Scranton Area Foundation Inc

SCRANTON AREA FOUNDATION STRIVES TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA AS A STEWARD, BY DEVELOPING AND MANAGING PERMANENT ENDOWMENT FUNDS; AS A GRANTMAKER, BY GIVING SUPPORT TO ENABLE THE COMMUNITY TO RESPOND TO EMERGING AND CHANGING NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES; AS A CHARITABLE RESOURCE, BY ENCOURAGING AND EDUCATING DONORS AND PROVIDING A FLEXIBLE VEHICLE FOR INDIVIDUAL DONORS, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE; AS A CATALYST, BY MOBILIZING COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP IN RESPONSE TO ISSUES. IT IS A CHARITABLE RESOURCE THAT HAS BEEN CREATED BY AND FOR THE PEOPLE OF NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TO ASSIST DONORS TO BUILD AND SUSTAIN THEIR COMMUNITY WHILE CARRYING OUT THEIR CHARITABLE INTENT.

FUND ADMINISTRATIONTHE SCRANTON AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION (SAF) ADDED FORTY-SEVEN (47) NEW FUNDS IN 2023, INCLUDING 29 NON-ENDOWED FUNDS AND 16 ENDOWED FUNDS, BRINGING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF FUNDS TO 323. THE FOUNDATION DISTRIBUTED OVER $6 MILLION DOLLARS IN HUNDREDS OF GRANTS TO NONPROFIT AND CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS AND NEARLY $1 MILLION DOLLARS IN SCHOLARSHIPS TO 236 AREA STUDENTS. THE FOUNDATION'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS APPROVED AN UNPRECEDENTED $1 MILLION DOLLAR SPECIAL GRANTS DISTRIBUTION FOR 2023, DOUBLING WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A NORMAL COMMUNITY NEEDS AND CRITICAL NEEDS GRANT DISTRIBUTION FOR THE YEAR. SAF ALSO MANAGES TWO PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS, THE NEPA HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION AND THE ROBERT H. SPITZ FOUNDATION. THE NEPA HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION CONTINUED ITS INNOVATIVE CAREERS IN CARE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM IN 2023, HELPING TO ADDRESS THE NURSING SHORTAGE IN NORTHEASTERN PA. THROUGH THIS PROGRAM, THE NEPA HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION PROVIDED $262,500 IN SCHOLARSHIPS TO 44 STUDENTS IN LACKAWANNA, LUZERNE, WYOMING AND CARBON COUNTIES WHO PLAN TO PURSUE OR WHO ARE PURSUING NURSING AND WHO WILL PRACTICE IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. THE FOUNDATION HAS ALSO SUPPORTED A GRANT PROGRAM FOR HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE PIPELINE PROGRAMS. TOTAL SUPPORT TO PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS, HELP FURTHER EXPAND AND DEVELOP THE WORKFORCE PIPELINE, AND OTHER RELATED ISSUES IMPACTING THE REGIONAL NURSING WORKFORCE EXCEEDED $1.7 MILLION DOLLARS THROUGH A THREE-YEAR COMMITMENT (2020-2023).THE ROBERT H. SPITZ FOUNDATION DISTRIBUTED OVER $980,000 IN GRANT FUNDING TO ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS OUR REGION IN 2023, FOCUSING ON SUPPORTING PROGRAMS THAT AIM TO BREAK THE CYCLE OF POVERTY, SUPPORT THE ENVIRONMENT, SUPPORT VETERANS' AFFAIRS AND VETERAN ORIENTED PROGRAMS, PROMOTE ANIMAL WELFARE, PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR ANIMAL RESCUE, SANCTUARIES, SHELTERS, AND HUMAN EDUCATION, AND SUPPORT JEWISH CULTURE, HERITAGE, AND COMMUNITY. TO DATE, THE ROBERT H. SPITZ FOUNDATION HAS PROVIDED NEARLY $6 MILLION IN FUNDING TO THE COMMUNITY.COMMUNITY INITIATIVES THE SCRANTON AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION LEADS SEVERAL COMMUNITY INITIATIVES, MAKING A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE AND ANIMALS ACROSS NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA. NEPA THRIVES - THIS YEAR OUR WORKFORCE INITIATIVE, NEPA THRIVES, FURTHER DEFINED AND STRENGTHENED ITS FOCUS ON NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA'S WORKFORCE CHALLENGES IN ORDER TO CREATE A ROBUST AND GROWING REGIONAL ECONOMY WHERE ALL INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES AND EMPLOYERS THRIVE. THIS IS GUIDED BY A REGIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE THAT INCLUDES FUNDERS, EMPLOYERS, AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM GOVERNMENT AND EDUCATION. IN 2023, 22 FELLOWS FROM LACKAWANNA AND LUZERNE COUNTIES COMPLETED THE 10-MONTH NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA WORKFORCE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY. IN DECEMBER 2023, THE FELLOWS PRESENTED THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS TO STRENGTHEN THE WORKFORCE ECOSYSTEM IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA. NEPA MOVES - COMPRISING OVER 90 REGIONAL STAKEHOLDERS, THIS INITIATIVE WAS FORMED IN 2017 TO ADDRESS REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION CONCERNS AND CONTINUES TO FOCUS ON EQUITABLE TRANSPORTATION. NEPA MOVES HAS FOCUSED ON THE CITIES OF SCRANTON, PITTSTON AND WILKES-BARRE TO IDENTIFY OPTIONS TO BETTER CONNECT THE THREE MAJOR CITIES UTILIZING AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT AND CORONAVIRUS AID, RELIEF AND ECONOMIC SECURITY ACT FUNDING. A STRATEGIC PLAN IS BEING DEVELOPED, TO BE UNVEILED IN 2024. THIS PLAN WILL LEAD THE INITIATIVE FOR THE NEXT 3+ YEARS.WOMEN IN PHILANTHROPY (WIP) - WIP IS A COLLECTIVE PHILANTHROPY MODEL THAT BRINGS TOGETHER COMMUNITY-MINDED INDIVIDUALS WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE SYSTEMIC, SUSTAINABLE CHANGE IN THE LIVES OF DISADVANTAGED WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN THE LACKAWANNA COUNTY COMMUNITY. THERE ARE SEVERAL INITIATIVES THAT WIP FOCUSES ON, INCLUDING STEAM (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ART AND MATH), EDUCATION, HEALTH AND WELLNESS INITIATIVES, SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, AND FINANCIAL WELL-BEING AND ECONOMIC EDUCATION. WIP'S MORE RECENT FOCUS AREAS INCLUDE AFFORDABLE CHILDCARE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND ADVOCACY. NEPA ANIMAL WELFARE COLLABORATIVE - ESTABLISHED IN 2019, THE NEPA ANIMAL WELFARE COLLABORATIVE IS A COLLECTIVE OF OVER 40 ANIMAL SHELTERS, RESCUES, ADVOCATES, AND SANCTUARIES IN THE REGION THAT ARE INTERESTED IN COMING TOGETHER TO ADVANCE VARIOUS CAUSES IN ANIMAL WELFARE AND TO INCREASE THE COLLECTIVE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THESE AGENCIES. ACTIVITIES OF THE COLLABORATIVE INCLUDE EDUCATION, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, FUNDRAISING AND OTHER PRACTICES THAT MOVE THE GOALS OF THE COLLABORATIVE FORWARD TO ENSURE ANIMALS IN NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA LIVE A LIFE FREE FROM ABUSE AND NEGLECT. NEPA GIVES - THE SINGLE LARGEST DAY OF PHILANTHROPY IN NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA, NEPA GIVES, HAS SERVED AS A CATALYST FOR PHILANTHROPY, RALLYING SUPPORT AND RAISING AWARENESS FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS NEPA. IN 2023, THANKS TO THE GENEROSITY OF 6,209 DONORS FROM NORTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA AND BEYOND, NEPA GIVES RAISED OVER $1.2 MILLION FOR 227 ORGANIZATIONS IN JUST 24 HOURS. THROUGH INNOVATIVE FUNDRAISING STRATEGIES AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH, NEPA GIVES CONTINUES TO EXPAND ITS REACH AND DEEPEN ITS IMPACT, EMPOWERING NONPROFITS TO PURSUE THEIR MISSIONS AND ADDRESS PRESSING NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY. CENTER FOR COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AND NONPROFIT EXCELLENCE - SAF PROVIDES FUNDING TO HELP LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS MANAGE THE PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS THAT ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN NORTHEASTERN PA. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING FUNDING, SAF HELPS TO MAXIMIZE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS' ABILITY TO MEET THEIR CRITICAL MISSIONS BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO PROGRAMS, TRAINING, AND RELATED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. THE CENTER HOSTED ITS FOURTH NEPA LEARNING CONFERENCE IN SEPTEMBER OF 2023. OVER 200 NONPROFIT PROFESSIONALS ATTENDED THE EVENT IN DOWNTOWN SCRANTON, RECEIVING IN-DEPTH TRAINING FROM LOCAL AND NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED PRESENTERS AT THE HILTON SCRANTON & CONFERENCE CENTER. RUCHIKA TULSHYAN, BEST-SELLING AUTHOR OF "INCLUSION ON PURPOSE: AN INTERSECTIONAL APPROACH TO CREATING A CULTURE OF BELONGING AT WORK," SERVED AS THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER. ATTENDEES EXPERIENCED THREE DAYS OF NETWORKING AND INTERACTIVE SESSIONS, LEARNING FROM OVER 45 EXPERTS IN VARIOUS FIELDS.