West Penn Energy Fund
West Penn Energy Fund (WPEF) is a public charity based in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. It provides investment capital and limited grant funding for sustainable energy projects that benefit West Penn Power ratepayers in Pennsylvania.
West Penn Energy Fund at a glance
In short: West Penn Energy Fund gave $887K across 20 grants in 2024 (avg $44K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 81% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $887,360
- +98.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 20
- +33.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $44,368
- +48.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $33,900,257
- +4.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 81% first-time grantees (13 of 16, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to West Penn Energy Fund
- How to Apply
-
Financing inquiries can be submitted throughout the year using WPEF’s initial inquiry process. Grant opportunities are offered through targeted RFPs; the 2026 RFP called for proposals by March 23, 2026. The website describes further technical and financial due diligence for financing requests and states that the board has final approval of funding commitments.
- Review Cycle
- The 2026 sustainable energy proposal deadline was March 23, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. EST; this cycle has passed.
- Deadline
- The 2026 sustainable energy proposal deadline was March 23, 2026, at 4:00 p.m.
- Contact
Mailing address: 40 North Pennsylvania Avenue, Greensburg, PA 15601
Phone: (724) 830-3604
Website: https://westpennenergyfund.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from West Penn Energy Fund
Who West Penn Energy Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Food Helpers ($154K). Together the top 10 received $745K.
Grant Size Distribution
73 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 60 grants of 73 (82%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
WPEF says it focuses on the 23-county West Penn Power electric service region in Pennsylvania. Its website describes the region as spanning more than 10,000 square miles and serving approximately 1.5 million residents and more than 700,000 West Penn Power customers. All reported 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is West Penn Energy Fund open to new grantees?
81%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 13 of 16 grantees (81%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $53K; repeat grants $66K. How we count
Medians: $34K first-time, $45K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). 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
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $161K (2022) to $887K (2024). In 2024 it made 20 grants totaling $887K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Food Helpers Brownsville, PA | Renewable Energy | $154,000 |
| Keystone Elk County Alliance Benezett, PA | Public Outreach | $129,500 |
| Geisinger Health State College Danville, PA | Renewable Energy | $75,000 |
| Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority Bellefonte, PA | Energy Conservation & Efficiency | $75,000 |
| Pine Valley Camp Ellwood City, PA | Renewable Energy | $60,000 |
| Pine Valley Camp Ellwood City, PA | Energy Conservation & Efficiency | $60,000 |
| Seton Hill University Greensburg, PA | Energy Conservation & Efficiency | $43,000 |
| Saint Paul Lutheran Church of Pine Grove Mills Pine Grove Mills, PA | Energy Conservation & Efficiency | $39,860 |
| The Clearwater Conservancy of Central PA Inc State College, PA | Renewable Energy | $34,000 |
| Fayette County Community Action Agency Uniontown, PA | Energy Conservation & Efficiency | $30,000 |
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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 | $33,900,257 | $1,539,823 | $1,789,174 | $887,360 | 20 | $842,022 |
| 2023 | $32,385,397 | $572,617 | $1,689,115 | $447,370 | 15 | $427,625 |
| 2022 | $31,470,481 | $830,717 | $1,183,123 | $161,390 | 11 | $705,303 |
| 2021 | $37,990,955 | $3,920,461 | $804,381 | $216,492 | 11 | $2,841,157 |
| 2020 | $33,390,275 | $1,574,587 | $879,810 | $635,800 | 16 | $1,098,008 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
WPEF’s mission is to promote sustainable and clean energy technologies, energy efficiency and conservation, and related economic development, environmental betterment, and public education in the West Penn Power service region. Its website describes focus areas including renewable and clean energy production, energy conservation and efficiency, and community benefits connected to sustainable energy deployment.
The 2026 proposal call lists focus areas including community revitalization through sustainable energy, smart energy use in community-serving facilities, induction cooking, and solar PV financing. Applicants must demonstrate a benefit to West Penn Power ratepayers.
The 2024 grantees illustrate the range of organizations receiving support. Food Helpers, which received $154,000, describes its mission as ending hunger through equitable aid, education, and resources. Seton Hill University, which received $43,000, describes itself as a higher-learning institution providing undergraduate and graduate education. Nonprofit Development Corporation, which received $30,000, says it supports individuals, nonprofits, and government entities with technical assistance, affordable space, supported employment, and funding opportunities.
Grantmaking
WPEF’s website says it primarily places funds in projects that provide a modest rate of return, with limited grantmaking through periodic requests for proposals. Financing inquiries may be submitted throughout the year; the website describes an initial application followed by technical and financial due diligence, with the board making final funding decisions. The website also says the board and staff work together to evaluate requests.
For conventional financing, the website describes project loans typically ranging from $25,000 to $1,000,000. Its ACT 129 Energy Micro Loan Program offers $10,000–$50,000 loans to commercial, industrial, and institutional entities seeking eligible energy-efficiency improvements in the West Penn Power service region. Applicants must provide a project overview and a West Penn Power pre-approval letter.
In 2024, WPEF reported 20 grants totaling $887,360. Grant amounts ranged from $6,250 to $154,000, with a median of $30,000. The largest awards included $154,000 to Food Helpers for renewable energy, $129,500 to Keystone Elk County Alliance for public outreach, $75,000 to Geisinger Health State College for renewable energy, and $75,000 to Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority for energy conservation and efficiency. Pine Valley Camp received two $60,000 grants, one for renewable energy and one for energy conservation and efficiency.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Al Neuner as chairperson, John Walliser as vice chairperson, John Kline as treasurer, Brandy Schimp as secretary, and Mike Pauly and Edward C. Miller as directors. It lists Joel Morrison, James Smith, and George App as administrative staff.
West Penn Energy Fund is led by Al Neuner, Chairperson since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 9 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Al Neuner
Chairperson
President → Chairperson, 2024
On filings since 2020
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Edward C. Miller
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mike Pauly
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
George App
Administrative Staff
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James Smith
Administrative Staff
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joel Morrison
Administrative Staff
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Kline
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Walliser
Vice Chairperson
Vice President → Vice Chairperson, 2024
On filings since 2020
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brandy Schimp
Secretary
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: James Stark (2020–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Michele Ponchione (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Rob Hosken (2020–2023) — Director
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.
Frequently asked questions about West Penn Energy Fund
How much does West Penn Energy Fund give each year?
West Penn Energy Fund gave $887K across 20 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $447K across 15 grants.
What is West Penn Energy Fund's typical grant size?
West Penn Energy Fund's median grant in 2024 was $30,000, and its average grant was $44,368, across 20 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from West Penn Energy Fund that year got $53K on average.
Where does West Penn Energy Fund give grants?
West Penn Energy Fund gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Ellwood City, PA (2 grants), Kane, PA (2 grants), Uniontown, PA (2 grants) and Latrobe, PA (2 grants).
Does West Penn Energy Fund give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 20 grants with a stated purpose on West Penn Energy Fund's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Energy Conservation & Efficiency" (10 grants), "Renewable Energy" (5 grants) and "Public Outreach" (4 grants).
Who are West Penn Energy Fund's largest grantees?
West Penn Energy Fund's largest 2024 grantees include Food Helpers ($154,000), Keystone Elk County Alliance ($129,500) and Pine Valley Camp ($120,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is West Penn Energy Fund?
West Penn Energy Fund reported $33.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.5M.
What does West Penn Energy Fund fund?
WPEF’s mission is to promote sustainable and clean energy technologies, energy efficiency and conservation, and related economic development, environmental betterment, and public education in the West Penn Power service region. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from West Penn Energy Fund?
Financing inquiries can be submitted throughout the year using WPEF’s initial inquiry process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is West Penn Energy Fund's EIN?
West Penn Energy Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-1862884. 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 28, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 6, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work West Penn Energy Fund funds
Community Improvement & Capacity Building Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in West Penn Energy Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). West Penn Energy Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/west-penn-energy-fund-morg_fc59cd70b46b426cba10988136388d27
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_251862884_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{West Penn Energy Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/west-penn-energy-fund-morg_fc59cd70b46b426cba10988136388d27},
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 West Penn Energy Fund'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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