by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Jul 7, 2026 | Building a Stronger Fayette
Ron Gabriel, Michelle Knight, Steve Strange, Terry Burden
EEUCC hosted a program by Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia
During a visit to East End United Community Center (EEUCC), we saw children and volunteers in the flourishing garden, residents accessing their food pantry, and a room full of children enjoying a wildlife presentation about birds. With a diverse range of programs, the Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) is happy to support EEUCC in their efforts to build a stronger Fayette County.
A recent capacity building grant from the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund enabled the nonprofit to purchase an industrial color printer/copier machine. Their previous machine was unable to print in color, and they needed a machine that can handle their high volume of printing without breaking down or lagging.
“The ability to use the color printer will help enhance educational programming by providing high quality color materials that will help improve the children’s comprehension and engagement, in addition to improving the professionalism of printed materials for community members,” said Michelle Knight, EEUCC Office Manager.
Residents can benefit from EEUCC’s programs such as daycare, after-school programming, truancy prevention, seniors programming, nutrition assistance, and other community outreach projects.
“Our community is better because of East End United Community Center’s programs and the dedicated service of their staff and volunteers,” said CFFC Chief Executive Officer Jessica Hajek-Bates. “We’re grateful for opportunities to partner with their organization through grants, participation in Fayette Gives, and our wonderful network of local nonprofits.”
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | May 15, 2026 | Building a Stronger Fayette
Tucked away in the beautiful scenery of the Laurel Highlands, Touchstone Center for Crafts offers arts programming that draws people from near and far. To help strengthen their capacity, with technology equipment and staff expansion, they have been awarded grants from the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund at the Community Foundation of Fayette County.
Touchstone’s mission is to advance excellence in the arts and crafts by educating and encouraging individuals to develop technical skills, good design, and innovative expression. The nonprofit offers a variety of programs for people of all experience levels, with opportunities customized for youth, arts educators, veterans, and resident artists. Those who visit their campus for workshops can learn blacksmithing, ceramics, jewelry-making, and more.
Throughout daily operations, staff was facing challenges with their outdated phone system, describing it as cumbersome and inefficient. Implementing a new phone system, with grant funding, has had a positive effect.
“It is important for employees of our organization to be able to conduct business seamlessly, whether they are working remotely or in our offices. Support from a CFFC grant allowed us to move from an outdated phone system to a more responsive and flexible platform that works from our computers and phones,” said Lindsay Ketterer Gates, Executive Director.
Touchstone also received funding to support their staff expansion and the computer equipment needed for new team members. Lindsay explained the impact of hiring strong talent to enhance the organization’s mission: “We’ve strengthened our fundraising capacity, expanded our programming season, and increased off-season visibility.”
CFFC is happy to support Touchstone’s capacity to inspire, teach, and serve the community.
Photos courtesy of Touchstone Center for Crafts
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | May 11, 2026 | CFFC News
Elevate NP of SWPA is hosting a series of Scenario Planning Clinics for nonprofits across the region – free of charge. CFFC is happy to host a session at our office on June 18.
Scenario Planning Clinic
Thursday, June 18
12:00 – 3:00
Community Foundation of Fayette County
250 West Main Street
Uniontown, PA 15401
Facilitated by Jake Seltman and Will Tolliver of Procopia, this dynamic workshop includes group discussion with expert facilitators, peer connections, and applied exercises to:
- Get clear on the major drivers of uncertainty and risk for their organization – and what some potential scenarios might be
- Develop an action plan to address near-term risks/opportunities and plant seeds for the future
- Get advice and share ideas with peers and colleagues
This session is intended for 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations with a paid Executive Director and annual budgets between $100,000 and $5 million. Space is limited to 20 nonprofit organizations. This workshop is intended for Executive Directors, and participants are encouraged to bring an additional member of their leadership team or Board. A light lunch will be included.
Nonprofits must register to attend. Reserve your spot!
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Jan 15, 2026 | CFFC News
The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) is accepting funding requests for five grant opportunities this spring. Interested nonprofits must apply through CFFC’s online grant portal by March 1 at 5:00 p.m.
The Building a Stronger Fayette Fund is the foundation’s unrestricted grantmaking endowment, which is accepting grant requests up to $5,000 for projects or capacity building. These awards are made with combined funding from the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund; Fayette County Charities Endowment; Franklin K. and Jean Smith Family Fund; GIVE Fayette County campaign; Levi Komarinski Memorial Fund; Thompson Fund.
The spring grant cycle also includes four Field of Interest Funds, which have a specific area of focus:
- The Burchinal Family Endowment Fund supports charities that provide health and medical care for Fayette County residents.
- The Mary and John J. Depcrymski Memorial Fund supports transportation expenses for Fayette County seniors.
- The Community Beautification Fund supports landscape improvement in Fayette and Greene Counties.
- The Jack and Diane Hughes Family Fund supports community gardens and science/environmental education.
“Last year, our spring grant cycle awarded $36,000 for computer equipment, employment readiness services, senior center programming, food distribution, flowers for an Honor Roll, and more,” said Jessica Hajek-Bates, Chief Executive Officer. “We look forward to another year of charitable giving that addresses the needs of our community.”
For more details about these grant opportunities and criteria, visit the Nonprofits page at www.cffayettepa.org.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Oct 1, 2025 | Building a Stronger Fayette
Photo from the board training courtesy of Crime Victims’ Center of Fayette County.
From 2023 to 2024, the Crime Victims’ Center of Fayette County reported a 149% increase in clients. To meet the needs of the community, the nonprofit is prioritizing its growth and sustainability to ensure that their services can help as many residents as possible.
Crime Victims’ Center of Fayette County (CVC) offers a 24-hour crisis hotline, counseling, and advocacy services for victims of violent crimes. They also provide educational and training classes for children and adults across the county at low to no cost.
“Due to our funding structure, we have strict guidelines and standards that we must follow,” said Andrea Hibbs, CVC Executive Director. For example, government grants cannot be used for fundraising efforts, but the nonprofit identified that as an important area for growth. To spearhead these efforts, they hosted two training sessions for board members and the executive director. The Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) supported the trainings with a 2024 grant from the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund.
CVC partnered with consulting company Nonprofit SideKick to take a closer look at the board of directors’ responsibilities, identify the type of board they are, and assess strengths and opportunities for growth. “CFFC’s funding provided us with an opportunity to gain important knowledge to increase awareness, sustain board members, and attain financial growth. This is vital in keeping with our mission to provide services to victims of crime in a supportive, inclusive, and safe environment,” said Hibbs.
Andrea Hibbs and Renee Couser with Crime Victims’ Center of Fayette County’s first grant from the Strawberry Patch Fund in 2021.
Beyond competitive grant awards, CVC has taken advantage of other opportunities to bolster their mission. They have raised over $17,000 through Fayette Gives. Each of the five years that CVC has participated, they have increased their fundraising and worked to raise awareness of their services in the community.
CVC also receives an annual distribution from the Strawberry Patch Fund, a donor designated fund at CFFC that was created through an estate gift to support specific organizations. Over $21,000 has been granted to CVC from the fund. They have the discretion to use these funds to address the organization’s most pressing needs and invest in resources that will benefit the residents they serve.
Charitable giving can help bridge the funding gap for impactful services like the ones that Crime Victims’ Center offers. Residents who experience a violent crime have somewhere to turn, with the support of CVC. This year marks the nonprofit’s 50th anniversary, and we applaud their efforts in building a stronger Fayette County.