The Pittsburgh Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, registered in 1994, with $159,126,734 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 85% of spending to programs.
Revenue (FY2024)
$159.1M
▲ 98.2% vs prior year
Philanthropy median: $168K
Expenses (FY2024)
$88.3M
Net assets
$1.4B
Employees
80
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For The Pittsburgh Foundation: 85% to programs · $3 to raise $100 earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For The Pittsburgh Foundation: 197 mo reserves · +45% margin earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For The Pittsburgh Foundation: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For The Pittsburgh Foundation: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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The pittsburgh foundation works to improve the quality of life in the pittsburgh region see sch o by evaluating and addressing community issues, promoting responsible philanthropy, and connecting donors to the critical needs of the community.
Competitive grant-making program: the foundation's competitive grant-making program awards grants made through unrestricted funds and field-of-interest funds that align with the donor's intent. with unrestricted awards, foundation staff determines use of these funds by striving to match donors' philanthropic goals with the community's most pressing charitable needs. with field-of-interest grants, staff determine competitive grant criteria based on named areas of interest, such as the arts, education, economic development, etc.
Donor-designated grant-making program: the foundation's designated grant-making program allows donors to create funds through which they specify eligible nonprofit organizations to receive annual grants in perpetuity, administered by foundation staff.
Other grant-making programs: the foundation manages various other programs, including: a scholarship program that provides students access to hundreds of scholarship opportunities based on criteria established by the foundation and that aligns with the donor's philanthropic goals; agency endowments established by nonprofit organizations; administering various supporting organizations; and supporting other community needs programs. the foundation also provides operating support to its supporting organizations.
Revenue grew from $104.8M (FY2013) to $159.1M (FY2024) across 12 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Operating margin
44.5%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$1.5B
Total liabilities
$92.4M
Net assets
$1.4B
Salaries & benefits
$10.2M
12% of expenses
Board members
16
16 independent
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $159,126,734▲98.2% | $88,303,139▲9.3% | $1,448,692,903▲9.4% | $1,541,081,247▲10.0% | 990 |
| 2023 | $80,275,888▼12.3% | $80,771,324▼2.1% | $1,323,846,643▲8.7% | $1,401,303,944▲8.5% | 990 |
| 2022 | $91,513,611▼38.7% | $82,468,046▲10.4% | $1,217,604,559▼16.1% | $1,291,404,891▼14.9% | 990 |
| 2021 | $149,183,284▲35.0% | $74,715,056▼9.9% | $1,451,386,585▲13.3% | $1,518,120,169▲12.1% | 990 |
| 2020 | $110,535,351▲24.9% | $82,942,098▲26.9% | $1,280,619,685▲10.8% | $1,354,368,497▲10.4% | 990 |
| 2019 | $88,473,154▼35.9% | $65,362,970▼1.8% | $1,155,781,570▲14.4% | $1,226,779,411▲14.7% | 990 |
| 2018 | $138,104,122▲57.4% | $66,543,641▲13.2% | $1,010,353,853▼5.9% | $1,069,725,707▼6.4% | 990 |
| 2017 | $87,755,160▲38.7% | $58,758,228▲3.5% | $1,073,140,099▲10.3% | $1,142,879,653▲10.2% | 990 |
| 2016 | $63,274,714▼21.2% | $56,754,299▲19.4% | $972,513,389▲2.5% | $1,037,372,287▲2.4% | 990 |
| 2015 | $80,301,243▼37.5% | $47,527,700▲5.7% | $948,943,189▼1.8% | $1,012,696,823▼1.9% | 990 |
| 2014 | $128,562,427▲22.7% | $44,974,524▲11.5% | $966,519,815▲10.5% | $1,031,994,319▲9.5% | 990 |
| 2013 | $104,775,019 | $40,335,220▼4.0% | $874,316,118▲15.0% | $942,184,777▲13.5% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $42,018,536▲2.0% | $760,602,645▲10.9% | $830,126,922▲10.4% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $41,181,554▲1.6% | $685,577,673▼0.3% | $751,862,324▲4.6% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $40,540,575 | $687,844,866 | $718,684,025 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Highest-paid: Elisabeth Schroeder — $647,859 (0.73% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elisabeth Schroeder | President/ceo | 50 | $647,859 |
| Jonathan Brelsford | Cio & Svp Operations | 40 | $307,282 |
| Doug Root | Vp Communications | 40 | $247,883 |
| Jennie Zioncheck | Chief of Staff/strat Imple | 40 | $229,503 |
| Bryan Tait Asst Treasurer | Chief Financial & Operations Officer | 40 | $222,428 |
| Phil Koch | Vp Policy/comm Impact | 40 | $220,231 |
| Michelle Mcmurray Vp | Program & Community Engagement | 40 | $212,589 |
| Lindsay Aroesty | Vp Development & Donor Svc | 40 | $202,657 |
| Michael Yonas | Vp Pub Health Research/learning | 40 | $187,610 |
| Charmelle Jackson | Chief Hr & Culture Officer | 40 | $174,160 |
| Amy K Marsh | Director | 1 | — |
| David Lewis | Director | 1 | — |
| Deborah Demchak | Director | 1 | — |
| Dr Walter Smith | Director | 1 | — |
| John R Mcginley Jr | Chair | 1 | — |
| Jordan Pallitto | Director | 1 | — |
| Kamal Nigam | Secretary | 1 | — |
| Laura Ellsworth | Director | 1 | — |
| Laura Karet | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| Marc Cherna | Director | 1 | — |
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Mascaro Construction Company LP | Construction | $2,555,382 |
| Bny Mellon | Investment Fees | $1,447,980 |
| Pnc Bank | Investment Fees | $889,028 |
| Information Technology Services | Cable Install | $441,793 |
| Merrill Lynch | Investment Fees | $431,453 |
101 grants to The Pittsburgh Foundation totaling $20.6M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dietrich Foundation | Community support generation | 2024 | $1,647,038 |
| Highmark Health | General support | 2024 | $270,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $46,292 |
| Stonier Scholarship Inc | General support to further the organization's purpose. | 2024 | $27,000 |
| Ayco Charitable Foundation | Community & human services | 2024 | $25,000 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Philanthropy | 2024 | $25,000 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $12,043 |
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2024 | $9,768 |
| Dietrich Foundation | Community support generation | 2023 | $1,877,073 |
| Highmark Health | General support | 2023 | $280,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Public, societal benefit | 2023 | $113,250 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $86,454 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2023 | $59,305 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2023 | $22,000 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Philanthropy | 2023 | $15,500 |
1,132 grants totaling $64.0M in FY2024 — showing the 15 largest. All grants made by The Pittsburgh Foundation →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Pittsburgh | Education | $2,414,272 |
| The Pittsburgh Promise Foundation | Scholarships and student financial aid | $1,343,837 |
| Scholarship America Inc | Scholarships | $1,209,399 |
| Carnegie Institute | Arts, culture and humanities | $878,397 |
| Pittsburgh Theological Seminary of the Utd Preby Chrc Utd Sts Amer | Higher education | $788,449 |
| The United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania | Human services | $767,441 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | Philanthropic community support | $702,331 |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Higher education | $691,911 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Philanthropic community support | $659,116 |
| Beaver County Marcellus Awareness Community | Environmental support | $631,534 |
| Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank | Food banks & pantries | $627,786 |
| New Brighton Area School District | Elementary and secondary schools | $578,000 |
| Heritage Valley Health System Foundation | Hospital support services | $567,887 |
| Sewickley Public Library Inc | Libraries | $565,232 |
| New Sun Rising | Community and neighborhood dev | $535,073 |
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Data for The Pittsburgh Foundation (EIN 25-0965466) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.