Hillman Foundation Grant

The Hillman Foundation, established in 1951, aims to enhance the quality of life in Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania. It focuses on strategic grantmaking for economic development, health, education, human services, the arts, and the environment. The Foundation prioritizes initiatives that foster community growth, support arts and culture, and address social determinants of health. It primarily funds tax-exempt organizations serving the ten counties of southwestern Pennsylvania.

Since its founding in 1951 by John Hartwell Hillman, Jr., the Hillman Foundation’s mission has been to improve the quality of life in Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania. The Foundation supports grantmaking that will establish the Pittsburgh region as a national leader in developing and implementing ideas that improve people's lives.
Strategic Priorities
Hillman Foundation strives to improve the quality of life in the Pittsburgh region through strategic grantmaking focused on economic development, health, education, human services, the arts, and the environment.
Arts and Culture
Intersection: Fostering the inclusion of arts and culture into all other focus areas
Education: Increasing the availability and quality of arts and culture PreK-12 education
Making Pittsburgh a destination: Enhancing Pittsburgh’s standing as an internationally-respected, vibrant, and diverse arts and culture destination and as an artist-friendly city
Community and Economic Development
Economic mobility: Increasing economic mobility through affordable housing, asset building programs, entrepreneurship support, and other promising initiatives
Supporting communities: Bolstering neighborhood anchors through capacity building for community development corporations, flexible capital for community plan implementation, and incentivizing collaboration within and between neighborhoods
Transportation modernization: Improving quality of life by modernizing the regional transportation system for pedestrians, transit riders, bicyclists, and drivers through research, pilot projects, and targeted capital investments
Education and Workforce Development
Innovative approaches to workforce development: Investing in the future of work and learning through pilots and/or expansions of education and training approaches that prepare the regional workforce for living wage careers
Early learners: Creating strong foundations by supporting early childhood centers, staff, and teachers, and progress toward universal pre-K
Low-carbon: Aiding the transition to a low-carbon economy
Outdoor parks and recreation: Improving the environment for healthy living, including support for land conservation, parks, and other outdoor recreational assets
Clean water: Ensuring access to reliable and clean water supplies and high-functioning stormwater/wastewater management
Identifying best practices: Certification initiatives, performance measurement, and promoting best practice development
Health and Medicine
Addressing social determinants of health: Promoting a culture of health through initiatives that support good health for all, like quality affordable housing, healthy food, and violence prevention
Preventing chronic disease: Prevention initiatives as well as supporting those living with chronic disease through evidence-based best practices
Accessible and affordable healthcare: Strengthening accessibility, affordability, and quality of regional healthcare, including rural health care and telemedicine
Robust workforce: Ensuring that the region can recruit and retain a qualified and diverse health care workforce, including innovative strategies like community health care workers
Human Services
Innovation: Continuing to build a strong human services sector through investments in organizational financial stability, innovative delivery models, and human capital
Service models and policy change: Accelerating momentum for change, particularly in criminal justice, homelessness, substance abuse, and healthy mothers and families

Eligibility

Applicant organizations must be classified as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code and as public charities under Section 509(a) of that code.The Foundation's geographic focus is the ten counties in southwestern Pennsylvania:Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland.

Ineligibility

Activities for which the Hillman Foundation does not encourage requestsOrganizations based outside of the United StatesSupport for organizations that are not a 501(c)(3) or government agency, and therefore require a fiscal sponsorship, unless the sponsorship is a temporary situation and/or the sponsorship arrangement meets rigorous criteria for oversight and supportDirect support for individualsConference, event, or training sponsorshipsDocumentary and film projectsEndowment contributionsDebt reductionAnnual appeals