Foundations that fund organizations in Erie, Pennsylvania
Worked out from where the grants went, not where the foundations sit.
Funding landscape for Erie nonprofits
283 private foundations gave $13M to Erie organizations in their latest filings; 47 of the 100 that say either way accept applications.
651 grants in total, with a typical foundation's median grant to Erie around $25K. 66 of these funders are based in Pennsylvania; the rest give here from elsewhere.
- Foundations giving here
- 283
- Accept applications
- 47
- of 100 that state a policy
- Dollars to Erie
- $13M
- latest filings
- Grants
- 651
- Typical median grant
- $25K
- Based in PA
- 66%
- of funders listed
Funders, by dollars given to Erie organizations
| Foundation | Based in | Grants here | Dollars here | Median | Accepts applications | Typical purposes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Lutheran Foundation for Long-Term Living | Erie, PA | 3 | $2.0M | $12K | Yes | We're all in this together; Community benefit grant |
| John M & Gertrude E Petersen Foundation | Erie, PA | 13 | $926K | $10K | Yes | General support; Capital project; Scholarships |
| M J Surgala Tr | Erie, PA | 39 | $696K | $10K | Yes | General funds; General fund |
| Rose Koehler Curtze Mem Fd | Pittsburgh, PA | 3 | $562K | $281K | Preselected only | General support |
| Merwin Foundation | Erie, PA | 15 | $397K | $20K | Preselected only | Unrestricted |
| The Blue Cloud Foundation Inc | St Meinrad, IN | 1 | $350K | $350K | Preselected only | Support for programs |
| Chris Long Foundation | St Louis, MO | 1 | $344K | $344K | Preselected only | General |
| Mary M Nelson Charitable Trust | Pittsburgh, PA | 2 | $335K | $167K | Preselected only | General support |
| Kern Family Foundation Inc | Erie, PA | 4 | $329K | $19K | Yes | Unrestricted contribution |
| Sarah Scaife Foundation Incorporated | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 | $300K | $300K | Yes | Project support |
| Kay Hardesty Logan Foundation | Alexandria, VA | 1 | $250K | $250K | Preselected only | Logan music at noon series endowment |
| The Britton Family Foundation C/O Je Spoden | Erie, PA | 40 | $247K | $3,750 | Yes | Unrestricted |
| Greater Erie Economic Development Corporation | Erie, PA | 12 | $237K | $5,000 | Yes | Financial support of its programs |
| The Henry a and Mary J Macdonald Foundation | Erie, PA | 14 | $237K | $10K | Yes | General unrestricted; General Unrestricted; General unrestricted. |
| Fleming Family Foundation | Dallas, TX | 1 | $220K | $220K | Preselected only | Poverty |
| Addison Gibson Foundation | Pittsburgh, PA | 2 | $211K | $106K | Yes | General support |
| Rdl Family Foundation | Meadville, PA | 4 | $210K | $23K | Preselected only | General funds |
| Almerico & Margaret K Veoni Tua | Hermitage, PA | 3 | $190K | $48K | Preselected only | General funding |
| Orris C&b Dewey Hirtzel Memorial Fd | Pittsburgh, PA | 2 | $183K | $91K | Yes | General operating |
| Joan Chittister Foundation for Contemporary Spirituality | Weeki Wachee, FL | 2 | $175K | $88K | Preselected only | Contribution |
| Fred Maytag Family Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 1 | $172K | $172K | Yes | 2025 grant awards - general support |
| Scott Foundation Inc | Greensburg, PA | 3 | $170K | $40K | Preselected only | Led lighting; Generators |
| Curtze Adolph Tw | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 | $157K | $157K | Preselected only | General operating |
| Richard King Mellon Foundation | Ligonier, PA | 1 | $150K | $150K | Yes | To promote birding and provide events and services for visi… |
| Loyal and True Foundation | Erie, PA | 4 | $133K | $18K | Preselected only | General operating; Genral operating |
| Velma Moore Tw Charities | Pittsburgh, PA | 2 | $115K | $58K | Preselected only | General support |
| The Donald and Judith Alstadt Charitable Research Foundation | Erie, PA | 2 | $114K | $57K | Preselected only | Unrestricted |
| John Nesbit Rees & Sarah Henne Rees Charitable Fou | Titusville, PA | 3 | $107K | $22K | Yes | Capital improvements and programming; Art supplies and programming; Programming |
| Pierre and Kathryn McCormick Family Foundation Inc | Longboat Key, FL | 3 | $100K | $25K | Yes | Unrestricted |
| Jem Charitable Foundation % K2s Michael J Lubowicki | Erie, PA | 1 | $100K | $100K | Yes | For property and plant |
| Burns Tresa Tuw | Pittsburgh, PA | 2 | $95K | $48K | Preselected only | General support |
| Barnhart Gives Inc | North East, PA | 5 | $90K | $17K | Preselected only | General fund; Wheel chair seating fund |
| Schatzy C/O Schneider Downs & Co Inc | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 | $84K | $84K | Preselected only | To assist in providing medical care, safe housing, and nurs… |
| Charles H Strong Tr Ua Dtd 05031922 42h043012 | Manchester, NH | 4 | $84K | $9,853 | Preselected only | Operational |
| David and Annette Jorgensen Foundation | Portola Valley, CA | 1 | $80K | $80K | Preselected only | Social improvement |
| The Stackpole-Hall Foundation | St Marys, PA | 2 | $79K | $40K | Yes | Initial 2025 distribution; Final 2024 distribution |
| The Smidt Foundation | Beverly Hills, CA | 1 | $70K | $70K | Preselected only | 2024 harbor freight tools for schools prize for teaching ex… |
| Edward V & Jessie L Peters Charitable Trust | Pittsburgh, PA | 2 | $70K | $35K | Yes | General support |
| The Netherland Fund Inc | Erie, PA | 9 | $67K | $5,000 | Yes | General contribution |
| Theresa & Edward O'Toole Foundation | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 | $65K | $65K | Preselected only | General operating |
| Cnb Foundation Inc | Clearfield, PA | 2 | $65K | $33K | Preselected only | Support economic development; Capital campaign |
| Claude B Lartz Tw Vera Lartz | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 | $63K | $63K | Yes | Camp program |
| Northwest Charitable Foundation | Warren, PA | 28 | $63K | $2,000 | Preselected only | Quality of life improvement; Award luncheon sponsorship; Hearts in action luncheon sponsor |
| Arlene H Smith Charitable Foundation | Erie, PA | 3 | $53K | $8,000 | Yes | General Unrestricted.; General unrestricted. |
| Diana Davis Spencer Foundation Inc | Bethesda, MD | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | General operating support |
| Jp Humphreys Foundation | Joplin, MO | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | General Administration |
| Jeff and Sandy Wycoff Lang Foundation C/O Private Foundation Solutions | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Yes | Charitable |
| Western Pennsylvania Policy Forum Including Subsidiary Empower Erie | Erie, PA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | Funds for Community College |
| Melvin S Cohen Foundation Inc | Eau Claire, WI | 1 | $50K | $50K | Yes | Operating funds |
| The Drury Family Charitable Foundation | St Louis, MO | 1 | $50K | $50K | Yes | Unrestricted contribution to support the organization's gua… |
| Charles a Dailey Foundation | Erie, PA | 3 | $50K | $3,373 | Preselected only | Restricted grant- scholarships; Restricted grant - handicap ramps; Restricted - women's tennis scholarships; christ the king c… |
| Ruth P Wightman Charitable Trust | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 | $49K | $49K | Preselected only | General support |
| The Wm M & a Cafaro Family Foundation | Niles, OH | 15 | $47K | $500 | Yes | General purpose |
| Esther L Soder Patton Fund | Pittsburgh, PA | 7 | $45K | $6,443 | Preselected only | General operating |
| Two Eagles Foundation Inc | Tomahawk, WI | 1 | $45K | $45K | Preselected only | Tutition assistance |
| Glenn & Ruth Mengle Foundation Trust | Indiana, PA | 2 | $45K | $23K | Yes | Support for programs; For wheelchair/equipment |
| Norbert H Hardner Foundation | Austin, TX | 3 | $43K | $15K | Preselected only | Program for at-risk youth in Erie PA; Construction of new Red Panda exhibit at zoo; Convent renovations |
| Ray & Kay Eckstein Charitable Trust | Paducah, KY | 1 | $43K | $43K | Yes | Programming support |
| Wabtec Foundation | Pittsburgh, PA | 30 | $42K | $128 | Yes | General support |
| Clifford Bliss Pa 12 | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 | $40K | $40K | Preselected only | General support |
| Allegheny Foundation | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 | $40K | $40K | Yes | Program support |
| Redzinak Family Fdtn Dtd 101100 | Hermitage, PA | 2 | $37K | $19K | Preselected only | At the discretion of the |
| Frederic W Seven Trust Under Will | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 | $36K | $36K | Preselected only | General support |
| Fair Frederick&ellen Memorial | Pittsburgh, PA | 2 | $35K | $18K | Yes | General support |
| Koppelman Family Foundation C/O Robert Friedman - Cozen & O'Connor | Philadelphia, PA | 1 | $35K | $35K | Preselected only | General support |
| Randall Reserve Foundation Inc | Stahlstown, PA | 3 | $33K | $10K | Preselected only | Charitable; CharitableCharitable |
| McBrier Foundation | Erie, PA | 6 | $33K | $5,000 | Preselected only | General operating fund |
| Equitable Foundation Inc | New York, NY | 13 | $32K | $400 | Yes | General contribution |
| Arthur R Ramsey Tuw | Erie, PA | 1 | $32K | $32K | Preselected only | General fund |
| Robert E Lamb Foundation Inc | Radnor, PA | 1 | $30K | $30K | Preselected only | General |
| Zeigler Family Foundation | Schwenksville, PA | 1 | $29K | $29K | Preselected only | Scholarships (42 students) |
| The Eberly Foundation | Uniontown, PA | 1 | $28K | $28K | Yes | Scholarships |
| Sutton Gertrude H - Tr UW | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 | $28K | $28K | Preselected only | General operating |
| Highmark Foundation | Pittsburgh, PA | 3 | $28K | $6,500 | Yes | To support school grants and award programs; To support the general needs of united way of erie county |
| Fairman Family Foundation | Dubois, PA | 2 | $26K | $13K | Yes | General; Gannon women's basketball alumni fund |
| Clark Associates Charitable Foundation C/O Fred Clark | Lancaster, PA | 1 | $25K | $25K | Yes | Provide learning opportunities to students |
| Jose Antonio Grifols Lucas Foundation Inc | Los Angeles, CA | 1 | $25K | $25K | Yes | To help to alleviate hunger through a variety of programs o… |
| The Sarah and Ross Perot Jr Foundation | Dallas, TX | 1 | $25K | $25K | Yes | Support of the Arts |
| Arthur W Phillips Trust UW | Franklin, PA | 2 | $25K | $13K | Yes | Program support. |
| David P Brody Charitable Trust | Tacoma, WA | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | General operating support |
| C and a Johnson Family Foundation | Palm Beach, FL | 1 | $25K | $25K | Yes | Charitable support |
| Richard T Betts Family Foundation | Warren, PA | 2 | $25K | $13K | Yes | General |
| The Dunn Foundation | Collegeville, PA | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | General support |
| The Petrosino Family Foundation | Garden City, NY | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | General operating |
| McCain Foundation | Erie, PA | 7 | $24K | $4,000 | Preselected only | Grant supporting nursing scholarships; Grant supporting mental health services; Grant supporting mentally challenged |
| Tj Kavanagh Foundation Inc | Hermitage, PA | 3 | $23K | $8,000 | Yes | Religious; Education |
| Access to Doorways Inc | Oakland, CA | 1 | $23K | $23K | Preselected only | Fiscal sponsee |
| Bernard Brennan Tr UW | Dallas, TX | 2 | $22K | $11K | Preselected only | Unrestricted general |
| Everest Edwin Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | 1 | $20K | $20K | Preselected only | Research |
| Nisource Charitable Foundation | Columbus, OH | 1 | $20K | $20K | Yes | Corporate donation |
| The Armstrong Foundation | Fort Worth, TX | 1 | $20K | $20K | Yes | Education |
| Koch Foundation Inc | Gainesville, FL | 2 | $20K | $10K | Yes | To support the salary of a hospitality and event coordinator; To support tuition assistance |
| James and Amy Bennett Foundation | Miami Beach, FL | 1 | $20K | $20K | Preselected only | Corry ymca 7th grade initiative |
| McKenna Philip M Fdn | Latrobe, PA | 1 | $20K | $20K | Yes | Student programming |
| The James M and Margaret V Stine Foundation Inc | Wilmington, DE | 1 | $20K | $20K | Preselected only | General & Unrestricted |
| Smith Episcopal Diocese of Nw Pa | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 | $18K | $18K | Preselected only | General support |
| Smith Shirley A-Smith Mem Fund-Tr | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 | $18K | $18K | Preselected only | General operating |
| The Statler Foundation | Buffalo, NY | 1 | $17K | $17K | Yes | Scholarships and support |
| The Craige Pepper Family Foundation | Erie, PA | 1 | $16K | $16K | Yes | Charitable |
| Firstenergy Foundation | Akron, OH | 2 | $16K | $8,011 | Yes | Health & Safety |
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 Erie, Pennsylvania?
The Lutheran Foundation for Long-Term Living, John M & Gertrude E Petersen Foundation, M J Surgala Tr, Rose Koehler Curtze Mem Fd, Merwin Foundation and 95 others reported grants to Erie 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 Erie. Community foundations and corporate giving programs file different forms and are not included yet.