, 2022

    Secretary → Treasurer, 2024

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Thomas Minora MD

    Secretary

    Director → Secretary, 2024

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (12)
  • Former: Alan Hughes (2019–2023) — Director
  • Former: Donna Barbetti (2019–2023) — Director
  • Former: Lia Richards-Palmiter (2022–2023) — Director
  • Former: James F. Clemente Cpa Mt (2019–2022) — Director
  • Former: Maryla Scranton (2019–2022) — Director
  • Former: Ida Castro (2019–2021) — Director
  • Former: John T. Tighe III (2020–2021) — Director
  • Former: Lia Palmiter (2021) — Director
  • Former: Pat Fricchione (2019–2020) — Director
  • Former: Rosemary Broderick (2019–2020) — Director
  • Former: Dominic Keating (2020) — Director
  • Former: Jack Tigue (2019) — Director

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "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

Laura Ducceschi — President & CEO: $202KLaura DucceschiPresident & CEO$202KMargaret Martinelli — COO: $119KMargaret MartinelliCOO$119K

The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $202K, to Laura Ducceschi (President & CEO). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Scranton Area Foundation Inc

How much does Scranton Area Foundation Inc give each year?

Scranton Area Foundation Inc gave $3.7M across 154 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $1.5M across 60 grants.

What is Scranton Area Foundation Inc's typical grant size?

Scranton Area Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $11,350, and its average grant was $24,275, across 154 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Scranton Area Foundation Inc that year got $17K on average.

Where does Scranton Area Foundation Inc give grants?

Scranton Area Foundation Inc gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Scranton, PA (66 grants), Wilkes-Barre, PA (10 grants), Philadelphia, PA (5 grants) and Honesdale, PA (5 grants).

Does Scranton Area Foundation Inc give general operating support?

Yes: 87% of Scranton Area Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (134 of 154) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "To Support Various Programs" (3 grants).

Who are Scranton Area Foundation Inc's largest grantees?

Scranton Area Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include United Neighborhood Centers of Nepa ($338,272), Geisinger Health Foundation ($258,480) and Commission on Economic Opportunity ($255,875), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 23% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Scranton Area Foundation Inc?

Scranton Area Foundation Inc reported $73.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $13.7M.

What does Scranton Area Foundation Inc fund?

The foundation states that it seeks to enhance quality of life in Northeastern Pennsylvania by managing permanent endowment funds, supporting responses to emerging and changing needs, encouraging charitable giving, and mobilizing community leadership. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Scranton Area Foundation Inc?

Scranton Area Foundation Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check safdn.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.

What is Scranton Area Foundation Inc's EIN?

Scranton Area Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-2890364. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.

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

  1. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS November 16, 2020)
  2. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 18, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 29, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 27, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 14, 2025)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024

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Robert Y Moffat Charitable Trust

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Scranton Area Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/scranton-area-foundation-inc-morg_0ed0127eea5e406e81bf1b0848f0d38d

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_232890364_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Scranton Area Foundation Inc funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/scranton-area-foundation-inc-morg_0ed0127eea5e406e81bf1b0848f0d38d},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Scranton Area Foundation Inc'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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