McElhattan Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Start by checking whether your work sits in one of its four stated areas: workplace safety, economic development, out-of-school-time learning, or end-of-life planning and care.
- About 8 in 10 of its 288 grants to organisations fall between $15,000 and $115,000, and half are $40,000 or less, so a modest request fits its usual pattern; its largest grant was $1,000,000, so that band is typical rather than a ceiling.
- Repeat funding is common, as 66% of its grant dollars to organisations in its latest filing went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, so a first approach should be a proposal that matches a stated priority, and watch its website for RFPs as they are posted.
- Out-of-school-time applicants should not apply if the programme is operated by a school or school district, runs outside Allegheny County, or comes from an organisation with an annual operating budget above $3 million, and applicants in that area should not seek funding for sports, scholarships or single events; in workplace safety, employee training, safety equipment purchases and highway safety are excluded.
- Its stated geographic focus is the United States, with Knox and Franklin named, and Allegheny County, Western Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh given as priorities.
Overview
McElhattan Foundation is a US private foundation based in Pittsburgh, PA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation works across four stated areas: ending death on the job; economic development in Knox and Franklin, Pennsylvania; out-of-school-time learning; and end-of-life planning and care. Its workplace-safety work supports technologies that eliminate dangerous tasks at work. In Knox and Franklin, it is most interested in nonprofit projects involving workforce development, entrepreneurship and business growth, tourism, and expanded access to broadband, healthcare and childcare. For out-of-school-time learning, it funds hands-on experiences and seeks to expand access to high-quality provision, particularly for children living in poverty and/or children of colour; it prioritises community-based programmes serving K–8 children in Allegheny County. Its end-of-life grants support awareness and documentation, caregiver and provider support, and technological innovation, aiming for measurable improvements for patients and families. It offers flexible general operating support and considers project and capacity-building requests.
Themes
- Workplace safety
- Economic development
- Out-of-school-time learning
- End-of-life planning and care
Geographic Focus
United States; Knox; Franklin. Priority: Allegheny County; Western Pennsylvania; Pittsburgh.
What They Don't Fund
- Ending Death on the Job only: employee training; buying or installing safety equipment; highway safety
- Out-of-School-Time Learning only: OST programs that are operated by a school or school district; Programs operating outside of Allegheny County; Organizations with annual operating budgets of more than $3 million; Programs that focus primarily on sports, academic recovery or learning loss, workforce development, mentoring, or college/job readiness; Scholarships; Singular events such as assemblies, performances, or workshops
How to apply
For public opportunities, the foundation issues RFPs addressing targeted problems and opportunities emerging from its research and programme priorities; RFPs are posted on the website and announced through foundation communications channels. The site also describes invitation-only proposal opportunities.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 66% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 288 grants to organisations were $40,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Organisations are invited to submit proposals when their work aligns with a programme-area priority, research initiative or specific funding opportunity.
- The foundation is particularly interested in out-of-school-time leaders committed to programme quality and continual improvement.
- End-of-life initiatives should make measurable improvements in end-of-life experiences for patients and their families.
- In Knox and Franklin, it is most interested in projects involving workforce development, entrepreneurship and business growth, tourism promotion, and broader access to services and infrastructure.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
3 other states: <1%
- The largest single recipient received 14% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 66% of grant dollars went to organisations McElhattan Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 9% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 105 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $50,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- National Safety Council · General support (three year grant)$1,000,0002024 tax year
- Carlow University · General support$438,0002024 tax year
- Clarion County Econcomic Development Corporation · General support$408,0002024 tax year
- United Way of Venango County · General support (multi-year grant)$292,7002024 tax year
- United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania · General support (multi-year grant)$250,0002024 tax year
- Allegheny Partners for Out-of-School Time · General support$165,0002024 tax year
- University of Pittsburgh · General support$160,0002024 tax year
- Northwest Commission · General support$157,3002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Carole Bailey — Executive Director
- K Joshua Mcelhattan — Director
- Martha Mcelhattan — Secretary
- Erin Mcelhattan — Director
- Jim Woll — Treasurer
- Larry S Blair — Director
- Shirley Mcelhattan — Director
- Elaine L Bonoma — Director
- Kent D Mcelhattan — President & Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $8,053,938 | $6,971,041 | $137,162,041 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $7,550,560 | $6,080,217 | $289,542,631 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $9,649,877 | $7,660,838 | $317,798,399 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to McElhattan Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (412) 430-0090
- info@mcelhattan.org
- stephanie.sweat@mcelhattan.org
- Pittsburgh, PA
- mcelhattan.org
Applying to McElhattan Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (412) 430-0090
- info@mcelhattan.org
- stephanie.sweat@mcelhattan.org
- Pittsburgh, PA
- mcelhattan.org