Keystone Nazareth Charitable Foundation

Keystone Nazareth Charitable Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $940,500 (tax year 2023, from IRS 990-PF, contributions/grants paid)
• Grant Range: Grants under $25,000 reviewed three times annually; grants $25,000 and above reviewed annually
• Geographic Focus: Lehigh, Northampton and Southern Carbon Counties, Pennsylvania
• Application Method: Fixed deadlines (April 15, August 15, November 15)

Contact Details

• Website: https://keystonesavingsfoundation.org/
• Address: P.O. Box 1066, Bethlehem, PA 18016
• Contact Person: Michele Linsky, Secretary

Overview

The Keystone Nazareth Charitable Foundation (operating as Keystone Savings Foundation) is a private foundation established in 1986 to support non-profit organisations in the Bethlehem area, the original footprint of the Keystone Savings Association. The foundation has been tax-exempt since 2004.

The foundation is committed to serving the needs of the community and supports programmes for housing assistance, local education, non-profit medical facilities, non-profit community groups and similar types of organisations throughout the Lehigh Valley region.

Funding Priorities

What They Fund

The foundation supports grants in several categories:

• Education: Special programmes for public and secondary schools, drop-out prevention programmes, libraries, higher education
• Health and Human Services: Non-profit hospitals and medical centres, services and programmes for youth, the disabled and elderly
• Culture and Arts: Public libraries, museums, cultural centres, visual and performing arts
• Civic and Community Development: Leadership development programmes
• Housing Assistance: Programmes supporting housing needs in the community

What They Don't Fund

• Golf tournaments, dinners, lunches, auctions and other similar events

Application Process

How to Apply

Applications may be submitted online through the foundation's website or mailed to the foundation's address. A completed IRS Form W-9 is required with the application. All questions on the application must be answered in their entirety, in the order in which they appear.

Deadlines

The foundation has three review cycles:

• Applications must be received by April 15 for the May meeting
• Applications must be received by August 15 for the September meeting
• Applications must be received by November 15 for the December meeting

Grant requests $25,000 and higher are reviewed once per year, with a submission deadline of August 15. If approved, these grants are distributed by year-end.

Eligibility

• Must be a 501(c)(3) organisation under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
• Primary geographic focus is given to organisations in Lehigh, Northampton and Southern Carbon Counties
• An organisation may submit only one application for one purpose each year
• Grants for operations and programmes will not be made to the same organisation for more than three consecutive years; after three consecutive years of funding, an organisation must wait a minimum of one year before applying for another grant

Decision Timeline

Grants are distributed within a reasonable time period following approval.

Reapplication Policy

After receiving grants for three consecutive years, an organisation must wait a minimum of one year before applying for another grant.

Key Takeaways

• The foundation prioritises organisations in the original Keystone Savings Association footprint: Lehigh, Northampton and Southern Carbon Counties
• Larger grant requests ($25,000+) have a single annual deadline in August, whilst smaller requests are reviewed three times per year
• Organisations can only receive operational or programme funding for three consecutive years before a mandatory one-year break
• The foundation does not support fundraising events such as golf tournaments, dinners, or auctions
• Only one application per organisation per year is permitted

References

• Keystone Savings Foundation website: https://keystonesavingsfoundation.org/
• Keystone Savings Foundation Application Requests page: https://keystonesavingsfoundation.org/application-requests/
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/421607170