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Allegheny Foundation

Annual Giving
$23.6M
Grant Range
$10K - $30.0M

Allegheny Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $23,567,462 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $366 million (2024)
  • Average Grant Size: $240,484
  • Grant Range: Varies significantly - from smaller grants to $30 million
  • Number of Awards: 98 grants (2023)
  • Geographic Focus: Southwestern Pennsylvania, with some grants in other states (GA, IL, MI, OH, TX, VA)
  • Application Method: No public application process

Contact Details

Address: Allegheny Foundation One Oxford Centre 301 Grant Street, Suite 3900 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219-6401

Phone: (412) 392-2900

Website: http://www.scaife.com/alleghen.html

Overview

The Allegheny Foundation was established in 1953 in Pennsylvania by the late Richard Mellon Scaife, heir to the Mellon fortune and publisher and owner of the Tribune-Review Publishing Company. The foundation received a transformational bequest when Scaife died in 2014, growing its endowment from $67 million to $425 million (now $366 million in assets). This dramatically increased the size and scope of its grants from distributing $3-4 million annually to over $23 million per year. The foundation is one of three Scaife Foundations in Pittsburgh, alongside the Sarah Scaife Foundation and the Scaife Family Foundation. The Allegheny Foundation concentrates its giving in Southwestern Pennsylvania and confines most of its grant awards to programs for historic preservation, civic development, and education.

Funding Priorities

Priority Areas

The Allegheny Foundation focuses on three core areas:

Historic Preservation:

  • Restoration and preservation of historic buildings and structures
  • Religious historic properties
  • Architectural preservation projects
  • Notable example: Between 1976 and 1984, donated $5 million to preserve the buildings at Station Square

Civic Development:

  • Community improvement initiatives
  • Infrastructure projects that benefit the broader community
  • Public spaces and community facilities

Education:

  • Higher education institutions
  • Educational facilities and infrastructure
  • Educational programs that support community development

Additional Support Areas:

  • Arts and culture
  • Historical activities
  • Community and economic development
  • Human services
  • Youth development

What They Don't Fund

The Foundation explicitly does not make grants to:

  • Individuals
  • Organizations that are largely dependent on government subsidies
  • Event sponsorships (usually declined)
  • Endowments (usually declined)
  • Government agencies (usually declined)

Governance and Leadership

Key Personnel

Matthew A. Groll - Chairman/Trustee Groll became the foundation's chairman following Richard Scaife's death, having previously served as its executive director. He has articulated the foundation's philosophical approach to grantmaking.

Lisa Orlando - Secretary

Foundation Philosophy

According to Chairman Matthew Groll, the foundation maintains a focus on programs that "encourage individual responsibility and self-reliance." Groll stated that while Scaife funded traditional charities, "he was squarely in the 'equal opportunity' camp, not the 'equal outcome' camp." The foundation seeks programs with a libertarian or right-leaning outlook, though its grants span traditional civic and cultural institutions.

The assets are managed by the board of trustees.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Allegheny Foundation operates through trustee discretion and does not accept unsolicited grant proposals through a formal application portal or process. Grants are awarded based on decisions made by the board of trustees.

Based on available information, grants appear to be made to organizations already known to the foundation or identified through the trustees' networks and knowledge of the Southwestern Pennsylvania community.

Grant Award Examples

Recent major grants demonstrate the foundation's priorities and typical funding levels:

2018:

  • $30 million to Carnegie Mellon University for the construction of New Scaife Hall (largest grant since 2015)

2020:

  • $5 million to Carnegie Mellon University
  • $1.6 million to Laurel Highlands Workforce and Opportunity Center
  • $1.25 million to Braddock Carnegie Library Association
  • $1 million to Community College of Allegheny County

Other Notable Grants:

  • $500,000 to Seton Hill University for architectural preservation of Lowe Dining Hall
  • Major support to Point Park University for Pittsburgh Playhouse and Center for Media Innovation (2015)
  • Grant to Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation (1993) establishing the Historic Religious Properties Grant Program

Historical Context:

  • Between 1976-1984: $5 million for Station Square building preservation
  • 2015: Over $25 million distributed to 81 different organizations

Application Success Factors

Since the Allegheny Foundation does not have a public application process, organizations seeking funding should understand the foundation's approach:

Alignment with Core Priorities

The foundation has clearly defined focus areas - historic preservation, civic development, and education in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Successful grants align squarely with these priorities.

Regional Focus

The overwhelming majority of grants support Southwestern Pennsylvania projects. Organizations outside this region should note that geographic scope is a critical factor.

Scale and Impact

The foundation makes grants across a wide spectrum - from smaller community grants to transformational multi-million dollar investments. Major grants have gone to anchor institutions like Carnegie Mellon University, while substantial support also flows to community organizations like the Braddock Carnegie Library.

Historic Preservation Priority

The foundation has a particular commitment to historic preservation. Organizations working on restoration or preservation of significant historic properties, especially those with civic or educational functions, align well with the foundation's mission.

Institutional Relationships

Given the lack of a public application process, grants appear to flow to established institutions and organizations known to the trustees. Major grant recipients include prominent regional universities, cultural institutions, and community development organizations.

Philosophical Alignment

According to Chairman Groll, the foundation favors programs that promote "individual responsibility and self-reliance" and takes an "equal opportunity" rather than "equal outcome" approach. While supporting traditional charitable causes, this philosophical orientation may influence funding decisions.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process - The Allegheny Foundation operates through trustee discretion; there is no online portal or formal application procedure
  • Geographic focus is critical - Southwestern Pennsylvania is the primary, almost exclusive, geographic focus
  • Three core areas - Historic preservation, civic development, and education are the foundation's stated priorities
  • Wide grant range - From moderate five-figure grants to multi-million dollar transformational gifts; average grant size is $240,484
  • Substantial assets and giving - With $366 million in assets and $23+ million in annual giving, this is a major regional funder
  • Established institutions - Major grants flow to anchor institutions (universities, major cultural organizations) alongside community-based nonprofits
  • Long-term relationships matter - Without a public process, grants appear to go to organizations already known to trustees or prominent in the region

References

Research conducted December 2025

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