Scranton Area Foundation Commits $1 Million Special Grant Distribution in 2022
The Board of Governors of the Scranton Area Community Foundation is pleased to announce a special distribution of $1 million in grant funding from the Unrestricted Endowment (Community Needs Fund) which will be available in 2022 through the Foundation’s competitive grant application process. This financial commitment from the Foundation more than doubles the amount of unrestricted grant funding available in 2021 from the Community Needs Fund, which provides Community Needs, Critical Needs, Community Events, and Innovative Impact grants to the many eligible charitable organizations and causes in our communities. The Foundation is planning this considerable increase in grant funding in response to the significant and unprecedented challenges facing our communities at this time. As the devastating economic effects of the pandemic linger in our region and relief funding struggles to meet the needs in our communities, we find ourselves in a unique position to help with the continued needs of our nonprofit sector. Due to the generosity of the community as well as prudent investment and stewardship, the Foundation experienced significant financial growth in 2021. Therefore, the board governors of the Foundation are confident that this special influx of grant funding may be released while maintaining the financial sustainability of the Foundation. The Foundation will award this grant funding throughout 2022 to eligible charitable organizations that apply to the competitive grants process through the Community Needs Fund. Eligible organizations must first submit letters of intent (LOIs) through the Foundation’s online grantmaking portal. The LOIs must be made in response to three funding rounds that will be available throughout 2022. The first of three rounds of funding will be announced on Monday, January 31st, along with details about each funding round which will be available throughout the year. Interested parties can also continue to check our website, www.safdn.org, as well as our social media accounts for additional information regarding application dates. I am pleased that at this moment, the Board of Governors of the Scranton Area Community Foundation has continued to prioritize a proactive approach to helping to meet the many needs in our communities, deciding that flexibility is called for in the face of such extraordinary economic and social challenges. We hope this special $1 million distribution helps to support the nonprofit organizations, causes, and projects that continue to face challenges in 2022, and in doing so, bolsters the quality of life in our communities. We are grateful to our generous donors, friends, and community stakeholders who have supported the Scranton Area Community Foundation in order to help make this a possibility. Sincerely,
Barbara J. O’Hara, Esq.
Board Chair, Scranton Area Community Foundation