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Orland Bethel Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$10.0M
Grant Range
$3K - $25.0M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $10,013,000 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not specified
  • Grant Range: $2,500 - $10,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: Pennsylvania (particularly Western PA), New York, and national organizations
  • Foundation Assets: $62 million (2024)

Contact Details

Address: 7196 Hawks View Trail, Port St Lucie, FL 34986

Phone: (412) 828-2100

Contact Person: Orland Bethel, CFO

Website: No public website available

Overview

The Orland Bethel Family Foundation was established in 2023 by Orland Bethel, founder of Hillandale Farms, one of the top five egg producers in the United States. The foundation has quickly become a major philanthropic force, with $62 million in assets and over $10 million in annual giving. The foundation's primary focus is on musculoskeletal research and medical innovation, inspired by Bethel's personal experience with successful spinal surgery at the University of Pittsburgh in 2014. Beyond its flagship medical research grants, the foundation also supports community organizations, healthcare foundations, and charitable causes primarily in Western Pennsylvania. The foundation operates as a private family foundation with decisions made by the board, which includes Orland Bethel and family members.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through trustee-directed grantmaking rather than formal grant programs. Grants are made on a rolling basis through letter of request.

Major Medical Research Grants: $2 million - $25 million

  • Multi-year commitments to establish research centers, professorships, and infrastructure
  • Focus on musculoskeletal disorders including osteoporosis, degenerative arthritis, fragility fractures, and spinal pathology

Community Grants: $2,500 - $20,000

  • General operating support for local nonprofits
  • Healthcare foundations and community development organizations

Priority Areas

Primary Focus:

  • Musculoskeletal research and medical innovation
  • Support for early career scientists and researchers
  • Biobanking and medical infrastructure
  • Education and training for medical students and undergraduates

Secondary Focus:

  • Alzheimer's disease research
  • Community healthcare foundations
  • Economic development in Western Pennsylvania
  • Youth sports and charitable organizations

What They Don't Fund

Based on available grant history, the foundation does not appear to fund:

  • Arts and culture organizations
  • Environmental causes
  • International programs
  • Direct service delivery programs (beyond medical research)

Governance and Leadership

Board Members:

  • Orland Bethel, CFO and Founder - Built Hillandale Farms from a $4,000 loan in 1958 into one of the top five egg producers in the United States. Raised on a dairy farm in Belmont County, Ohio, Bethel has dedicated his philanthropic efforts to advancing musculoskeletal medicine following his successful treatment for spinal stenosis.

  • Cynthia Bossart, CEO - Leads the foundation's operations

  • Gary Bethel, Board Member - Family member involved in governance

  • Susan Vendemia, Board Member - Family member involved in governance

All board members serve without compensation. The foundation operates with minimal administrative expenses, directing virtually all resources to grantmaking.

Orland Bethel's Motivation: According to University of Pittsburgh press releases, Bethel stated: "When Dr. Lee and the other surgeons took over my care nearly a decade ago, it transformed my life and gave me new hope." This personal experience of life-changing medical treatment inspired the foundation's focus on musculoskeletal research.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Orland Bethel Family Foundation does not have a formal public application process with deadlines or an online portal. The foundation accepts letters of request from exempt organizations on a rolling basis.

Application Method: Letter of request to: Orland Bethel, CFO Orland Bethel Family Foundation 7196 Hawks View Trail Port St Lucie, FL 34986 Phone: (412) 828-2100

What to Include: While specific requirements are not published, a letter of request should include your organization's mission, the specific project or need for which you're seeking funding, the requested grant amount, and how the funding aligns with the foundation's interests.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly specified and likely vary based on grant size and scope. Major multi-million dollar grants appear to involve extended discussions and relationship-building with foundation leadership.

Success Rates

The foundation made 5 grants in 2023 totaling $10,013,000, and 2 grants in 2024 totaling $22,500. Success rates and total number of applications received are not publicly disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is published. Organizations may submit letters of request; however, the foundation's focused giving pattern suggests that unsolicited requests outside of their established priority areas may have limited success.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's grant history and focus areas, the following factors appear important:

For Medical Research Organizations:

  • Direct connection to musculoskeletal disorders, arthritis, or spinal conditions
  • Focus on translational research that can lead to breakthrough treatments
  • Support for early career scientists and researchers
  • Infrastructure that enables long-term research capacity
  • Alignment with University of Pittsburgh's Bethel Musculoskeletal Research Center mission

For Community Organizations:

  • Location in Western Pennsylvania (particularly Westmoreland County area where Hillandale Farms has operations)
  • Healthcare-related missions or community health improvement
  • Modest funding requests ($2,500-$20,000 range)
  • Established organizations with clear missions

Foundation Giving Pattern: The foundation's grants fall into two distinct categories: transformational major gifts to establish medical research capacity (primarily to University of Pittsburgh), and smaller community grants to local organizations. The foundation appears to operate primarily through trustee discretion rather than competitive application processes.

Recent Grant Recipients (2023-2024):

  • University of Pittsburgh: $10,000,000 (musculoskeletal research center)
  • Chodosh Foundation: $20,000 (general operating)
  • Alzheimer Disease Research: $5,000
  • Grow Westmoreland County: $3,000
  • Westmoreland Frick Hospital Foundation: $2,500
  • Pittsburgh Pirates Alumni Association/Charity: $2,500 (appears in both years)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Personal connection matters: The foundation's giving is heavily influenced by founder Orland Bethel's personal experience with spinal surgery, suggesting that personal connections to board members or alignment with their lived experiences may be important.

  • Think big or think local: The foundation makes both transformational multi-million dollar grants and modest community grants. There appears to be little middle ground in the $50,000-$500,000 range.

  • Medical research focus: Organizations working on musculoskeletal disorders, arthritis, or spinal conditions are strongly aligned with the foundation's primary mission.

  • Western Pennsylvania ties: For smaller community grants, connection to Western Pennsylvania (particularly areas where Hillandale Farms operates) appears important.

  • Letter of request approach: The foundation does not have application deadlines or formal cycles. A well-crafted letter of request to Orland Bethel is the appropriate approach.

  • Limited public information: The foundation does not maintain a public website or detailed application guidelines, suggesting they prefer to work through existing relationships and direct outreach.

  • New foundation with rapid growth: Established in 2023, the foundation quickly built $62 million in assets through contributions from Orland Bethel, suggesting capacity for significant future grantmaking as the foundation matures.

References

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