Growth Fund

Funder: Community Foundation of Fayette County (funded by The Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, Richard King Mellon Foundation, Anonymous Foundation, The Eberly Foundation, First Niagara Bank, PNC Wealth Management, and Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development)

Geographic Scope: Five target communities in Fayette County: Brownsville, Connellsville, Ohiopyle, Point Marion, and Uniontown

Focus Areas:

• Economic development
• Community revitalization
• Pre-development needs for projects
• Collaborative projects
• Infrastructure improvements
• Tourism development
• Historic preservation feasibility studies

Award Details:

• Nearly 40 grants awarded since 2008
• Awards typically range $2,500-$8,000
• Funds pre-development and design phases
• Many projects have leveraged millions in additional investment from private and public sources

Program Philosophy:
Program Officer notes: "Projects in five target communities have benefitted Brownsville, Connellsville, Ohiopyle, Point Marion and Uniontown. Funding pre-development needs serves to move projects forward that would have either have been greatly delayed or not viable at all."

Application Process

Eligible Applicants:

• Nonprofit organizations
• Municipal and civic organizations
• Community development entities
• Projects in designated target communities

Focus of Grants:

• Feasibility studies
• Design plans
• Landscape architecture
• Heritage and tourism planning
• Infrastructure assessment

Evaluation Criteria:

• Emphasis on collaborations between groups and communities
• Demonstration of overcoming barriers through cooperation
• Economic development and revitalization impact

Note: Specific application form details and deadlines not provided in available content. Contact CFFC for current application requirements.