The Birmingham Foundation
The Birmingham Foundation is a private, independent community-focused foundation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Established in 1934, the foundation was created with assets from the sale of South Side Hospital. It operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to grantmaking and community investment in South Pittsburgh.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$25.0M
+2.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.2M
-15.1% YoY
Grant Count
37
-9.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$33K
-5.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Birmingham Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: The Birmingham Foundation supports organizations in developing, implementing, and advancing efforts to help South Pittsburgh children birth to age eight and their families thrive through the dynamic use of grant making, information-sharing, partnering, and the leveraging of resources and assets.
Primary Focus: The foundation is dedicated to investing in early childhood education and development, with emphasis on young children and their families in the South Pittsburgh region.
Grantmaking
Typical awards range from $1,000 to $130,000.
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's target area includes 12 South Pittsburgh communities: Allentown, Arlington, Beltzhoover, Bon Air, Carrick, Knoxville, Mt. Oliver, Mt. Washington, St. Clair Village, and the South Side (zip codes 15203, 15210, and 15211).
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $25,028,018 (most recent filing)
Annual Giving: $1,210,767
Revenue: $559,000 (2023)
Expenses: $1.69 million (2023)
Total Liabilities: $780,000 (2023)
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $25,028,018 | $24,310,952 | $22,265,483 |
| Revenue | $1,309,270 | $1,339,913 | $558,615 |
| Expenses | $1,803,022 | $1,979,071 | $1,686,721 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,591,169 | $1,780,212 | $1,577,250 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,043,754 | $701,361 | $480,227 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,104,551 | $1,035,992 | $973,236 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
193 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Birmingham Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Brashear Association Inc ($125,000), Lighthouse Memorial Christian Center ($60,000), Voices Against Violence ($60,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A GIVING HEART PITTSBURGH, PA | BRIDGE GRANT | $5,000 |
| HILL DANCE ACADEMY CELETE HICKMAN PITTSBURGH, PA | PROGRAM ORIKI FROM THE SOUTH | $7,000 |
| BELTZHOOVE CONCENSUS GROUP JENNIFER CASH WADE PITTSBURGH, PA | GRANT 906 MONTOOTH REPAIRS | $10,350 |
| VOICES AGAINST VIOLENCE PITTSBURGH, PA | VAV BRIDGE GRANT | $5,000 |
| HILLTOP COMMUNITY CHILDREN'S CENTER PITTSBURGH, PA | OPERATING GRANT | $50,000 |
| HILLTOP ALLIANCE PITTSBURGH, PA | VOICES AGAINST VIOLENCE - HILLTOP PASS THROUGH | $20,000 |
| BRASHEAR ASSOCIATION INC PITTSBURGH, PA | FALL 2024 HOLIDAY ASSISTANCE | $125,000 |
| READING IS FUNDAMENTAL PITTSBURGH PITTSBURGH, PA | FALL 2024 GRANT - CHILDREN'S LITERACY PROGRAMMING - SOUTH PGH | $45,000 |
| MAYA ORGANIZATION SWISSVALE, PA | FALL 2024 GRANT - PERINATAL SUPPORT SERVICES | $40,000 |
| THE WATSON INSTITUTE SEWICKLEY, PA | FALL 2024 GRANT - ENHANCING SEL SUPPORTS IN SS EARLY CARE CENTERS | $35,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Executive Contact: Michelle Figlar
- Cell: 412-600-1505
- Office: 412-481-2777
- Email: mfiglar@bfpgh.org
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMY NEVIN MD | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| ANNE MARIE TOCCKET | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| BETH MARCELLO | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| BETTY KRIPP | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| CAREY A HARRIS | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| DUANE W SWAGER II | ASSISTANT TREASURER | 0.5 | — |
| EILEEN O SMITH | SECRETARY | 0.5 | — |
| KENNETH MCCRORY CPA | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MARK BIBRO | TREASURER | 0.5 | — |
| MAURITA BRYANT | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| MICHELLE FIGLAR | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $210,000 |
| NICHOLAS KENNEDY | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| PAUL SIEFKEN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| PRINCE MATTHEWS | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| RACHEL VINCIGUERRA MSW MID | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| SERAFINA LANNA | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| TARA MATTHEWS | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| TERRENCE WIRGINIS | CHAIRMAN | 0.5 | — |
| WILLIAM T SIMMONS ESQ | VICE CHAIR | 0.5 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 320 Brownsville Road Pittsburgh, PA 15210-2249
Website: birminghamfoundation.org
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Birmingham Foundation fund?
**Mission Statement:** The Birmingham Foundation supports organizations in developing, implementing, and advancing efforts to help South Pittsburgh children birth to age eight and their families thrive through the dynamic use of grant making, information-sharing, partnering, and the leveraging of resources and assets. **Primary Focus:** The foundation is dedicated to investing in early childhood education and development, with emphasis on young children and their families in the South Pittsburg…
How do I apply for a grant from The Birmingham Foundation?
**Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $1,000 to $130,000. **Application Process:** *Fall 2025 Cycle:* • By invitation only (no Letter of Intent required) • Grant Application: Opens October 6, 2025; Closes October 20, 2025 *Spring 2026 Cycle:* • Letter of Intent: Opens March 9, 2026; Closes March 23, 2026 • Grant Application: Opens April 10, 2026; Closes April 20, 2026
Where does The Birmingham Foundation make grants?
The foundation's target area includes 12 South Pittsburgh communities: Allentown, Arlington, Beltzhoover, Bon Air, Carrick, Knoxville, Mt. Oliver, Mt. Washington, St. Clair Village, and the South Side (zip codes 15203, 15210, and 15211).
What size grants does The Birmingham Foundation award?
In 2025, The Birmingham Foundation awarded 37 grants totaling $1.2M — an average of about $33K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Birmingham Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, The Birmingham Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Birmingham Foundation's EIN?
The Birmingham Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-0965572. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Birmingham Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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