Foundations that fund organizations in Columbia, Pennsylvania
Worked out from where the grants went, not where the foundations sit.
Funding landscape for Columbia nonprofits
28 private foundations gave $3.1M to Columbia organizations in their latest filings; 10 of the 28 that say either way accept applications.
38 grants in total, with a typical foundation's median grant to Columbia around $5,000. 20 of these funders are based in Pennsylvania; the rest give here from elsewhere.
- Foundations giving here
- 28
- Accept applications
- 10
- of 28 that state a policy
- Dollars to Columbia
- $3.1M
- latest filings
- Grants
- 38
- Typical median grant
- $5,000
- Based in PA
- 71%
- of funders listed
Funders, by dollars given to Columbia organizations
| Foundation | Based in | Grants here | Dollars here | Median | Accepts applications | Typical purposes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard C von Hess Foundation | Columbia, PA | 1 | $2.0M | $2.0M | Preselected only | Support transformation of the adjacent railroad building in… |
| The Harold and Judy McKonly Family Foundation | Columbia, PA | 3 | $365K | $3,000 | Preselected only | Rescue of unwanted animals; Manage local feral cat population |
| Herr Benjamin for John C Et Al-Tr | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 | $293K | $293K | Preselected only | General operating |
| Clark Associates Charitable Foundation C/O Fred Clark | Lancaster, PA | 3 | $129K | $7,000 | Yes | Provide support for creative and innovative education strat…; Support personal care home serving adults in need of a cari…; Support for economically disadvantaged children |
| Nikolaus Family Foundation | Silver Spring, PA | 2 | $87K | $44K | Preselected only | Cherry street property project and vacation bible school; General contributions & tuition aid |
| Columbia Healthcare Foundation Inc | Columbia, PA | 5 | $72K | $20K | Yes | Health care services |
| The Robert J Gunterberg Charitable Foundation | Cape Coral, FL | 1 | $40K | $40K | Yes | General operating expenses |
| Hutchinson Serena M Fbo St Pauls-Tr | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 | $34K | $34K | Preselected only | General operating |
| Russ a Fbo St Anne S Home Tuw | St Louis, MO | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | General operation |
| Florence M & Paul M Staehle Fdn | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 | $20K | $20K | Yes | General support |
| Catholic Education Foundation | Lancaster, PA | 1 | $17K | $17K | Preselected only | Catholic school tuition assistance |
| Land O'Lakes Foundation | St Paul, MN | 1 | $8,000 | $8,000 | Yes | East region community vitality grant |
| Ppl Foundation | Allentown, PA | 1 | $7,500 | $7,500 | Yes | Program support |
| City Limits Foundation | Lancaster, PA | 1 | $7,500 | $7,500 | Preselected only | To further the mission of the recipient |
| Eric a Baae and Mary C Baade Charitable | St Louis, MO | 1 | $5,000 | $5,000 | Yes | General operating |
| Donald and Amy Smith Jr Family Foundation Inc | New Oxford, PA | 1 | $5,000 | $5,000 | Preselected only | Unrestricted |
| Edward Froelich Charitable Trust UW 47f001011 | Lancaster, PA | 1 | $3,000 | $3,000 | Preselected only | Operations |
| Northwest Charitable Foundation | Warren, PA | 1 | $2,500 | $2,500 | Preselected only | Dream center funding |
| Circle of Hope Foundation | Lancaster, PA | 1 | $2,000 | $2,000 | Preselected only | Public purpose |
| Weigleada Tw | Buffalo, NY | 1 | $1,904 | $1,904 | Preselected only | General |
| The Smith Foundation Co MS Julianne McNamara | Wrightsville, PA | 1 | $1,500 | $1,500 | Yes | Riverfest sponsor |
| Nextdoor Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 1 | $1,500 | $1,500 | Preselected only | General & Unrestricted |
| Maria Fisher Foundation | Lititz, PA | 2 | $1,015 | $507 | Preselected only | Donation to charity |
| Kenneth C Simon and Tina M Saracino Foundation | Morgantown, PA | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Yes | General support |
| Robert & Esther Grove Family Foundation | Chambersburg, PA | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Preselected only | Unrestricted |
| The Hohmann Foundation | New York, NY | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Yes | Unrestricted support of the organziation's exempt purpose |
| The Joseph and Eleanor Piascinski Charitable Foundation | Mount Joy, PA | 1 | $600 | $600 | Preselected only | Assistance to indigent familyhousing |
| The Pfizer Foundation Inc | New York, NY | 1 | $80 | $80 | Preselected only | Volunteer program |
Source: IRS Form 990-PF Part XV, latest electronic return per foundation (2026-10-28). "Accepts applications" reflects the foundation's own checkbox on Part XV line 2. Grants to individuals excluded.
Common questions
Which foundations give to nonprofits in Columbia, Pennsylvania?
Richard C von Hess Foundation, The Harold and Judy McKonly Family Foundation, Herr Benjamin for John C Et Al-Tr, Clark Associates Charitable Foundation C/O Fred Clark, Nikolaus Family Foundation and 23 others reported grants to Columbia organizations on their latest Form 990-PF.
How do I approach a foundation that doesn't accept applications?
A foundation that checks "contributes only to preselected organizations" on its 990-PF won't review a cold proposal. Look at who it funds, find a shared board member, grantee or advisor, and ask for an introduction. Foundations that accept applications usually list a contact and deadlines in Part XV; we show that text on each foundation's page.
Is this list complete?
No. It covers private foundations (Form 990-PF filers) whose latest electronic return lists at least one grant to an organization in Columbia. Community foundations and corporate giving programs file different forms and are not included yet.