POISE Community Impact Grants

The POISE Community Impact Grants, offered by the Poise Foundation, aim to support Black-led nonprofit organizations in the Pittsburgh Region. Grants range from $1,000 to $5,000 and are awarded twice a year, focusing on areas such as economic development, education, entrepreneurship, and family strengthening. The foundation prioritizes applications from organizations that demonstrate a commitment to empowering the Black community and fostering self-sufficiency through innovative programming and community engagement.

POISE Foundation accepts online grant applications twice a year during its Spring and Fall funding cycle for requests that fit within one or more of its Priority Areas and are for activities within the Pittsburgh Region.
Grants are typically between $1,000-$5,000.
Funding Priority Areas
POISE Foundation’s mission is to assist the Black community in achieving self-sustaining practices through strategic leadership, collective giving, grantmaking, and advocacy. Through the Community Impact Grants, the Foundation provides small grants to nonprofit organizations located in the Pittsburgh Region that provide services, and seeks to bring change to the Black community which leads to empowerment and self-sufficiency. In general, grants are one year in duration.
POISE typically provides grants to Black-led, Black serving nonprofit organizations offering programs and services that fit within one or more of our Priority Areas:

• Community & Economic Development

Programming that helps community leaders, residents and their communities build capacity to engage in civic participation, to collaborate, to make decisions and to advocate for the well-being of Black communities and the residents that live there. These types of programs also seek to engage community members in learning about and understanding community issues, and the economic, social, environmental, political, psychological, and other impacts on their way of life. In addition, these programs should aim to foster pathways from poverty to prosperity for individuals and families in Black communities.
Education
Programming that supports and advances the educational achievement of Black youth in the Pittsburgh Region.
Entrepreneurial Activities
Programming that advances the creation and development of Black businesses and cooperatives in the Pittsburgh Region.
Young Ladies
Programming that supports and advances the well-being of young ladies in preparation for future endeavors in the Pittsburgh Region.
Strengthening Black Families
The Foundation will invest in programs and activities that build, strengthen, and support Black families.
Priority will be given to programs and projects that focus on:
being family-driven;building, strengthening, and supporting family development;increasing family time, interaction, engagement and communication;being culturally and contextually responsive in approach;assisting families with building authentic support networks with other families;providing families with tools and opportunities to build the skills necessary to advocate for their needs; andpromoting and supporting family healing and wellness.
Strengthening Black Families Eligibility Criteria:
Black-led, Black serving organizationHave a current 501(c)3 or a fiscal sponsor with this documentationServing Black families in Allegheny and Beaver CountiesOrganizations may request up to $6,500 for Strengthening Black Families programs/projects.

Eligibility

Only organizations classified as one of the following are eligible for grants from the Foundation:A 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charityOrganizations/Groups with a Fiscal Sponsor that is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity Churches seeking support for non-religious activities (i.e. food banks, after school programs, etc.)General Operating or Program/Project requests within our funding areas are accepted.Churches and faith-based organizations are eligible to apply for Program/Project support for non-religious activities.Fiscal Sponsorship
If your organization/group is not a church nor has 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity status you are required to have a Fiscal Sponsor. A Fiscal Sponsor is a nonprofit organization, with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity status, that agrees to provide various administrative services and fiscal oversight for an entity or project that is not recognized as a public charity by the IRS, by sharing its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. The Fiscal Sponsor is ultimately responsible for all fiscal oversight for any grant awarded to the sponsored organization/group. Fiscal Sponsors are required to sign the grant agreement along with the sponsored organization/group. Funds will be disbursed directly to the Fiscal Sponsor. If your organization is using a Fiscal Sponsor, you must have a current Fiscal Sponsor agreement in place that has been signed and dated by both parties.Only one application per organization is accepted per grant cycle.
If your organization is funded you are only able to re-apply for funding the next calendar year. ( e.g., If you were funded in the Fall 2020 cycle, you can reapply in the Fall 2021 cycle not the Spring 2021 cycle.)Organizations that apply should have at least one (1) year in operation (and provide 1 year of financial history) .Organizations receiving funding for three (3) consecutive calendar years must take one (1) year off before re-applying.General Operating or Program/Project requests within our funding areas are accepted.Churches and faith-based organizations are eligible to apply for Program/Project support for non-religious activities.

Ineligibility

We do not give grants to individuals or for-profit organizations. We don't typically fund:Capital campaigns Endowments, debt reduction, or loansGrants to individualsMulti-year grantsPolitical causes, candidates, or campaignsPrograms outside of the Pittsburgh RegionReligious organizations for religious purposesSpecial events, conferences, or promotionsOrganizations that have either never received a grant from POISE or have not received a POISE grant within a 3-year period are not eligible to apply for General Operating support.

Black-led, Black-serving nonprofit organizations with current 501(c)(3) status or a fiscal sponsor, for activities in the Pittsburgh Region.