The Grable Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $11,134,456 (2023 tax year)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: Varies by cycle; trustees review three times yearly
• Grant Range: $2,000 - $4,140,000
• Average Grant: $30,504
• Geographic Focus: Southwestern Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh region)
• Total Assets: $326.5 million

Contact Details

Address: 436 Seventh Avenue, Suite 2400, Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Website: https://grable.org/

Grant Portal: https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=grable

Contact for Summer Programmes: Ryan Rydzewski (ryan@grable.org) - Communications Officer

Overview

The Grable Foundation was established in 1976 by Minnie K. Grable, widow of Errett M. Grable, founder of Rubbermaid, Inc. After Mrs. Grable's death in 1990 at age 100, her estate assets were transferred to the Foundation, and the first professional staff were hired in 1991. Today, with assets of $326.5 million, the Foundation awarded 365 grants totalling $11.1 million in 2023. The Foundation's mission, rooted in Mrs. Grable's vision to "help young people discover and achieve their dreams," focuses on improving the lives of children and youth in the greater Pittsburgh region through supporting programmes critical to a child's successful development from early childhood through their formative years, both inside and outside the classroom. The Foundation particularly targets children with limited economic opportunities. Under Executive Director Gregg S. Behr's leadership, the Foundation has become internationally recognised for its support of innovative learning approaches, including founding the Remake Learning network in 2007—a coalition of over 250 schools, museums, libraries, and community institutions.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

The Grable Foundation organises its grantmaking around five interconnected focus areas, with applications accepted through an online portal on a cyclical basis:

1. Early Childhood

• Grant Range: Varies widely ($15,000 - $100,000+)
• Focus: High-quality learning experiences in quality settings led by caring, well-trained adults; parent and caregiver support
• Recent Example: Fred Rogers Productions received $100,000 (8/1/2025–7/31/2027) for redesign of the Daniel Tiger for Parents app

2. Public Schools (Pre-K through 12th grade)

• Focus: Igniting student interests, stretching abilities, educational leadership, teacher and curriculum development, character education
• Supports students, teachers, principals, superintendents, parents, and community members

3. Out-of-School Time

• Grant Range: $15,000 - $75,000 typical
• Focus: High-quality afterschool programmes, engaging summer experiences, mentoring programmes that foster meaningful connections with caring adults
• Recent Example: The Pittsburgh Project received $15,000 (9/1/2025–5/31/2026) for comprehensive afterschool programme for North Side K-12 students

4. Families

• Focus: Learning spaces and community resources designed with children in mind; programmes to prevent teen pregnancy, coordinate services to families in need, provide parent education and training, encourage family literacy
• Recent Example: Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank received $100,000 (7/1/2025–6/30/2027) to eliminate child hunger throughout the Pittsburgh region

5. Community

• Focus: Innovative learning and play spaces, community resources that support well-being, celebrations and cultural events, nonprofit organisations supporting child success
• Recent Examples: Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh received $75,000 (8/1/2025–7/31/2026) for high-quality arts education; Bike Pittsburgh Inc. received $40,000 (9/1/2025–8/31/2027) for bike riding and safety programmes

Priority Areas

• Early learning and development for young children
• Enhanced learning in public school classrooms
• Enriching out-of-school time learning opportunities
• Places, events, and opportunities contributing to healthy, joyful families
• Vibrant communities that value children's learning and well-being
• Programmes serving children with limited economic opportunities

What They Don't Fund

• Requests from individuals
• Requests to conduit organisations that pass funds to other organisations
• Organisations or schools outside of southwestern Pennsylvania (unless invited)
• Indirect costs and overhead percentages (direct administrative expenses may be requested if justified in project budgets)

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

The Board is composed primarily of Grable family members who guide the Foundation according to Minnie Grable's vision:

• Charles R. Burke, Jr. - Chair
• Jan Nicholson - President
• Nancy B. Foster - Treasurer
• Barbara Nicholson McFadyen
• Charles S. Burke
• Peter G. Burke
• Rachel N. Foust
• Ryan D. McFadyen
• Robert J. Ivry
• William H. Isler - Trustee Emeritus
• Susan H. Brownlee - Advisor

Staff Leadership

• Gregg S. Behr - Executive Director
• Kristen A. Burns - Associate Director
• Tracey Armant - Senior Programme Officer
• James E. Doyle - Programme Officer
• Ryan Rydzewski - Communications Officer
• Dana Lamenza - Senior Accountant
• Regina L. Archie - Office Manager
• Devin Cecere - Programme Assistant
• Will Hayden - Programme Assistant
• Bart Rocco - Fellow
• Bille Rondinelli - Fellow

Leadership Perspectives

Gregg Behr, Executive Director, has articulated the Foundation's forward-thinking approach to education:

• On modern challenges: "The world is shifting at an incredible clip, and there is no telling exactly what kind of challenges our kids will face or what problems they will need to solve."

• On centring young learners: "If we get it right, we might finally put our young learners at the centre."

• On Fred Rogers' influence: "If there really is one person responsible for what's happening here in Pittsburgh, in Western Pennsylvania, it's Fred Rogers."

• On supporting transformative opportunities: "We support the transformative opportunities The Pittsburgh Promise brings to children in our region. We recognise the potential impact of this educational incentive on the life prospects for children."

The Foundation's guiding principle is helping "children and youth become independent, caring, contributing members of society by supporting programmes critical to a child's successful development."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Grable Foundation uses a two-stage application process:

Stage 1: Letter of Inquiry

• Create an account in the online grant portal at grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=grable
• Submit a letter of inquiry through the portal
• Foundation staff will review each inquiry and follow up about next steps

Stage 2: Full Proposal (By Invitation Only)

• Full proposals may be submitted only after an invitation from the Foundation
• Proposals must be clearly identified with one of the Foundation's five focus areas

Decision Timeline

The Foundation's trustees review grant requests three times per year:

Trustee Meeting	Letter of Inquiry Deadline	Full Proposal Deadline
March	Early December	Mid-January
July	Early April	Early May
November	Early August	Early September

Special Process for Summer Programmes: Applications for summer programmes are considered on a rolling basis between January and April. Applicants are encouraged to submit a letter of inquiry as soon as summer programme plans are finalised. Contact Ryan Rydzewski (ryan@grable.org) with questions regarding summer grants.

Success Rates

In 2023, the Foundation made 365 awards from an undisclosed number of applications. The Foundation does not publicly disclose its overall success rate or the percentage of inquiries that are invited to submit full proposals. However, with $11.1 million distributed across 365 grants in 2023, the Foundation maintains an active grantmaking portfolio.

Historical data shows consistent growth:

• 2020: 272 awards
• 2021: 302 awards
• 2022: 323 awards
• 2023: 365 awards

From 2020-2023, the Foundation awarded 1,169 individual grants totalling approximately $56 million.

Reapplication Policy

The Foundation does not publicly disclose a specific reapplication policy for unsuccessful applicants. Organisations whose inquiries are not invited to full proposal or whose proposals are declined should contact Foundation staff directly to discuss future application opportunities.

Application Success Factors

Based on the Foundation's stated priorities, recent grants, and leadership guidance, successful applications demonstrate:

1. Clear Alignment with Focus Areas The Foundation emphasises understanding which of the five focus areas your work addresses. Proposals must be "clearly identified with one of the Foundation's indicated fields of interest." Recent successful grants show clear connections to Early Childhood, Public Schools, Out-of-School Time, Families, or Community priorities.

2. Focus on Under-Resourced Children The Foundation explicitly seeks to support "children and youth with limited economic opportunities." Successful applications demonstrate how programmes reach and serve children facing economic challenges in the Pittsburgh region.

3. Evidence of Quality and Impact The Foundation's priorities emphasise "high-quality" learning experiences, whether in early childhood settings, afterschool programmes, or summer experiences. Language consistently stresses quality over quantity—"rich learning experiences," "well-trained adults," "meaningful connections with caring adults."

4. Innovative and Forward-Thinking Approaches Under Gregg Behr's leadership, the Foundation values innovative learning models. Behr's statement that "the world is shifting at an incredible clip" suggests openness to creative, future-oriented approaches. The Foundation's founding of the Remake Learning network demonstrates commitment to reimagining education.

5. Comprehensive Child Development The Foundation's approach recognises that children's success depends on multiple factors—"inside the classroom and out," from "early childhood through the formative years." Successful applications show understanding of children's holistic development needs.

6. Geographic Specificity Applications must demonstrate clear service to southwestern Pennsylvania. The Foundation explicitly states that "unless invited, requests from organisations or schools outside of southwestern Pennsylvania unfortunately cannot be considered."

7. Direct Service Focus The Foundation does not fund conduit organisations. Successful applicants are organisations directly providing programmes and services to children, families, and educators.

8. Justified Administrative Costs Whilst the Foundation does not allow indirect costs or overhead percentages, "direct administrative expenses may be requested if justified in project budgets." Successful applications clearly explain how administrative costs directly support programme delivery.

9. Strong Summer Programming The Foundation's special rolling application process for summer programmes (January-April) indicates particular interest in summer learning and enrichment. Summer programme applications should be submitted "as soon as summer programme plans are finalised."

10. Connection to Foundation Values The Foundation's mission stems from Mrs. Grable's vision to "help young people discover and achieve their dreams." Successful applications connect programmatic work to this aspirational, empowering vision for children's futures.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Two-stage process is mandatory: All applicants must start with a letter of inquiry through the online portal; full proposals are by invitation only, which helps focus your initial effort on a compelling inquiry letter.

• Geographic restriction is firm: Unless specifically invited, organisations must serve southwestern Pennsylvania. Don't waste time applying if you're outside this region.

• Quality over size: With grants ranging from $15,000 to over $4 million and an average of $30,504, the Foundation funds organisations of all sizes. Focus on demonstrating programme quality rather than asking for large amounts.

• Summer programmes have special access: The rolling application process (January-April) for summer programmes provides more flexibility than the standard three-yearly cycles. Contact Ryan Rydzewski early if you have summer programming.

• Think holistically: The Foundation's five interconnected focus areas reflect understanding that children's development happens across contexts. Show how your programme connects to this comprehensive vision.

• Embrace innovation: Executive Director Gregg Behr's leadership of the Remake Learning network and statements about preparing children for an uncertain future suggest openness to creative, innovative approaches to learning and development.

• Multi-year funding is possible: Recent grants show funding periods ranging from one to two years, indicating the Foundation supports sustained work rather than only one-time projects.

References

• Grable Foundation Official Website
• Grable Foundation - Applying for a Grant
• Grable Foundation - About Us/Our Staff
• Grable Foundation - About Us/Our Board
• Grable Foundation - About Us/Legacy
• Grable Foundation - Find Recent Grants
• Grable Foundation - Financials
• Instrumentl - Grable Foundation 990 Report
• Cause IQ - Grable Foundation Profile
• NEXT Pittsburgh - NEXT Up: Gregg Behr
• Kidsburgh - In the news: Grable Foundation's Behr shares Remake Learning
• Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania - The Grable Foundation

Accessed: December 22, 2025